Linda and I (but let's be honest, mostly Linda) are still chugging away on last year's RWB blocks. We've just got a few quilts left to go from these, which as many of you know are perennial favorites at the hospital.
These went up with a delivery last Friday while I there with my first level students. In order to make the drop off work Chaplain Perry actually had to take my keys and go load the quilts from my car into his since I'm not allowed to leave the building while my students are there. So kudos to him. This brings our total to 781!
I love teaching nursing school. I love first level especially because of the rapid changes. The students come in as regular college kids and end the semester as baby nurses. It's like watching a baby go from rolling over to crawling to walking.
One of my biggest goals for them is to learn to Talk. To. Patients. And get comfortable interacting with people. You wouldn't believe how many 19 and 20 year olds don't have much experience talking to adults outside their own age range. We've actually had to drop students before and send them to work in some kind of customer service job for a year (ie McDonalds cashier) before trying again.
Of course some of them take to this better than others. I was proud of one student this week, our first week out of the lab, who spotted a military tattoo and immediately engaged with the patient, asking what branch he was in and talking about her own family's military service.
There are so many veterans and family members of veterans in the hospital, and although they don't universally want to talk about their service it can be a great way to connect. As is, of course, these patriotic quilts. The chaplains always describe these as some of the most cherished and well received quilts CiL gives out.
 |
| Same quilt as above, just flipped over |
My students all survived their first hospital day, and most of them even enjoyed it! I hope your own week went well and Spring is springing wherever you are!
 |
| Future nurses of America |
Covered in Love is a 501(c)(3) charity that donates quilts to patients dying in the hospital, over 700 so far! During March/April we are supporting the Hands2Help Challenge instead of our normal block drive. Check out the main post HERE if you want to get involved.
Linking to Confessions of a Fabric Addict and Finished or Not Friday
Awesome Star quilts, Kat!! Covered in Love is well on the way to 800 quilts. Fantastic!
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely blog post you wrote. I love hearing about that transformation of students into baby nurses. How lucky they are to have you be their mentor and teacher. These quilts are just stunning!! There's something about red, white and blue in a quilt that just sings. I am busy preparing for passover and cleaning out my sewing space a little. Ok, admittedly, it's the dining room table that I needed to clean in order to set for a seder. I think I will have more orphan blocks or quilts in progress to send you at some point. I can't believe you're close to hitting 800 comfort quilts. How wonderful to see what a difference your mission has made!! The sky's the limit!!
ReplyDeleteGreat quilts, Kat! 800 quilts - wow!
ReplyDeleteHow fun to teach the newbies!!! and what a great thing you are teaching them... especially to listen! We have an amazing team of nurses/home health care people working with us now - they were taught well too - so I will credit you! Gorgeous quilts - I am sure they will be loves and cherished
ReplyDeleteI LOVE red/white/blue quilts and I think I saw a couple of my stars in those quilts! I'm going to need your address as I'll have a couple of quilt tops and backs to send along. Thanks!!
ReplyDeleteAll these red, white and blue stars just sparkle! The quilting is fabulous, too. Kudos and thanks to Linda for all her hard work and talent!
ReplyDeleteThese baby nurses are so lucky to have you as their instructor, Kat. They are starting out right :)
Hi,
ReplyDeleteBeautiful quilts...have a great day!
I hadn't realized that you taught nursing students. Thank you for what you do. I'm having a lot of contact with nurses right now as I'm the caregiver for my mom who is in hospice care at home. I've been so impressed by the way so many of them connect and talk with her. Right now, after a year of Covid restrictions, she craves personal interaction.
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful group of quilts. I know that the RWB are a real favorite & so glad that the block drive is always a huge success. Thanks to you & Linda for all your work in getting those beauties finished & off to the Chaplain for distribution.
ReplyDeleteOh, what lucky student nurses you have. They will learn so much from you. I never thought of how they needed to learn to communicate...what a blessing you must be to them. Thank you!!!!
From your many quilts donated I am so proud of what you are doing!
ReplyDelete