My Long-Term Care rotation was amazing. Without a doubt this was one of my favorite rotations because I got to work alongside a PA on floors managed entirely by PAs. While I was not initially interested in long term care, this rotation gave me valuable insight into the variety of complicated, challenging, but incredible teaching experiences. At NYPQ I witnessed PAs taking complete responsibility in caring for patients, writing orders, interpreting labs/imaging, and consulting with specialists/attendings when appropriate. All my preceptors made me feel welcomed and took interest in my learning experience. I was consistently coached by the PAs on how to follow up with patients, interpret labs, and write detailed notes. I was happy to be entrusted with a set of patients and I often felt that I was of value to the team. I learned how to write detailed discharge notes and became very familiar with the process of admission and with discharge from the hospital.

One of the most memorable moments I had was during the week where I was working my overnights. This pandemic has had lasting effects on everyone. One of my patietns was a 73 year old woman who was admitted for complications resulting from COVID-19. In the room next to her was her 52 year old son, who also had COVID-19. Across the hall from their room was her husband who also had COVID-19. During my shift the mother’s condition began to worsen. I was overcome by the emotion that the son displayed as he was holding his mother’s hand. While the team took care of his mother, this was more than just another learning experience. This humbled me. In healthcare we truly are trusted with the well-being of others. We must do our best in anticipation to learn everything, so we give our patients optimal treatment.

Other moments that I really appreciated during my overnights came from the one-on-one teaching experiences from other PAs. One PA spent 3-4 hours going over ECGs with me from the perspective of a cardiology attending. With this experience I began to envision the movement of currant around the heart rather. This solidified my understanding of arrythmias and was much better than memorizing patterns. Another teaching experience that I really appreciated came from the PAs on the admission team. They allowed me to interview, examine, and create plans for newly admitted patients. Then they discussed these plans with me in depth. They also took time to ask me challenging questions.  

I enjoyed time at my NYPQ LTC rotation, and I gained a sense of appreciation for medicine. There is so much to learn and everyday was a challenge that I looked forward to.