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December 2022 CNSA - SACRAMENTO STATE CHAPTER VOLUME 41, ISSUE 4

Bittersweet
By DenMarie Abad
CNSA President
4th Semester

I remember getting my acceptance email on Novem-

ber 24th, 2020 and crying the moment I saw the
word “congratulations” and I still have my Google
The Stories of Camp Go Forms receipt from when I ordered my equipment
Beyond & Camp Milag- on January 4th, 2021. On January 20th I remember
ros :) dressing professionally, hopping onto Zoom for my
Page 2 New Student Orientation, and knowing I wanted to
join CNSA the moment I heard about it. January
Bye Third Semester!
25th is when I had my first day of nursing school
Page 3 and I was so overwhelmed. I had all my materials
Critical Thinking and out, my books prepared, and my brain ready to ab-
Communication in the sorb information. I remember how exciting it was to
Critical Care Setting start and now I will remember how bittersweet it is
Page 4
to end.
These past two years have been a rollercoaster of
Vanessa Hibbard’s emotions and experiences. I’ve smiled from pure
Nursing Journey happiness or faked it on bad days. I’ve cried from
Page 5 soundless laughter or from immense stress. I
Covid/Monkeypox thought that I would have no friends going in and
that I would be too busy to talk to anyone. I was
Page 6 wrong and I made the best friends and the best
Mental Health memories I could ever ask for. I thought that I would be breezing through these classes because
Page 7 the prerequisites were easy. I was wrong and this was the most effort I ever put into studying
and the most stressed I have been in my life.
Campus Resources I’ve done so much and it’s difficult to think of all the things I’ll be leaving behind. I’ve grown up
Page 8 being a student and I feel like I’ll lose my identity once I graduate. I’ve spent countless hours in
Nursing Meme Corner Folsom Hall and suddenly I won’t be here anymore. I’ve done countless food runs with my
friends during our all-day study sessions or after exams. It’s also exciting to think of all I have
Page 9
done and will do. I’ve gone through nursing school and will soon be working as a nurse. I’ve
Updates & Other Info been extremely involved in CNSA, as a simulation lab assistant, a teacher’s assistant, and a tu-
Page 10 tor. I’ve helped countless students with their studies and passing their exams. I’ll be able to
continue with my life. I’ll be able to help countless patients and their families.
These four semesters have been hectic, and I am so grateful for every moment, the good and
the bad. I have made amazing memories and I have learned valuable life lessons. Thank you to
everyone who has been there for me throughout this journey and thank you to CNSA for being
a big part of my life here. Don’t forget to eat, sleep, hydrate, and
do something you love every day! <3 Photo of Class of Fall 2022
 THE MONTHLY SHOT PAGE 2

The Stories of Camp Go Beyond & Camp Milagros :)

