Meeting the Future of Nursing

Recently, I had the privilege of meeting with Montana State University (MSU) nursing students to discuss chronic illness management and ostomy care. I truly enjoy the chance to meet with students and provide real-world experience and impacts of chronic illnesses from a physical, mental, and financial perspective.

My willingness and ability to share these experiences are an important component of our EverGreen outreach. Showing students the human element of healthcare beyond a textbook or patient chart hopefully enriches their educational experience and provides an example of the collaborative relationship between patient and caregiver.

The session concluded with an extensive review of ostomy care and a stoma bag change. It’s one thing to see a stoma in a book or on a medical manikin, however seeing one in-person and in a low stress environment was hopefully beneficial for the class. I feel comfortable completing a bag change in front of them and allowing them a chance to see a stoma and its surrounding skin up close. Understanding how someone prepares and completes a bag change will set them up well as they prepare to enter the workforce.

Students asked insightful and thoughtful questions throughout my presentation on topics ranging from device management to impacts my condition has had on my wife and children. The experience was powerful for me and I am grateful they have selected the path to become professional caregivers. The MSU program clearly draws a high caliber student and I can’t thank the faculty enough for their trust in opening their classroom to this professional patient.