Let’s get to know Nicole Fleming, RN, BSN, and her shadowing experience as a healthcare professional!
We are back with more updates about the Mentor Supported Shadowing Program, and our “Shadowing: Behind the Scenes” series!
The Shadowing: Behind the Scenes series is an important way for us to recognize our preceptors who have done a wonderful job giving MSSP trainees the opportunity to gain shadowing experience.
The Mentor Supported Shadowing Program (MSSP) was established last summer to give our five trainees a jumpstart in gaining shadowing experiences with their preceptors. We would like to introduce our Director of Healthcare Mentoring, Elizabeth Ayers, MS, RDMST, RVT, who worked so hard to set up MSSP.
Elizabeth has a message to share with you all:
The MSSP program holds special significance not only for its mentoring and shadowing opportunities but also exposure to the workplace environment. What sets this program apart is the firsthand insight by DHH students into the strategies utilized by DHH healthcare professionals. While gaining practical experience, a sense of inclusion and empowerment is fostered by interacting with successful DHH role models in the healthcare community. Given the historical underrepresentation of DHH healthcare professionals, shadowing opportunities with them have been scarce, and connecting with them as mentors who share similar experiences and identities has been even rarer. It is with heartfelt gratitude that we recognize our preceptors from summer 2023: Zachary Featherstone, DO; Nicole Fleming, RN BSN; Sarah Hein, NP MSN, FNP-BC; Joe Samona, DDS; and Emily Stamaris, RDMS RVT. Each of them left a lasting impression on their student, who returned feeling inspired and rejuvenated by their shadowing experience. Without their collaboration, the students would not have had this rich experience. This recalls a quote by an unknown person: “To shadow is to walk alongside greatness, with the hope of one day casting your own shadow.” We would like to share testimonials from our fantastic preceptors and learn from their wisdom and expertise in supporting future DHH professionals.
The MSSP produced two shadowing videos, which took place at the Penfield Ambulance and Strong Memorial Hospital/University of Rochester Medical Center:
- Penfield Ambulance, featuring Rhiannon Wagner, EMT-B and Julia Carboni
- Strong Memorial Hospital at URMC, featuring Nicole Fleming, RN, BSN and Barbara Essex
If you enjoyed watching the shadowing videos, we took the opportunity to interview our first preceptor who was featured in the MSSP shadowing video at Strong Memorial Hospital.
Our interview is divided in two categories with six different questions. The video interview with three questions will be in American Sign Language (ASL) or spoken English to spotlight the preceptor behind the scenes of shadowing. The text interview with three different questions is written to share the preceptor’s wisdom with you all.
Nicole Fleming, RN, BSN
Watch to learn more about Nicole’s shadowing experience.
Summary: Nicole Fleming described her experience as a prospective nurse student where she did not have the shadowing opportunity to work with a deaf or hard-of-hearing healthcare professional. Her journey in becoming a registered nurse was challenging, but doable to reach her goal. When Barbara joined along, she had an opportunity to educate and support her when she did not have the same experience in the past. This shadowing experience opened her eyes on how to accommodate Barbara’s needs and what to support her in succeeding her career goals.
Read below to gain Nicole’s insights about her shadowing reflections as a healthcare professional.
As a healthcare professional, have you experienced shadowing someone before you decided your career path?
As a healthcare professional, I didn’t have the opportunity to shadow before I decided on my career path. During my undergraduate, I did get the chance to work in the Emergency Department, and through working there I learned about the various roles firsthand. That was when I changed career paths from premed to nursing, as I realized the patient interaction that nurses have was what I truly wanted in my career.
If you were to have this opportunity, would this shadowing opportunity have changed your career path? Why or why not?
I think if I had an opportunity to shadow, I would have known sooner that I was interested in nursing. I spent three years going through the premed curriculum and then had to spend an additional two years working towards becoming a nurse. If I had shadowed a healthcare provider, I could have observed and asked about the different possible roles, and realized what would best fit me sooner.
What advice would you like to share with prospective D/HH trainees?
My advice to the D/HH trainees is to know your worth. I think it’s easy to feel like a burden and not want to speak up, but you have just as much right to full access as your hearing peers. You bring valuable life experience to any room, and you have the potential to be incredible, if you advocate for equal access.
