The hospital internship works in rotations. In the physical therapy rotation, I shadowed physical therapists in the out-patient area and an occupational therapist. In the Cardiopulmonary rotation I shadowed respiratory therapists and the cardiologist. In the lab, they showed me all of the different lab techniques. In the wound center, I shadowed the nurses for the most part, who cleaned and bandaged wounds.

My favorite rotation was the wound center, by far because I am adept at talking to people and making them comfortable. I felt there was more of an opportunity to do that in the rather small outpatient center. In addition, it was often the same patients, so I got to know some of the patients better.

I think my favorite day of my internship was when a man in a wheelchair was brought into the wound center. When the nurses asked how he was, he got tears in his eyes, and he seemed very depressed. I was able to talk with him for awhile, and he seemed happier when he left than when he came in. I was glad I could brighten someone's day, even as a shadow.

I am going to school for a nursing degree next year, and plan to become a nurse practitioner. I learned a lot about what career path to follow.

The internship reinforced that nursing is what I want to do.