My name is Emily Mixon and I am pursuing a Masers degree in Nursing from Marquette University in Milwaukee Wisconsin. I grew up in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area, but completed my Bachelors in Microbiology at the University of Wisconsin La Crosse. While in La Crosse I worked for two years as a nursing assistant in a small group home for medically fragile children. I now work at the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin as a nursing assistant on an acute care floor. I find the most joy in life when I am helping kids who may be facing many severe health challenges. Seeing how my actions can make an impact in the life of a child motivates me to continue my education so I can help them to the fullest of my abilities. After completing this program at Marquette I hope to continue to work with children as a Registered Nurse. Being a nurse would open up many new opportunities for volunteer work. I traveled to Guatemala while studying in La Crosse to provide medical care to people living in rural, underserved, farming communities, and as a nurse I will have many more chances to make a difference in peoples lives like I did in Guatemala. I cannot wait to finish this program at Marquette so I can start working in the field of nursing and continue to positively change the lives of children in need.

Essay: Music Therapy

During my time studying Microbiology in La Crosse I began working as a Personal Care Worker, or nursing assistant, in a small group home for medically fragile children. I worked in a home setting where three boys aged 12 to 14 lived full time, and several other children spent time with us for weekend respite care. These children had varying diagnoses including, but not limited to, cerebral palsy, hydrocephalus, lissencephaly, and epilepsy. They all required wheelchairs for mobility and were non-verbal. These children required around the clock care and attention. Throughout my time working with them I was trained on how to use countless pieces of medical equipment and how to perform basic medical interventions to keep the kids healthy and safe. We used chest physiotherapy machines, feeding pumps, CPAP machines, nebulizers, humidifiers, wheelchairs, standers, AFOs, Hoyer lifts, and countless other tools to help the kids get from day to day. Each child had a team of people responsible for making decisions for them and ensuring they were getting the best care. One aspect of caring for these children that I believe to be just as important as the medications and tools to maintain their health is their social integration and creativity. Each of our children participated in Music Therapy. They would have an hour-long session once a week at the house where the music therapist would sing, dance, and play music with them. This gave the boys a chance to be stimulated in a personalized way that integrated their personal health goals. If a child's goal was to work on motor control of their arms then the therapist would create a plan to have them try to reach up and strum a guitar, or shake a maraca. Each child would become fully immersed in their own session, but the other kids in the house would get enjoyment from the music and sounds of the others sessions as well. Twice a year the kids had an opportunity to show off their hard work at the end of the year concert. This concert allowed to boys to have a moment in the spotlight to show off their skills. It also allowed them to be around other children who may have a different diagnosis and different abilities but who also are enjoying the benefits of music therapy. During my time working with these children I learned that medical equipment and tools are extremely important to maintain physical wellbeing, but there is so much more that goes into truly caring for someone. I believe that music therapy is a great opportunity for kids like this to have a chance to be creative and interactive in order to be truly happy and healthy!