By Camille Suliguin
Class Representative 3
3rd Semester

This summer I signed up for two week-long, back-to-back pediatric chronic

illness camps. What I got to experience I did not expect at all, and truly feel
as though the people and children I met have left an impact on me that will
last a long, long time.
The first camp I attended was Camp Go Beyond, a kid’s camp for children
diagnosed with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD); Chron's, and colitis. I
volunteered as medical staff and helped in the med shed during medication
times with amazing doctors from UCSF, along with residents, NPs, and RNs!
What I thought was going to be a very small camp with few children and
healthcare professionals, turned out to be a huge community of friends and
family that had been attending/volunteering at the camp for dec-
ades. All the camp counselors I met were diagnosed as young as 6 years old
with IBD, were now in their 20s, and had been attending camp since. I made
a few forever friends with two of the camp counselors pictured, who taught
me so much about IBD by sharing their stories of countless hospitalizations
they've been battling with since childhood.
The kids I met were just as inspiring in seeing how much this camp meant
to them. You would think that no 6-year-old
would want to willingly leave their family for
a week, right? These kids told me how they
had been waiting for the day for camp to
start for weeks, and how much they love be-
ing around kids like them. Despite being chronically ill, these kids were SO full of life. It
was a bit of a culture shock, hearing 10-year-olds talk about anti-TNFs, mesalamine, and
how old they were when they got their first colonoscopy.
I also attended Camp Milagros as a camp counselor the day after, a camp for children with
rheumatic diseases such as JIA, SLE, and scleroderma. I was paired up with one of the few
counselors who had lupus. She told me about how she had been prescribed so much
prednisone as a child, that she had the full symptoms of moon face, and outbursts of roid
rage as a 12-year-old child. When two of my campers with JIA were meeting for the first
time, the first question they asked each other was as if they were in remission. It broke
my heart. They told me about some of their worst flare-ups, and the times when they
woke up for school only to find that their joints were so stiff that they couldn't move their bodies at all. I learned more at
this camp's "Talk with a Doc" activity, where throughout the week any child of any age could drop a question in an enve-
lope about anything related to their health. On the final day, they were split up developmentally with a resident hosting
the younger kid's Q&A, and a rheumatologist hosting the adolescents. Listening to the resident explain what biomarkers,
scleroderma, and even rheumatology is to 6-year-olds was truly amazing. That day I learned what CRMO was for the
first time, also known as chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis.
I really don't think we as nurses acknowledge the weight of the idea that some of the illnesses our patients have truly
consumed their whole life. These children must receive repeated colonoscopies at ages less than 10, understand what
biologics are, be participants in clinical trials, and most of all are stripped of living a normal childhood. While you may
think something you hear about on your unit is some cool textbook rare manifestation, please remember to have empa-
thy. In asking some counselors and children what helped them through their hospitalizations, they told me it was their
amazing NPs, infusion nurses, and namely that one lifesaving nurse who was able to put in their NG correctly on the first
try. I can't even begin to summarize all the life lessons I learned from every person at either of these camps, but just
know that it was a lot. The next time you're treating a chronically ill patient who is experiencing a flare-up, remember
your impact. Remember that while your time with them may be short, their illness encompasses their whole life. Apply
to a camp or two next summer if you have the time! I hope to see you there :-) Photos from author
 THE MONTHLY SHOT PAGE 3

Bye Third Semester!

By Clarice Ferrolino
3rd Semester
Fundraising Chair

As my third semester is coming to a close, I can’t help but feel extremely nostalgic. I used to count the days un-
til I was done with the most challenging chapter of my life, but now as I’m at the end of my third semester, I’m
praying time will slow down just a little bit. Here’s my advice for how to make the most of your third semester:
make every moment count. For all of my first and second-semester friends I know it feels like a non-stop up-
hill hike to the finish line, but the third semester is truly a breath of fresh air as you learn about how to care for
the pediatric and maternal populations. Since this is your last time doing clinical before your preceptorship,
don’t miss out on any opportunity to learn something new! Cherish the time you spend with your clinical sec-
tion; you’ve spent more than half of nursing school on this grind together, and you won’t know how much
you’ll miss those early mornings together until they’re done (shoutout to my section 8 family!). Study hard and
drag your friends along too; there’s only a handful of time left to study until you’re completely delirious at the
AIRC at 2 am. I wish everyone a happy and healthy break, and congrats to all our 4th semesters!

Photos of Class of Spring 2023

 THE MONTHLY SHOT PAGE 4

Critical Thinking and Communication in the Critical Care Setting: A Clinical Scenario
By Mary Koloamatangi
Pre-Entry Breakthrough to Nursing Chair
4th Semester

