My name is Lynne Kelley and I’m a Junior Nursing Major at Villanova University. I decided to go into nursing because it is a field that incorporates and combines many of the subjects I am passionate about including social work, health, teaching, science (especially biology and chemistry), and math. It includes a lot of interaction with people as well as a lot of physical movement. Most importantly, I’m passionate about what nursing aims to do, treat people and strive towards health and wellness from a holistic perspective that considers the whole person. I am currently in Villanova's BSN program and my goal is to someday continue on to get my doctorate and become a nurse practitioner. I am not exactly sure which type of nurse practitioner I want to be yet. I do not think I can really say with a fully informed opinion which one I am most passionate about until I have completed my clinical rotations and have experienced providing different types of care to different populations. As of right now, I am interested in becoming a neonatal nurse practitioner, a pediatric nurse practitioner, an acute care nurse practitioner, or a certified midwife.
The reason I see myself working with children in the future is because of how much I loved this past summer. This past summer I lived and worked at the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, A Serious Fun Camp, is a place where children with serious illnesses can “raise a little hell.” The children come from all different backgrounds and because the camp is free to attend for all of the children, the children span all socioeconomic statuses.
I have never felt more love in one place or experienced such an inclusive, accepting, and inspiring environment before, and I really enjoyed working with all of the wonderful children. This summer inspired me to want to be a pediatric nurse practitioner because I really enjoyed working with this population, and I hope to maybe even someday be a nurse at the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp.
No matter which type of nurse practitioner I end up choosing as my career though, I also aspire to be involved in research. I believe that there are always ways to improve care and I want to constantly work towards providing the best possible care. I have been assisting Dr. Mendez, a Villanova nursing professor, with his research since the beginning of the Spring semester of 2018, and I thoroughly enjoy
The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp was founded by Paul Newman with one simple premise in mind: that every child, no matter their illness, could experience the transformational spirit and friendships that go hand-in-hand with camp. In June 1988, the Camp opened. When the campers arrived, they found a kid-sized old west setting inspired by “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,” and filled with traditional summer camp programs adapted so that children with physical and medical limitations could participate.
Paul Newman, (seen in above photo) while a successful actor, was also a visionary with the heart of a child. His personality, playfulness and mischievousness are infused within every corner of Camp, from the pirate flag he raised on the tree house to the days he spent on the lake fishing with campers. It was Paul’s dream that Camp, with its unobtrusive expert medical care, would provide seriously ill children with a fun-filled experience defined by compassion, laughter and acceptance.
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