Senior nursing major Clara Ortega has a very busy schedule. From clinical to classes, Ortega is almost always on the move. Her 12-hour-long shifts can be at any time as long as they work with her class schedule, some from 6am-6pm, some from 1pm-1am, and some night shifts from 6pm-6am. She has had to complete 250 clinical hours before she graduates on May 6. Post-graduation, Ortega has a job already lined up in North Carolina.
Clara Ortega lives a very fast-paced life as a full-time nursing student who also works full 12-hour clinical shifts. Here, she is getting up from a nap after her classes to go to her 6pm-6am clinical. One of the quickest ways she wakes herself up is by washing her face and playing music. It puts her in a good mood to have the best shift possible. Ortega is already downing a cup of coffee as she’s leaving, preparing for the long night ahead. She has her stethoscope and bag that contains a meal, some snacks, and her book if she gets any downtime. Ortega walks to her car with all her materials for her shift. Ortega sits in her car and contemplates her future profession. She is about to go work a 12-hour shift at the North East Georgia Medical Center Emergency Room.After her 12-hour shift, the first thing Ortega does when she gets back is shower. Working in the ER can expose you to many dangerous things, and with COVID-19 still present, the safest thing for her to do is take a shower and wash her scrubs. A post-shift nap is a must for Ortega. She naps for a few hours to try and catch up on some sleep, seeing as she has some classes later in the day. After her post-shift nap, Ortega finishes up some homework before heading to class. Her schedule is a rigorous and difficult one, but she is excited to be graduating soon.
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