Bridgewell is a comprehensive support organization that provides services to individuals with varying needs, from minimal to full assistance. With over 100 programs across multiple communities and more than 1,400 staff members, Bridgewell offers community homes, day programs, outpatient services, and rehabilitation support. Their mission is to “inspire hope and empower people to achieve their fullest potential.” While working with adults in these programs, it’s important to remember that each person has their own voice and preferences. My role involved encouraging choice whether residents wanted to color, play games, go outside, or cook a favorite meal. Bridgewell’s commitment to person-centered care creates a space where individuals are respected, supported, and given opportunities to lead fulfilling, empowered lives.

The NAN Project, based in Massachusetts, is dedicated to promoting mental health awareness and suicide prevention among young people through a peer-to-peer model. Founded by Ellen Dalton after the tragic loss of her daughter, Nan, the organization works to open up conversations around mental health, reduce stigma, and provide support to those struggling with depression and suicidal thoughts. The project offers educational programs in schools, aiming to provide hope and empower students to seek help. The senior leadership team includes professionals with diverse backgrounds in mental health, education, and advocacy, all working to create a safer and more supportive environment for youth.

Navigating care decisions for seniors with dementia and Alzheimer's face unique challenges that impact their cognitive, emotional, and physical well-being. As cognitive decline progresses, individuals often rely on caregivers, healthcare professionals, and family members to make informed choices about daily care, living arrangements, and treatment plans. Strategies such as person-centered care, routine establishment, and support. Understanding and implementing these practices can significantly improve the well-being of seniors affected by these conditions. Personalized care plans and early intervention techniques have proven especially beneficial in slowing cognitive decline. Through a holistic approach, seniors can maintain a sense of dignity, independence, and purpose despite the progression of their condition.

The purpose of the analysis was to review the importance of disability services and how it provides important life skills and academic assistance. The analysis was completed at Embark Disabilities Program in Salem, Massachusetts. The objective of the project was to research the benefits of the program for disabled students and to analyze how the staff and students felt about the program. There were two surveys completed by students and employees. The surveys analyzed the benefits of the program for the students and if the program was sufficient. After the surveys were completed, the results were expanded into graphs that analyzed the results. In all, there are numerous benefits to disability programs throughout the country, but specifically here in Salem, Massachusetts at Embark Program. The students enjoy the environment, the teachers, and the program. More so, the employees at this program see the benefits of the program within their students. The special education program has been extremely successful.

This project focused on improving accessibility and encouraging marginalized students to engage with academic support services at Salem State University. Working alongside the Center for Accessible Academic Resources (CAAR), awareness events were held on both North and Central campuses, where students were invited to complete a brief survey about their knowledge and use of available resources. The survey responses revealed common barriers, such as limited awareness, cultural stigma, and concerns about judgment. These in-person interactions not only boosted the visibility of CAAR but also provided meaningful insight into student needs. The findings highlight the value of direct outreach and inclusive practices in making academic support more approachable and accessible for all students.

This project focused on implementing healthcare career paths and opportunities for students during career fairs held at High Schools surrounding the areas of Beverly, MA in the cities of Revere, Peabody and Lynn. With the resources of the Human Resource department, flyers were created to provide information on various entry-level career paths while also providing insight on higher education requirements. This opportunity provides the chance for the organization to connect with students in different communities to share information and help them learn more about healthcare fields in a clinical and non-clincal setting. The flyers created provided a wide range of career paths students can pursue with an Associate's degree, Bachelor's degree, Master's degree and/or PhD. By providing entry level job opportunities with certification requirements and higher education requirements it enhances students to seek interest and encourage healthcare career advancement after high school.

This project focuses on helping a student at the Recreational Education Center (REC) tolerate a blood pressure cuff using a structured shaping procedure. Many students experience discomfort or anxiety during medical procedures due to sensory sensitivities or behavioral challenges. Using positive reinforcement and gradual exposure, the student was taught to tolerate a blood pressure cuff over several weeks. Each week, the cuff was moved higher on the arm—from hand to wrist, forearm, and eventually the upper arm—while reducing interfering behaviors such as non-compliance and fidgeting. Results showed increased tolerance and cooperation. This project demonstrates how shaping techniques and reinforcement strategies can be applied in clinical and educational settings to support medical readiness and promote behavioral growth.

This internship project focused on the development and implementation of a standardized HIPAA Patient Authorization form for the Beth Israel Lahey Hospitals (BILH). Recognizing the vital role that compliance and operational efficiency play in healthcare settings, the project aimed to enhance patient trust while ensuring adherence to regulatory standards. A comprehensive approach was taken to design the authorization form, emphasizing the inclusion of all necessary elements as outlined by HIPAA and CFR42 Part 2. The objective was to achieve at least 90% compliance with existing regulations. To inform the design process, stakeholder engagement was prioritized, and feedback was gathered through at least three rounds of consultations. The results of this project indicate that a thoughtfully designed authorization form can significantly streamline the process of handling sensitive health information, thereby improving operational workflows and enhancing the overall patient experience at BILH. Ultimately, this initiative not only aims to boost compliance but also fosters a culture of trust and transparency between the hospital and its patients.

Premature infants are subject to experiencing many complications as they are underdeveloped and require special care. One issue they experience are feeding difficulties and often have to be started on tube feeding. This integrative review aimed to explore different techniques to help the premature infant transition from tube feeding to oral feeding and evaluated the effectiveness of those techniques. A literature search using the databases CINAHL and Medline were used and seventeen articles from 2018-2023 were examined. Two techniques were discussed: non-nutritive sucking (NNS) and oral motor stimulation (OMS) and various variables were assessed to determine how effective they were on the premature infants and their readiness to transition to oral feeding. Both techniques were shown effective and showed positive results on the different variables that were evaluated. The results demonstrate that new mothers and nurses can use these techniques; however, a limitation to the studies was that there were more randomized studies compared to longitudinal studies.

Skin-to-skin contact also known as “Kangaroo Care” (KC) is a practice used in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) to care for premature newborns. Premature newborns are a vulnerable population as these babies are not yet fully developed leading to breathing, feeding, and heart complications. Placing the newborn on the parent’s bare chest addresses these problems to help with thermoregulation, stabilizing glucose levels, and helps with sleep as a few benefits. Kangaroo care is centered among mothers to help promote breastfeeding while fathers will have the opportunity to do the practice later on. In some countries around the world, Kangaroo Care is limited to fathers due to hospital protocols and cultural views. There is a gap in research for maternal kangaroo care and paternal kangaroo care that needs to be discussed to populate this practice. An Integrative Review based on the Russell Model will be used to explore kangaroo care from the paternal aspect and bridge the gap in nursing care.