Blog 19 - Third Answer

Stony brook Hospital
This hospital pioneered the idea of inpatient hallway boarding.

1. EQ
1. What is the best way to minimize Emergency Department overcrowding?
2. Answer #3 (Write in a complete sentence like a thesis statement)*
1. The best way to minimize Emergency Department overcrowding is through the use of inpatient hallway boarding. 
3. 3 details to support the answer 
1. Inpatient hallway boarding allows the hospital to distribute the stress of overcrowding so one department(the ED) doesn't suffer as much. 
2. This is only used for stable patients, so it is safe. 
3. Some hospitals have already implemented this solution and it has had favorable results. 
4. Several studies show that 50% of patients would prefer to board in an inpatient hallway. 
4. The research source(s) to support your details and answer
1. Interview 3
2. Sources 38, 44, 45, 47, 54 
5. Concluding Sentence
1. This is a good answer for my EQ because it doesn't require a lot of extra money or resources. The process of boarding patients in inpatient hallways has been proven to speed up the rate of bed turnover. Patients who are in inpatient hallways have many of the same amenities as those in normal inpatient rooms. 

Blog 12 - Holiday Project Update

1. It is important to consistently work on your senior project, whether it is a break or we are in school.  What did you do over the break with your senior project?
1. Over break, I finished up the last of the required mentorship hours(Yay!). I also spent a significant amount of time doing the prerequisite homework for my EMT class(independent component). 
2. What was the most important thing you learned from what you did, and why?  What was the source of what you learned?
1. I think the most important thing I learned was the medical terms from my EMT class. While this doesn't directly tie into the topic of overcrowding, I will most likely be able to understand more when I go to mentorship again. 
3. Your third interview will be a 10 question interview related to possible answers for your EQ. Who do you plan to talk to and why?
1. At this point, I'm not entirely sure.  I had someone who is the director of a hospital who would probably know quite a bit about overcrowding, but I am no longer able to contact them. I will most likely have to just start calling places. I hope to be able to talk to a director at a teaching hospital because that is where overcrowding is the most prevalent. 

Blog 1 - Senior Final Lesson/Interview Reflection

1.  What three lessons were most helpful for you to see, and why?

• I thought it was very helpful to see Liliana’s presentation about Medicine. I am considering doing my project on medicine, so it was nice to see an example of a path I could take and how it came out.
• Drag racing was another topic I am glad I saw. The general topic I enjoy, but the question steered it in a direction that wasn’t as appealing. It showed how the question really is the directing force of the project. I also learned from that presentation that making sure everyone has the same foundational knowledge is key to keeping people engaged. A lot of times people were zoning out, including myself, because the presenter was talking about things that he presumed we already understood but didn’t always.  
• Documentary film making was another helpful presentation because I felt like I actually learned useful information. She started out with very basic knowledge and gradually built upon it until she got to her answers. She defined her terms, was energetic, and actively engaged the audience which made her presentation memorable. It was also nice that she talked a lot about her mentorship and what she did during it because it helped me figure out what I need from mine in order to be beneficial.   

2. List one thing that you learned about the senior project in interviews that will help you get off to a good start?

• The seniors I talked calmed some of my fears about senior project. They told me that it really wasn’t that bad if you got your assignments done early and had your mentorship hours completed within first semester. They also said it was good to have a schedule with your mentor so you know when your hours will be completed.

3. What topic(s) are you considering, and why?

• I am considering medicine. Some of the branches that interest me are neurology, emergency care, Eastern-Style medicine, and elderly care/assisted living. I've always had a passion for medicine because of the science involved and how it is always changing.

4. What EQ do you think might be interesting to consider in guiding a project like this? (Please don't worry about any sort of formula...we want this question to come from your genuine interest).

• What is the best way for a doctor(either neurology, eastern-style, or elderly) to help their patients achieve a symptom/pain free life?
• How can an emergency room doctor best care for his/her patients in the overcrowded and hectic environment? What is the best way an emergency room doctor can diagnose and treat patients?  

5. What are some ideas you have about finding summer mentorship?

• I am very close with several of my doctors so I am confident that they can give me connections to people in the field I want. I can also do general volunteering until I find someone that can mentor me.