Factors Contributing to MM in the United States

 Kayla Curcio, Verrazzano Class of 2023, completed major in Nursing

 

From the moment I stepped foot in the College of Staten Island as a freshman Verrazzano honors student, I always had in the back of my mind the fear of the capstone project which caused me to procrastinate. I could not understand how this would help me as a nursing student in the future, or why I needed to do this capstone to receive honors. I was so stressed with all my schoolwork that I did not want to add something else to my plate, especially since it seemed like so much work. But when time started running out and I had no other choice but to start thinking about topics, I began to realize that this was not that bad and it could actually benefit me.

The research that I did for my literature review paper allowed me to learn so much, not even just about my topic which was about high rates of maternal deaths, but also to learn many valuable lessons about issues within the entire healthcare system. Not only was this a learning experience because of all the research that I did, but my mentor, Dr. Arlene Farren, who was assisting me with my work for this capstone taught me so much, including how to write a good well-developed paper. Now I am thinking about the potential of publishing this paper to share with others everything I learned so that I could contribute to a positive change for the nursing profession.

The experience of working so closely with a professor seemed a little nerve-wracking to me because I am kind of on the shy side and it is something that was out of my comfort zone. By doing this research and working with then I not only gained a mentor, but I also gained a friend who I can go to for advice, someone I know who I can ask questions and know I will get an honest response from a person that has my best interest at heart. So, thinking back I really could have saved myself so much stress if I would have just started this capstone early on.

The takeaway that I have from working on this capstone is that even if something seems scary you should overcome your fears and step out of your comfort zone. It is an opportunity where you can learn and it can help you reach your full potential. The capstone at times became tedious and I felt very stressed out trying to balance it with work and school, but it was worthwhile, and I am glad that I persevered and was able to complete my project. Not only did this help me learn more, and work alongside a wonderful mentor who helped me a lot with the capstone and much more, but also through this experience I have become in my opinion better as an individual.

I am honestly so proud of what I accomplished, I have become a better writer, I have become more confident, and best of all I have become a little more comfortable in presenting in front of a large group of individuals. It is not as bad as it seems.