3/25/2018 0 Comments Reflective Journal #11Challenging conversations are something that I have had no choice but to get better in within the past few months. I have had to have quite a few challenging conversations, and I definitely believe that practice makes perfect. I have learned that the best way for me to handle that difficult talks is to try to approach it from the other person’s point of view. This can pertain to one’s personal life, professional life, etc. Seeing someone else’s perspective can both allow me to go into the conversation with a level head and a sense of understanding, and it can also make the other party feel more comfortable. I believe that above all, we all just want to be understand and feel like we are being heard with a sense of understanding. By putting ourselves in others’ shoes, that can oftentimes be accomplished. Unfortunately, there are other situations where a consensus cannot be mutually found. In this case, I believe that approaching the situation with a desire to know the other side of the story is extremely significant. It is important to be able to hold our own tongues and allow another person to speak. Additionally, it may sound corny, but I strongly believe in “I” statements instead of “you” statements. By using this method of communication, there can be an avoidance of a feeling of blame or pointing fingers. I believe there is a lot to say about someone who can handle conflict with empathy instead of a persona of arrogance and the “I’m right, you’re wrong” attitude.
In the past, the challenging conversations with my mother have never had a calm ending. We are both pretty strong in our personalities (I come by it honestly), so we have had the tendency to butt heads. However, after having many literal come to Jesus meetings, I have learned a calm demeanor can put even the greatest qualms to rest. After learning this, I changed the way I talked to my mom about going to Nepal for example, and the conversations have been much more fruitful. I understand that she worries because she loves me, and now she understands that I feel the need to go and devote my time to a cause I care about. Even though we still don’t fully understand each other all the time, we can give each other the respect and kindness that we deserve. This week, I have received attempts from Beth’s PBL and have been able to fill in much more of my clinical packet.
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3/19/2018 0 Comments Reflective Journal #9Hopping into my mental time machine gives me a lot of different options. I have been trying especially hard lately to stay present, while also attempting to stay practical in planning. This has been somewhat of a challenge, but I feel like I’m getting better at it. As of this moment, two different options come to mind when I think about my future. I can definitely see myself having gone through graduate school within the next three to four years. I will have graduated from undergrad with an athletic training degree and gone onto a physician’s assistant studies program (specifically at University of Colorado or California Baptist College - these are the two main ones on my radar at the moment). I imagine myself working in a hospital setting with a pediatrics specialty. In my wildest dreams, I would like to work at St. Judes or a hospital with a similar cause to work with pediatric oncology. A passion to make a difference in a child’s life and his or her family’s lives would be my motivating factor to get up and go to work in the mornings. My main goal in my professional life is to do as much as possible to make the greatest positive and beneficial impact on others’ lives as I can. Additionally, I imagine that a desire to help provide for my family would push me to get out of bed and encourage me to work hard.
On the other hand, I can see my life being very different from what I just describe. I do have a passion for helping patients in the medical field, but I have a burning passion unlike any other to work in the mission field. I can definitely see myself in the rather near future being a missionary in America. I have a desire to be successful, but I have any more of a desire to honor God with my life and be obedient to the calling He has given me. Right now, I feel a strong push to pour into college-aged women in America because college can be such a dark time for so many people. This could potentially mean not being in a set place and having to travel extremely often. Despite how different these two outcomes may look, I can also see how God could weave them together. There is definitely a ministry through the medical field, and that is something I would be open to if the Lord placed it on my heart. This week, I have made more connections with some members in the ministry that I am passionate about by travelling to Campobello, SC for a gathering. Additionally, even though it be small, I studied fairly hard for the gen med test we were given. I believe that when we are faithful in the small, we will be faithful in the big. Additionally, this week I have received attempts from Beth’s PBL, a safety inspection attempt in the clinic, and attempts from the gen med test in DC’s class. 3/19/2018 0 Comments Reflective Journal #8The idea behind “Compassionate Care for All” may be my favorite aspect of athletic training. I believe that this characteristic of athletic training helps set it apart and makes this profession very special and unlike others in the healthcare field. I have talked about the relational aspect of athletic training in multiple of my past journals, but it is such an important part to me about what I am being trained to do. I feel like it is easy for athletic trainers to display compassion for their athletes because there is a personal relationship between the athletes and the athletic trainer that is built over time. Even if there is not a name to name basis or a past history or communication between the two parties, the athlete is still known the athletic trainer. The athletic trainer is at every practice and game and has at least noticed the athlete at one time or another. I believe it says a lot to the patient when the healthcare provider is simply just present and easily accessible.
I feel like I embody this concept by truly having an interest in the health and overall well being of the athletes. I feel like the athletes can sense when an athletic trainer or any other healthcare provider or clinician is being present with them and truly listening to what they have to say and how they feel. This is something that I work on every time I am with a patient. I want the athlete to feel very taken care of and as if they are truly being heard. Furthermore, I take what the athlete has told me, both considering the injury and other information like family life, mental state, stress level, etc., and take all of these things into consideration while planning treatments and rehabs. I like to put myself into the athlete’s shoes and really try to experience what they are experiencing. However, sometimes that can get me into trouble. I have had to learn throughout my time in the athletic training program that it is important to be empathetic, but it is also important to stay focused and withdrawn enough to make logical and not emotionally based decisions. Finding this balance has been very beneficial to my clinical experience. This week I received attempts from the PBL in Beth’s clinical class, and I received approximately 3 attempts from working on my packet in the clinic. |
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April 2019
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