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My Experience at Lyle Torrent Center

Anna Winklepleck
Pediatrics
September 17, 2015
My Experience at Lyle Torrent Center
When I first was introduced to the topic of going to the Lyle Torrent center, I was more than
nervous. I had not wrapped my head around the idea of working with handicapped children. I was afraid
that I was underprepared and I did not feel capable to take care of someone so fragile. At the end of the
clinical rotation I was heartbroken, to the fact that they are human as am I and need love care and
support just like myself. I didnt know the impact that the teachers and nurses had of the everyday lives
of the students. I wanted to cry just thinking about the dependence of each of them, and how their lives
are so vastly different than mine. It was very eye opening to see each of them interact and make such
very small strides to live as normally as they possibly can.
Provider of Care
At Lyle Torrent I was able to observe one of the SXI classes, which were predominantly older
students between the ages of 17 and 26. At the age of 26 the students then graduate from the school. I
was able to quickly face my fears and jumped right in and help feeding them breakfast and do their
morning hygiene. There were nine students in the class, the majority had cerebral with major
contractures, and were unable to walk. There are many different classifications of Cerebral palsy. It is a
congenital defect, defined at birth, causing involuntary movements, or stiffened, tight muscles that can
cause permanent contractures that can be helped through PT and OT. It can also cause developmental
differences in the Cerebral Cortex of the brain causing developmental delay (Gillettechildrens.org).
Others were dependent on others for feeding, toileting, while most of the students were higher
functioning with mental delays they were able to communicate and a couple of them had seizure
disorders. The most interesting diagnosis to me was the seizure disorders. Seizures happen when our

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My Experience at Lyle Torrent Center
brain, sends out the wrong electrical signals overexciting nerve cells in the brain. They can involve
involuntary twitching, change in vision, or absence of time without losing consciousness. Seizures can be
caused by head injuries, genetics, stroke, age and illness such as meningitis (umm.edu). One of the
female students had drop seizures, which I was able to observe. She had one toward the end of the day
and after the seizure subsided, she went into a resting phase, where she became very lethargic and was
unable to communicate. The other students seizures were treated with a Vagus nerve stimulator, at the
beginning stages of her seizures the magnetic device was swiped over the implant in her chest
stimulation the Vagus nerve in order to stop the progression of the seizures, this technique was used
several times during the day and she was able to go without developing a seizure. After observing and
participating in the classroom I have a better understanding of how each diagnosis is developed and
how it can be vastly different in each individual.
Manager of Care

Absolutely EXCELLENT job in this section of your

reflection! The VNS is a significant development and
I am pleased that you were able to see it in action!!

In the classroom itself, there was a teacher, registered nurse and an LPN. The makeup of the
class helps them structure the class, while being there to take care of each student and each of their
needs. On many occasions, the LPN and nurse were there to change, clean and help the students into
the bathroom, while the teacher was able to continue teaching, and going over daily activities. The class
is mostly structured on the aspect that the students need skills to live through daily life. Instead of
critical thinking in math and sciences, she teaches them practical knowledge of money and what day of
the week it is compared to yesterday and tomorrow. Each of the students at the end of the day was
given different tasks and jobs that help them develop life skills that they can use every day. The nurse
and LPN were there to help clean and care for the students. They suctioned the trache patient and help
assist and make sure the seizure patients were safe and maintained airways while they were having
active seizures. It was amazing to see how they interact, and without question they knew what they
were doing. When one of them needed something or saw that one of the students needed something,

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My Experience at Lyle Torrent Center
without asking they were able to address the need. At the beginning of the day I was able to help them
feed breakfast to some of the students and help with hygiene. Like clockwork they were able to get
things done.
Member of a Profession
Over this experience I have gained insight not only on the amount of dedication, and love that
each person puts into the care of the students, but I have developed a mindset of the type of nurse that
I wish to be in the future. I hope to be able to make a difference and change the way nursing care is
today. Talking with the Teacher of the class toward the end of the day, I learned that she was not only
there because she loved the students, but that it has a rewarding outcome being able to take place in
such a critical time in someones lives, where they wouldnt otherwise get the care that they need. In
the 2020 Health goals for disabilities wants to reduce that proportion of people with disabilities who
report barriers to participating in home, school, work, or community activities. (Healthypeople.gov). I
believe that this goal is being accomplished at the Torrent Center through the education that the
provide, giving them confidence and knowledge to communicate and complete activities of daily living in
order to live a more normal life. At the end of the day, I was grateful for the experience that I had
gained. I was opened to a new aspect of care and will take the insight gained with me in all aspects of
my nursing career.

Anna, EXCELLENT WORK ON THIS DOCUMENT! I am so pleased to read of your very well thought through
reflections and how they will impact the way that you provide care for others in the future. You will come
upon a special needs client in the future. Its inevitable. Having had this experience, understanding this
population of patient in times of wellness will give you critical insight as to their overall status in an acute
crisis. Sometimes the lived experiences are the only things that truly give us knowledge in nursing. This
is certainly one that will and from what youve clearly written already has changed you in new ways!!!
Wonderful work Anna Thanks for being so SUPER brave and flexible in the morning while it took us a
minute to get things going

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My Experience at Lyle Torrent Center
References
Cerebral Palsy. (September 17, 2015). Conditions and Care. Gillette Childrens specialty Healthcare
Retrieved from http://www.gillettechildrens.org/conditions-and-care/cerebral-plasy/
Disability and Health Objectives. (September 17, 2015). In the Healthy People 2020
Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. Retrieved from
http://www.healthypeople.gov/node/3502/objectives34136
Seizure Disorders. (September 17,2015). Signs and Symptoms. University of Maryland Medical Center.
Retrieved from http://www.umm.edu/heath/medical/altmed/condition/seizure-disorders