Samantha Cosme
As I look back on my time in Decker, I cannot believe how much I have grown and how many wonderful opportunities have come my way. I was accepted into Decker as a freshman and began to dip my feet in Decker events by attending NSA meetings and making connections with other freshmen nursing students. My sophomore year I joined the undergraduate nursing research class NURS 499, where I started to become closer with some of my future professors. Although this class was a challenge at first and I had to quickly grasp onto all the terms and projects being worked on, it easily became one of the highlights of nursing school. I continued to be a part of this class my junior and senior year and saw myself grow as a leader and undergraduate researcher. I was even able to present at the Eastern Nursing Research Society both my junior year on Zoom and senior year in Providence, Rhode Island. I never would have imagined when I first joined my sophomore year that two years later I would be standing in front of over 50 nurses (most of which had their PhDs) presenting our findings on our vaping intervention for adolescents. It was an experience I will never forget!
My junior year was the first year I began working as a student ambassador for Decker. Through this job, I was able to speak with prospective students and tell them all about the great things going on at Decker. I also became closer with more of my peers who I worked with, and the wonderful faculty and advisors we have. One of my favorite things about this job was getting to give tours of the new building, since it is absolutely beautiful and equipped with amazing simulation materials and devices. I am grateful to have been able to take all of my junior and senior core nursing classes there.
My junior year was also the first year of clinical rotations. I got to learn on a med/surg unit, pediatrics unit, maternity unit, and at the Innovative Simulation Practice Center (ISPC) on the 2nd floor of Decker. Beginning these clinicals were scary, but so exciting. Learning in the ISPC prior really prepared me for medication passes and patient assessments. Finally, getting to interact with real patients in the hospital the second semester of that year taught me valuable therapeutic communication skills that I got to build upon going into my senior year.
My senior year is when I began tutoring Pathophysiology for the junior nursing students. Although it was a challenge at first, since I had taken the course over a year ago, it allowed me to brush up on my knowledge in pathophysiology which I found has helped me so much with my critical thinking in clinical. For my clinicals, the first semester of this year included community health where I got to go to a primary care setting, home care, and a high-risk perinatal center. I also had my psychiatric rotation and another med/surg rotation. Building upon my skills from junior year and nurse externship over the summer gave me more confidence going into these clinicals and allowed me to focus more on what I wanted to improve on. Finally, this semester my capstone has consisted of both a Mother Baby unit and Med/Surg unit at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Syracuse. Having more independence with my capstone clinical allowed me more one on one time with my preceptor and more independence on the unit. I am grateful that I was able to explore my interest in maternity more, but still get wonderful hands-on experience on the med/surg unit.
Besides the great education Decker has provided me, it has also given me two of my best friends. Having them to study with, go to clinical with, and hang out with in our (limited) free time is something I owe to Decker. I will cherish the late night study sessions we had, and although we were stressed, we never left without laughing. Decker is truly one big, close-knit family and I know the friends I have gained over these four years I will remain close with as we enter our careers as registered nurses.
If I had one piece of advice to offer an incoming freshman or anyone currently in Decker, it would be to take advantage of the opportunities that come your way. Although you may think you don’t have the time for something or it seems too hard, challenging yourself is the best way to grow. You also never know the friends you will gain from these opportunities. I know for a fact that I would not be the same person or have the same great friends if I hadn’t said yes to things that slightly scared me. The same thing goes for clinical, if you do not seek out hands-on opportunities or say yes to performing a skill you only ever did on a mannequin, your skillset is not going to grow. Never be afraid to ask to do something and for help doing it. We are all always learning and improving, and that is one of the greatest things about nursing. I am grateful for everything Decker has done for me, and excited to see how everything I have gained will continue to help me as I enter my career as a registered nurse!
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