Thursday, November 8, 2012

5b Science Fair proposal


  1. Breast Cancer.
  2. As women get older the likelihood that they will develop breast cancer is going to increase greatly. There are more reported cases of breast cancer in older women and more reported deaths.
  3. If a woman ages, then the likelihood that she will get breast cancer will increase..
  4. I will preform this experiment by finding a study from multiple years of the ages in which women are diagnosed with breast cancer and using them as my data. I also plan to go to my own local breast cancer support group and finding out the age of the diagnosis of the women who attend there and at what stage their breast cancer was found.
  5. Social Science?

Sunday, November 4, 2012

Blog 9


  1. What is the best way to cope with cancer?
  2. I am not going to revise my EQ at this time.
  3. Support groups, paying attention to the bodies physical needs, empowering yourself with education, and group therapy.

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Independent Component 1 Approval


  1. For my Independent Component I plan to become a California Legislative Ambassador in the fight against cancer.
  2. Before I can become an ambassador I have to go through training and take many courses learning about what my actions will be. I plan to put this effort toward my 30 hours for the Independent component. After this is done, I will be a volunteer at local Relay for life events held every year, and make personal visits to my local legislative office. All of which will add up for 30 hours.
  3. Many cancer patients like to become involved in activities such as this, my EQ asks about how to cope with cancer. By becoming so involved and helping to change the future for others I hope to discover that many cancer patients feel a sense of gratitude and like they have also helped themselves.

Sunday, September 30, 2012

Blog 6: Second Interview


  1. How many years have you been working with oncology patients?
  2. What was it that even began your interest in nursing?
  3. Are there ways that you feel you help these types of patients, besides being a heath care provider? If so what are they?
  4. In the previous interview you stated that you also help with work done at a support group the hospital runs, what made you decide to work there as well?
  5. Was there a specific event in your carer that led you to read psycho social books?
  6. What way have you found to be most effective when helping these patients deal with the difficulties of having cancer?
  7. Is there anything more that you wish you could do for your patients? If so what, and why?
  8. I know that even though the area of the hospital that specializes in oncology is very small, patients are always different age, gender, and race. Does the care for each type patient vary? And if so, how does it?

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Working EQ

The Pentagon:
  1. One positive thing that's happened as a result of what I have completed so far is the fact that I feel through my topic I am really helping people. One thing I really enjoy doing is helping people and I feel as though I am. I also feel as though I am studying a field that I could later on in life choose to work in.
  2. My interview has really helped me understand Oncology from a physicians point of view. The nurse that I interviewed told me a lot about her own experiences and the things that she had to learn on her own when dealing with these patients. 
  3. So far whenever I meet anyone new (since nurses schedules are always changing) I just introduce myself and explain my project so that they can help me in anyway possible. Another thing that helps is when I do my research I look for pages that will explain the medical terms I cannot understand. Or I look them up for a better understanding. 
  4. While being at the hospital is a great experience, so far the tasks I've been given haven't really helped me to better understand my topic.

    • I have a lot of questions for the patients. I would really like to have the chance to talk to some of them and ask them if how they are feeling or what they are going through is accurately portrayed in my research. I'd also like to be able to ask the doctors if they go through the same emotions that the nurses do. To me this answer should be different because doctors don't seem to have an as hands on or close relationship with their patients the way the nurses do. 
    • Even though for the last few years I have gone to the Relay For Life in Kern County, I would like to become more involved in activities such as that through my project. I also hope do determine if the medical field is a place that could hold a future career for me.
    • I would really like to talk to one of the doctors at San Antonio Hospital, just to gain the perspective of a doctor and what it is like for them. I would really like to know how what they do effect them personally. Or if it simply doesn't anymore. I would also like to talk to the patients, and hopefully will be able to soon, for their perspective as well.

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Problem Statement


  1. Oncology
  2. After people hear that they are diagnosed with cancer they automatically assume that they are going to die. As a result many people join support groups to help them through these hard times. However, after people survive cancer, many find a hard time transitioning to their normal lives they lead before the diagnosis. One problem could be that support groups aren't accomplishing there goals. With the information I find, I can take it and use it in support groups and see how to improve them.
  3. When people first begin to work with oncology patients, they are told how to deal with the treatment and how to help the patients physically get better. But, no one tells them about the psychological aspects and the other part of the healing process that they will have to deal with. I feel that the nurses and other medical staff need to be more informed. With this information, it can be given to current nurses in order to help them deal with the aspects of their job. If I could find a way I'd like to work with someone who could help me write something such as a paper to be used at local nursing schools.