As a student who had only just completed the first semester of the course, I had no experience with pediatric patients prior to the shadowing task. Thus, the nurse shadowing task was a rather exciting experience for me, exposing me to several new aspects of pediatric care (Burkitt et.al 2001). However, its most heart- rending element was congenital patient care – seeing babies being born with an illness was a rather touching experience. While a few of my peers were fairly well- informed on the subject of pediatric care, I wasn’t. Most of the information I gleaned and things I saw in the course of my nurse shadowing assignment were new to me. The nurse practitioner I was tasked to shadow provided me with detailed information about appendicitis, which is apparently a widely- occurring pediatric issue and, at times, may take long to diagnose (Gaydos et.al 2005). Further, I gained insights into the issue of mal- rotation (failure of the intestines to fully rotate within the fetus, whilst in the mother’s womb which might, at times, create problems) (Burkitt et.al 2001), which was discussed by the NP with a young, tired patient (suffering from the issue) surrounded by concerned relatives. I also learned about the congenital Hirschsprung’s disease – a condition in which the intestines’ ganglion cells don’t migrate fully throughout the person’s gut, leading to obstruction and evacuation issues (Hopkins et.al 2017). This congenitally- determined ailment is diagnosed using samples taken from the patient’s rectum, where the illness begins. The patient I witnessed suffering from this ailment had other congenital ailments too (Hawkins & Vialet 2012)

Visits to the intensive care unit were especially touching. The extreme fragility of pre-term babies was rather alarming. Their vulnerability (being all alone in a room buzzing with machines) is something I can never forget. Other NICU experiences etched in my mind include a case of an omphalocele – an abdominal wall defect which leads to multiple gastrointestinal organs lying within a yellow sac outside the patient’s body (Gaydos et.al 2005). Fortunately, the baby in question did not have it so bad, as I learned by overhearing a discussion between the physician on duty and the baby’s parents. Another hard- to- forget memory is that of seeing an imperforate anus – a congenital issue caused by the absence of an anus orifice, leading to a fistula between the rectum and urethra, bladder, vagina or other body part (Hopkins et.al 2017).

My nurse shadowing experience’s most harrowing moment was definitely this: seeing an operation being performed on an infant who was only a day old! While this is not my first experience in the operation theatre (I have witnessed cardiac surgeries...

I might be seeing this on a regular basis someday in the future, but will always remember my very first experience and my awe at seeing things on a minuscule scale (Hawkins & Vialet 2012)
Though I had initially never given the pediatric nursing field any thought, this shadowing experience got me dreaming. One of my chief motivators was witnessing the nurse practitioner’s gentle and affectionate interaction with the little patients, and her empathy towards their worried parents (Gaydos et.al 2005). As the NP I was shadowing was like a library of information for me, I made the most of my opportunity asking her questions and gaining in- depth knowledge on several diseases and aspects of pediatric care. We also discussed the role of the physician versus that of the nurse practitioner and I realized how well suited I am to the latter job. The NP’s thoughtful words, kindness, calm attitude, and professionalism were highly inspirational for me and reinforced my decision to pursue the nursing profession (Hopkins et.al 2017)

Though I was, initially, skeptical about joining the nursing field, the nurse shadowing experience served to convince me that the NP role is right for me. As a parting advice, the NP recommended getting a fair amount of bedside experience in the capacity of registered nurse prior to pursuing the role of NP, claiming that taking one small step at a time would help me overcome obstacles in my path and facilitate my success. As Swami Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada’s saying goes, “Little drops of water wear away stone”. (Gaydos et.al 2005)

According to Dr. Berwick, the patient comes first. All actions and changes ought to be targeted at safeguarding, maintaining, and improving patient well- being. This is the sole means of identifying waste. This is my main consideration whilst dealing with patients.

My NP clearly displayed an unreserved visionary style of leadership. She was not prone to balking when faced with a challenging case. In some instances, I despaired at the condition the patient was in but she would provide strong words of encouragement; she urged me to become more self- confident and not shy away from a daunting task. In fact, I have her to thank for making me vow to become a strong, confident person. It would not be an overstatement to say that she was not just a mentor for me, but a role model (Gaydos et.al 2005).

Moreover, she demonstrated superior negotiation skills, especially evident in cases where patients’ parents or other caregivers proved problematic and refused to accept her advice or decisions. While she was humble in her dealings with patients, she efficiently dealt with…