BY ASHLYNN AUGUSTUS, Sophomore
BLYTHEWOOD- Hospitals are a place where individuals go to receive help for their medical issues. One of the hospitals that takes care of individuals is the Veterans Affair (VA.), a government-run military veteran benefit system.
Journey as a nurse
Nurse Rosebelinda Augustus washes her hands, before she gets ready to check a patient Rosebelinda Augustus is a skilled and wise nurse who works at the VA hospital, which takes care of veterans.
Augustus has been a nurse for over 25 years, though what inspired her to be one is pretty obvious.
"I wanted to help people ever since I was a young girl," Augustus said.
Before she arrived and began working at the VA, she worked in the medical field elsewhere.
"Before I worked at the VA, I was a nurse that worked in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at MUSC in Charleston. Then before that, I was a nurse for the Air Force," Augustus said with a small smile as she recalled her old memories of working as a nurse.
Now that she works at the VA, it is a different and new experience for her.
"I work in the emergency department. We take care of people that walk in or come in by ambulance and deal with their problems," Augustus said.
Adventures at the VA
At the hospital, many nurses and doctors help the community by taking care of the veterans that fought for our country.
"We take care of the veterans who cannot afford health care anywhere. We also take the drunk veterans off the street. The police offer them the choice of going to jail or the VA and they obviously choose to go to the VA," Augustus said.
While the VA takes care of the veterans who cannot afford health care and take the drunk ones off the street, they act like a normal hospital.
"We help them with their medical care and issues, along with any other problem they have," Augustus said.
The VA is mostly for veterans who cannot afford health care anywhere else. It is free, so most of them tend to go there to get checked for their problems.
Normal day at the VA
Since Augustus works at in the Emergency Room, things can get a little hectic and wild, especially if someone has to work 12 hour days.
"I work from 7 A.M. to 7:30 P.M. When I get there, if there are patients in the emergency room, we assume care to them," Augustus said.
Since Augustus works in the Emergency Room, she has to take care of the patients from the previous shift as well as the ones on the current one.
"We do whatever the doctor orders for them; blood work, IVS, etc. When the patient comes in by ambulance, we get reports from the paramedics. When they come in, then the charge nurse puts them into a room," Augustus said.
Once the patient gets a room, the nurses have to check whether they are a veteran or not. After that happens, they go in and check their problem.
"Then, we make sure that the person is a veteran and confirm that by their ID card. I triage them in, get vital signs and see what their emergency is," Augustus said.
Another problem they have to deal with in veterans is suicidal thoughts. Due to soldiers going into war, some come back and acquire Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
"We always ask about their thoughts of harming themselves or other people. Veterans are trained to kill, so some have PTSD and we have to treat them," Augustus said.
After, the nurses check them out some more, before the doctor comes in.
"The nurse see what happens to them, before the doctor sees them. After that, the doctor sees them. It is like that all day, until you go home for the day," Augustus said.
Augustus' job is repetitive however, there are sometimes conflicts which occur in it.
"Our upper management does not help. Sometimes, we have to work short staffed, which is rather difficult, if there are a lot of patients. However, we just have to deal with it and move forward, " Augustus said.