An infant presented to the NICU about an hour after delivery after an emergency c-section due to prolonged
decels. The infant is a preterm male infant that was born with IUGR at 1342 grams. Despite mild RDS at deliv-
ery, his respirations stabilized and he has been stable on room air. He has scattered bruises around his head
and face, which were present on delivery. The night RN reported 7 failed attempts at an IV insertion; the infant
was on Similac Total Care q three hours as part of the feeding protocol at the beginning of the shift with no flu-
ids running at 6 hours of age. During report, the night RN reported taking a low blood sugar a couple of hours
prior.
Prior to performing the infant’s 0800 care, my preceptor and I confirmed some of the data from report by
looking at notes and orders. It was important that we planned the next steps and the care we will provide
while also managing our second assignment who had 0900 cares. According to Huber & Joseph (2022), “The
nurse is engaged in a constant mental planning operation when deciding what specific things are to be accom-
plished for the patient.” It was important that we planned care and prioritized certain parts of his care. Evi-
dence-based practice, which is shared decision-making utilizing research-based material, was maintained
throughout this patient encounter, which also aids in maintaining patient safety (Huber & Joseph, 2022). Due
to the patient’s small feedings, weight, lack of IVF, behavior, and previous low blood sugar, my preceptor and I
decided to perform a heel stick to get an accurate blood sugar, which had a critical value. Problem-solving is a
process involving, “the ability to think critically, identify problems, and develop objectivity and a degree of ma-
turity or judgment” (Huber & Joseph, 2022). Given the infant’s low blood sugar, lack of running IVF, and ob-
served floppiness of the muscles, my preceptor and I were actively problem-solving by administering the oral
“sweet cheeks” gel, stabilizing the patient’s temperature in the radiant warmer, and preparing to notify the
physician of this low blood sugar and advocate for orders to maintain safety and overall wellbeing. After pre-
paring an SBAR and checking it with my preceptor, I called the physician, clearly reported the issue, and re-
quested orders for a line to run fluids and adjust the feeding order. After communicating with the physician,
we received these orders, which helped in increasing his blood sugar and ensuring that he was receiving IV
fluids and NG nutrition.
This case study showed the importance of understanding a patient’s condition and maintaining their safety by
ensuring clear communication and taking appropriate action. The text emphasized the importance of plan-
ning, immediate problem-solving, and maintaining an evidence-based practice, which ultimately aids in priori-
tizing and maintaining patient safety. Moving forward, nurses can continue to maintain patient safety by en-
suring clear communication and utilizing critical thinking overall when using the nursing process to prioritize
the care specific to each patient.
Overall, this case study focused on a situation where the infant had critically low blood sugar and required im-
mediate actions to help bring his levels up. The application of critical thinking and utilizing the nursing leader-
ship skills of planning, problem-solving, and evidence-based practice combined with ensuring clear communi-
cation was crucial in helping promote and maintain infant’s safety during this shift. Nurses work in a high-
stress and fast-paced environment where patients of various acuity require a variety of different levels of care.
It is crucial that nurses and other members of the healthcare team can communicate clearly and effectively to
provide quality and safe patient care.
Grenny, J. (2022). Crucial conversations tools for talking when the stakes are high / Joseph Grenny, Kerry Patterson, Ron McMillan, Al Switzler, and Emily Gregory.
McGraw Hill.
Huber, D.L. & Joseph, M.L. (2022). Leadership and nursing care management (7th edition). Retrieved September 30, 2022, from https://pageburstls.elsevier.com/#/
books/9780323697132/
THE MONTHLY SHOT PAGE 5

Vanessa Hibbard’s Nursing Journey

By Vanessa Hibbard
Undergrad Representative 1
1st Semester

The desire to become a nurse became part of my life years ago after I lost 2 very important
people in my life: Neysa and David. I’ve been preparing myself to face this nursing journey for a
while. In 2017 my husband and I decided to sell everything and move to Brazil, to help a com-
munity that did not have access to health care. I worked to organize a healthcare team, and to-
gether provide access to basic healthcare. The community did not have access to blood pres-
sure checks, glucose level checks, and their nutrition was very poor. They ate very little healthy
food, like fresh fruits and vegetables, because healthier food in Brazil is more expensive. Unfor-
tunately, their access to oral health care was very limited, and as a result most of them did not
have teeth. Additionally, exercise was something that they did not do. Noticing this, I decided to
pair with my friend in Brazil who is a personal trainer, to offer yoga, dance classes other physi-
cal activities to improve health and provide some fun things to do as a community. The results
were amazing. The smile on their faces and seeing the health team working together to help
those in need was something that will always stay in my mind. Giving back to that community
was one of the best things I’ve ever done.

When we moved back to California, I looked for nursing programs and applied to Sacramento
State’s Nursing School of Nursing; one of the best decisions I have made. I feel Nursing is what
I was born to do. This is what I want to be. I thank my husband, my kids, and my parents for
being so supportive of my dream to become a nurse. I also thank Dr. Brady, Dr. Fields, and Pro-
fessor Landers, for giving me all the support I needed during the challenging times of my first
semester in nursing school. I am committed to climbing this mountain called nursing school,
and will always remember “stay humble and kind, and focus on those you are caring for.”
To be a Nurse takes a sharp brain and hours of studying, but also takes a big heart and a strong
desire to advocate for those you care for. I have already seen that nursing will involve tears of
sadness, and tears of joy because it is not simply a profession… Nursing is a calling.
THE MONTHLY SHOT PAGE 6

