OFTC Nurse Aide Students Bring Christmas Cheer to Residents at Dublinair Nursing Home

OFTC Nurse Aide Class in Dublin. Front, L-R:  Kelsy Pullen (Treutlen), Tracey Fields (Washington), April Selph (Laurens), Angela Johnson (Dodge), James Wilson (Laurens); Back, L-R: Yuri Burten (Washington), Cheyenne Little (Telfair), Grenique Coley (Laurens), Krystin Fountain (Bleckley) and Pre'Shauna Kitchens (Washington).
OFTC Nurse Aide Class in Dublin. Front, L-R: Kelsy Pullen (Treutlen), Tracey Fields (Washington), April Selph (Laurens), Angela Johnson (Dodge), James Wilson (Laurens); Back, L-R: Yuri Burten (Washington), Cheyenne Little (Telfair), Grenique Coley (Laurens), Krystin Fountain (Bleckley) and Pre’Shauna Kitchens (Washington).

It’s not uncommon for students entering the healthcare field to spend many hours at a clinical site during their training. A group of Oconee Fall Line Technical College (OFTC) Nurse Aide students decided to go above and beyond their responsibility of caring for patients physically and performed a gesture that lit up the eyes of the residents they serve.  

Led by instructor Teresa Carroll-Drew, RN, and armed with wrapping paper, bows, and tape, students chose a resident’s door to decorate as a part of the facility’s Christmas door decorating contest.  

“I worked at this particular nursing home 13 years ago and it’s unfortunate that some residents never have any family to visit, and the holiday makes it even more difficult,” Drew shared. “We wanted to give them this little bit of joy and hopefully something to smile at.”  

While students decorated doors of various residents, Drew chose a non-residential door located on a center hallway to decorate that would be seen by residents on their way to the dining room.  

“Not only was it a fun activity for the students to get involved with, but it’s important for these future Certified Nurse Aides to understand the importance of looking for ways beyond the routine to care for their patients,” Drew added. “This was a way we as a class could demonstrate an act of kindness to the residents and bring them just a little bit of Christmas magic.”  

The students participating in the decorating were: Kelsy Pullen (Treutlen), Tracey Fields (Washington), April Selph (Laurens), Angela Johnson (Dodge), James Wilson (Laurens), Yuri Burten (Washington), Cheyenne Little (Telfair), Grenique Coley (Laurens), Krystin Fountain (Bleckley) and Pre’Shauna Kitchens (Washington).

For more info about OFTC’s Nurse Aide program, visit the college’s website or contact admissions@oftc.edu.  

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