As Anna spread the cold ultrasound gel on my chest just above my heart, I couldn’t help but ask: “How did you get into this career?”
It’s probably not the first question she usually hears from a patient when prepping for a cardiac scan, but then again how many patients are the editor of Community College Daily? Kidding aside — and after I quickly followed up to tell her my curiosity partly stemmed from my job serving community colleges as well as being the father of two young men (ages 20 and 17) — Anna graciously told me she was a career switcher. And she immediately continued that it was due to grants offered through her college’s program that allowed her to do so at no cost to her.
“If it wasn’t for the grants, I couldn’t afford to get the training and do this,” said Anna, who worked on a portable ultrasound station at a hospital in northern Virginia, in the suburbs of Washington, D.C.
She added: “Technicians in this area can earn up to $80,000 in their first job.”
The bigger picture
The ultrasound was part of my treatment for a stroke, which I suffered two weeks ago. The experience has provided a totally different POV on how the whole healthcare thing works. First off, as a colleague of mine noted, it’s amazing to think that your life is totally in the hands of strangers. And yet, this is what they do, day in and day out.
Anna was among the dozens of healthcare workers who helped me on the day of my stroke and in my recovery, including paramedics, nurses, technicians and doctors. My recovery continues to depend on their services. In this context, a March 21 CC Daily article — “Supporting nursing students through Random Acts of Kindness” — had a whole new meaning for me when I read it.
I’ve written hundreds of articles about nursing programs and grants for nursing students, but having that firsthand experience is enlightening. The fact that Anna and probably other healthcare providers from that day could have missed their calling because they couldn’t afford a program would have been a travesty. As their patient, I’m glad they found a way, and it’s something for all of us to consider: It can be us or a family member or friend, but we will likely need emergency healthcare services at some point. Giving a little now to a local student healthcare scholarship is an investment in ensuring we have top-notch help when we need it. And it also provides an opportunity for worthy students to
to pursue their goals in good-paying careers.
I already have my checkbook ready for a donation to my local community college’s healthcare programs.
