Author: Isabelle Segadelli

 

The Final Co-op: Segadelli ’18 at Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington, D.C.

Feb 27, 2018
 

For my third and now fourth co-op I am volunteering at Sibley Memorial Hospital. Sibley Memorial Hospital’s mission is “to deliver excellence and compassionate care-every person, every time,” and its vision is to be “the role model for innovation in healthcare and wellness for all.” I chose this as a co-op because I intend to become a nurse and therefore exposure to a hospital and/or a medical environment is important before I commit to becoming a health professional. In my third co-op, I worked in different departments so I could explore the entirety of the hospital and see which areas I was most interested in. However, for this (my fourth) co-op I decided to focus on the medical-surgical unit, ICU, and ER departments of the hospital as I find those areas of nursing most interesting.

A typical day at the hospital for me consists of assisting the unit secretary in administrative tasks, answering patient call lights, and offering help to nurses and other medical staff. In the afternoon I get the privilege of listening to doctors come into the unit and make their rounds, which means getting updates from nurses on their patients and deciding what the next steps are in terms of their care at the hospital.

During my time volunteering at Sibley, I have learned a lot. Being in a hospital setting as a worker rather than a patient has reconfirmed for me that nursing is the career I want. Throughout this journey, I have met some amazing nurses that have shared some of the tricks of the trade. This co-op has made me more hopeful for my future after Antioch. 

Photo credit: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/sibley-memorial-hospital/

 

 

Segadelli ’18 at Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington, D.C.

Aug 29, 2017
 

For my third and fourth co-op I worked as a volunteer at Sibley Memorial Hospital Johns Hopkins Medicine in Washington D.C.

I assisted in:
– Escort services
​- Administrative services
– Emergency Department
– ICU
– Medical-surgical unit
– Outpatient services
– Women and infants services
– Oncology department
– Geriatrics

I have created a weekly blog to reflect to keep a record of my adventures inside and outside of work. You can check it out here: isegadelli.weebly.com

Photo credit: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/sibley-memorial-hospital/index.html

 

My Escape to an Island: Segadelli ’18 at Kokolulu Farm & Cancer Retreats in Hawi, Hawaii

Feb 28, 2016
 

For those of you who do not know who I am, my name is Isabelle Segadelli Class of 2018. I am currently on co-op working as an intern at Kokolulu Farm and Cancer Retreat in Hawi, Hawaii. Their mission is:

“At Kokolulu Farm and Retreats we are committed to providing a sanctuary for people facing chronic illness or those wanting to improve their self care skills , support for them emotionally in a healing environment and education to teach them techniques and attitudes to give them courage, strength and love.” – Kokolulu Farm and Cancer Retreats

As an intern at Kokolulu I work on the organic farm using and learning about the farming technique known as Natural Farming. They believe that food is the best medicine which I am inclined to agree since that is what fuels our bodies to stay healthy and also help us heal when we are not. Every day I awaken to a beautiful sunrise (I also question as to why I’ve decided to be up at the hour of 7AM). My work usually begins with turning the compost, it is warm and humid all-year round in Hawaii so everything deteriorates sooner or later. I meet with my supervisors and am given a list of tasks for the day that range from simply weeding a garden to building a new chicken coop. When the sun dips over the horizon and the day is almost done I go about watering all the plants and fall asleep to the sound of crickets singing. I chose this co-op for a couple of reasons. The first was to escape the Ohio winter (my apologies for those of you who are currently experiencing it), the second was that as a Biomedical Science major I am interested in cancer, how it works, the different variations of it and the different types of treatment we use today to combat its affects. Last quarter I took a Genetics class where we studied cancer and the way it functions on a cellular level. I have found this knowledge basis to be very helpful as I learn more about the holistic treatment that is practiced here at Kokolulu. Working on the farm has also increased my interest in nutrition and the way different foods affect the human body. This is my first time learning about Natural Farming and I am planning on taking some ideas I’ve already gained from it and bringing it back to Antioch and implement on the farm.  

To learn more: www.cancer-retreats.org/