Covid-19 and Monkeypox Updates

Monkeypox Update

Sac County has had no cases in the last

Sac County has had 4,950 new cases this month!
month and 40 deaths.
Monkeypox is spread 3 ways: close or inti-
Regardless of vaccination if you are sick mate contact, infected animals, or through
with Covid-19 you should isolate from the placenta.
others.
Monkeypox can be spread from the time
Isolate for at least 5 days from others after
symptoms start until the rash has fully
you test positive. If you develop symptoms
healed and a new layer of skin forms.
after you must start isolation over and do
an additional 5 days.
The illness typically lasts 2-4 weeks. Symp-
Protect yourself from the current triple toms appear around 3 weeks after expo-
threat of respiratory illness’ this winter. sure.
Currently RSV, Influenza, and Covid are on
the rise. The county’s COVID-19 community Vaccine Info for Sac County can be found
level has risen from Low to Medium. Masks here: 4,489 persons partially vaccinated
are recommended for vulnerable people or
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/vis/vis-
people with live with vulnerable people. statements/smallpox-monkeypox.html

Photo Credit: CDC, NHS England

 THE MONTHLY SHOT PAGE 7

Resources

COUNSELING: CRISIS ASSISTANCE & RESOURCE

Student Health & Counseling Services EDUCATION SUPPORT (CARES):
https://www.csus.edu/student-life/
health-counseling/counseling/ https://www.csus.edu/student-affairs/
crisis-assistance-resource-education-
We offer confidential individual and support/
group counseling. If you would like to ex-
plore whether counseling is right for you, The Sacramento State CARES office provides
the first step is to call us during business support to students who are in crisis or experi-
hours at 916-278-6461. encing unique challenges to their education.
They address a variety of issues including, but
If you are experiencing an urgent matter, not limited to: Transportation Barriers, Mental
you can drop in during our business Health and Wellness, and Physical Health and
hours. (Mon-Fri: 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. ) Wellness.

Please reach out, support is out there you do not have to be alone!
THE MONTHLY SHOT PAGE 8

Campus Resources—Food Pantry and Pop Up Pantry

ASI Food Pantry ASI Pop Up Pantry

Registration once every semester:

Fresh produce at no cost to Sac State
https://asi.csus.edu/asi-food-pantry
students in need!
MONDAYS: 12 pm—3 pm Supplies available next semester! Have a good
TUESDAYS: 10 am—2 pm winter break!
WEDNESDAYS: 1 pm—5 pm
THURSDAYS: 12 pm—3 pm
FRIDAYS: 10 am—2 pm
Location: University Union, Room 1246

Students are able to select foods using a

points system every week!

For more information, visit ASI’s website https://asi.csus.edu/asi-food-pantry or Instagram @sacstateasi

Photo Credit: Andrea Price (Instagram @andrea.price.sac)

THE MONTHLY SHOT PAGE 9

Nursing Meme Corner

Do you have a nursing meme you want posted?

csus.cnsa.monthlyshot@gmail.com
Photo Credits: CNSA Board
 THE MONTHLY SHOT PAGE 10

Learn more about

Men in Nursing at IMPORTANT
aamncsus.weebly.com UPCOMING DATES
& aamn.org
Events:

Men In Nursing Meeting

Fall 2022 Apparel Order See you in the Spring!

C.N.S.A. Meeting
See you in the Spring!

Contact Info
Orders are being manufactured! Thank California State University, Sacramento,
you for your patience. Pickup probably School of Nursing:
7667 Folsom Blvd.
before next semester. Sacramento, CA 95819-6096
https://www.csus.edu/college/health-
human-services/nursing/
Phone: (916) 278-4106

Monthly Shot Editor: Hugh Darwent

Email: csus.cnsa.monthlyshot@gmail.com
View Past Monthly Shots
Faculty Co-Advisors:
sacstatecnsa.weebly.com/past-entries Dr. Denise Wall Parilo
& Dr. Bridget Parsh

CSUS CNSA chapter:

Write for the Monthly Shot! sacstatecnsa.weebly.com

Join CNSA:
Each article is one CNSA event and is great for your
nsnamember- resume! Articles should be at least 250 words, and can
be about anything nursing or school-related.
ship.org
We want to hear from all semesters!

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