Virtual Reality. Ch 7

Julie Reyes, DNP, RN

My community class will be done different from the face to face students, since I am an eline student. I still have to go to do some clinicals, but the daunting task in front of me is to create a virtual community in which I will be the health nurse.

Give a writer the task of writing - yay!

Give a girl who has been banned from balancing the checkbook the task of creating a budget for my community health center....oh no!!!

Fortunately, I don't have to face this mountain alone. I have two incredible sources of ammunition in my field. Dawn and Rhonda. Where one of us was lacking in understanding or 'how to' knowledge, the other one of us had plenty! We send each other our "virtual island tourist information" pamphlets, we proof read and critique each other's plan, and we crank about how impossible this task seems!

Rhonda was off and running with her budget. This girl - the coupon queen of clinic budgets - should really be in charge of the country's deficit and she would whip it in shape in no time. I am not sure how she did it, but I wanted to ask her for a job application. When she let me proof read her budget, I went to my assignment - the part I had completed - hit "ctrl A", then hit "delete". There was no way I could pass with the dribble I wrote if this was the stuff that Rhonda was going to turn in.

Except for the budget portion of my virtual clinic, I really like this assignment. Probably because I am creating my ideal vacation spot. Warm climate, laid back pace, lots of sandy beaches with those in the sand beach chairs and a waiter who brings you free drinks, brightly colored sailboats in clear turquoise water, white fluffy clouds, lovely civilians who have the cutest little shops, amazingly inexpensive - best food in the Caribbean - restaurants....my plan is to make it such a calm and relaxing place that no one will ever need a health care clinic....

When Dawn read my description, we decided it was time to plan our post-graduation cruise to the Caribbean. That girl has more energy than anyone I know! I think she is ready to book the cruise - I am pretty sure she has all of the fun stuff planned out. Undoubtedly, we spent way too much time discussing our vacation than we should have! This girl makes me laugh so much! I am glad that we all have each other to bounce ideas off of and sharpen each other - I think they make me a better student.

That being said, I realize I have created a clinic that is not needed - because nothing bad ever happens in paradise, and that's ok with me; however, a virtual clinic that is not needed will not fly with your real life professor. I am instructed to go back and edit my perfect world and actually work in my virtual community as a nurse. I don't know about anyone else, but receiving these instructions from my professor really burst my bubble. Well - not really - I just hoped I could get away with it....

So, after much discussion with my partners in crime, I come up with some very real solutions to providing my virtual community with health care. I guess it only makes sense that there are going to be some real health issues that will take place in paradise. So, my clinic will provide the routine immunizations, prenatal care, well baby check-ups, and all that...but for all those tourists, I included first aid for those drunken brawls in the local night clubs, advanced life support for the retired folks who may have an acute MI, and lots of fun stuff like that, where maybe I will need a nurse practitioner on board.

....and in doing this amazingly hard (but fun) assignment, I realize that I could have never done all of this without my friends...and I am almost certain my journey into nursing may not end with "RN" behind my name, but maybe - just maybe I will go a little further.

How did your friends help you in school?

Did you ever have a class that changed your perspective and plans?