Gratitude, Inspiration, Mentorship-All In The Bohemian Seattle

Written by Olga Savoskina, 2017 Ed Hyland Scholarship Recipient

I had an amazing opportunity as a Drexel University senior SRNA student to receive Ed Hyland 2017 scholarship from American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA).

I realized that it was a great honor to be chosen among multiple applicants’ essays. I so appreciated the scholarship money during your final year of school, when things are getting really tough financially. It was marvelous to see my name in print on AANA website, but little did I know that the best gift of all was physically attending the 2017 Nurse Anesthesia Annual Congress in Seattle Washington.  Being present at the conference changed my professional attitude, increased my motivation to succeed and most of all gave me a sense of belonging to this profession.

What I learned from the opportunities the scholarship provided, and what I want to share with others is:

1. Do not pass the opportunities you are exposed to. While any opportunity requires time and effort, the experience will build you up and promote you. As I was clinically training in two Delaware hospitals, I met Jineen Orr, CRNA, who told me about the Ed Hyland scholarship opportunity and suggested I apply for it. She herself was a recipient.  Her exact words were “You will be amazed how many people want you to succeed and want to help”.
   
2. One person with motivation can change many things. I saw in action advocates of the profession who single-handedly created training programs in universities and developed new professional designations which benefitted the entire profession.
   
3. Promote and lift people around you. This will make you stronger and give you and others more confidence as you progress through the rigorous clinical and educational SRNA program.
   
4. Give back. Look at your life and see how much you have received. Mentor ICU nurses who are considering the SRNA program and offer them advice.  Donate time and/or money to political action committees that educate and advance the profession.
   
5. Seattle is beautiful. Wonderful food, pretty flowers, great coffee, and a very artsy culture. People from various backgrounds manage to live harmoniously in the city, and enjoy all kinds of crafty beer.
   

As I was running the AANA Wellness 5k, the early crisp morning, I kept thinking about a quote from the keynote speaker, Howard Behar, the CEO and founder of Starbucks Coffee. He said “Every day I wake up to nurture and inspire human spirit, starting with myself first.” One has to be well to take care of others. As high-level health professionals, we must nurture and inspire ourselves-physically, educationally, and emotionally to apply our expertise and competence to ensure the best outcomes for our patients.