Honors Experiences - Artifact 2

Throughout my freshman and sophomore years, I volunteered 3+ hours almost every Friday at Riley Children’s Hospital in the hematology/oncology unit. My role focused on supporting pediatric patients through:

• Maintaining the Riley Cheer Guild playroom
  
  

• Engaging children in games and activities
  
  

• Providing comfort and distraction during long hospital stays
  
  

• Occasionally shadowing nurses to observe patient care
  
  

This experience introduced me to the human side of healthcare, especially in a unit where patients and families face ongoing, emotionally intense treatments.

Skills I Developed

1. Pediatric Communication & Adaptability

• Adjusted communication based on age, mood, and developmental level

• Used play as a tool to reduce anxiety and build trust

• Learned how to interact with both patients and their families simultaneously

2. Emotional Intelligence & Presence

• Recognized nonverbal cues such as fear, fatigue, and frustration

• Practiced being fully present, even when I couldn’t “fix” the situation

• Developed comfort supporting patients in emotionally heavy environments

3. Team Awareness in a Clinical Setting

• Observed how nurses coordinate care while maintaining compassion and efficiency

• Gained insight into interdisciplinary teamwork

• Began understanding workflow and priorities in a hospital setting

Growth as a Thinker & Future Nurse (Why It Matters)

This experience shaped my foundation as a future nurse. It taught me that care goes beyond clinical skills—it includes presence, empathy, and connection.

I began to understand that small actions—like playing a game or simply sitting with a patient—can significantly impact a child’s hospital experience. This aligns with patient-centered care models, which emphasize treating the whole person, not just the diagnosis.

Reflection

This experience challenged me emotionally and pushed me to grow in ways that aren’t taught in textbooks. It reinforced that nursing is not just about interventions—it’s about being there for patients in moments that matter most.

For my honors contract in my capstone course, I completed an Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) project focused on improving sleep hygiene during night shift on 9E at Riley Children’s Hospital.

My project aimed to address how nighttime disruptions impact patient recovery and how nurses can implement small, evidence-based changes to improve sleep quality.

Key components included:

• Conducting pre- and post-surveys with nurses

• Developing a sleep hygiene educational flyer

• Implementing an education-based intervention

• Presenting findings through a professional EBP poster
  
  

Skills I Developed

1. Evidence-Based Research & Database Skills

• Used databases like CINAHL and PubMed

• Applied Boolean operators and targeted search terms

• Evaluated research for credibility and clinical relevance

2. Data Analysis & Interpretation

• Analyzed qualitative survey responses (e.g., “What does sleep hygiene mean to you?”)

• Identified themes and knowledge gaps

• Compared pre/post data to assess effectiveness of intervention

3. Clinical Education & Communication

• Translated research into a clear, concise educational tool

• Adapted information for busy night-shift nurses

• Focused on practical, realistic interventions

4. Quality Improvement Implementation

• Identified a practice gap

• Designed a feasible intervention within real clinical constraints

• Evaluated outcomes to determine impact

5. Professional Presentation Skills

• Created and presented a formal EBP poster

• Organized data visually for clear communication

• Presented findings to a clinical and academic audience

Growth as a Thinker & Future Nurse (Why It Matters)

This experience marked a shift in how I see my role as a nurse. I moved from simply participating in care to actively improving it through evidence-based practice.

It reinforced the idea that nursing is grounded in continuous learning and aligns with the American Nurses Association’s emphasis on evidence-informed practice.

I developed:

• Greater clinical confidence
  
  

• Stronger critical thinking skills
  
  

• A deeper sense of professional responsibility

Reflection

The most challenging part of this project was translating research into something practical and usable in a real clinical environment. This required me to think beyond theory and consider workflow, time constraints, and nurse priorities. 

Ultimately, this experience showed me that: Effective nursing isn’t just about doing more, it’s about doing what is evidence-based and meaningful for patient outcomes.