THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, September 7, 1995 TAG: 9509060157
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 03 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: THUMBS UP
SOURCE: BY SHIRLEY BRINKLEY, STAFF WRITER SUFFOLK
LENGTH: Medium: 100 lines
LORA HARPOLD believes that technical skills and quality care are only the beginnings of professional nursing.
``Anybody can learn the skills,'' said Harpold, a senior nursing student at Obici Hospital, ``but it's the interpersonal relationship with your patient that's so important. We're not going to be able to cure some people, but we can reach their spirit and treat them with dignity.''
Harpold, 35, was the only nursing student selected for duty in Obici's Intensive Care Unit as part of a recent eight-week summer externship program for rising seniors.
``I felt I would be good in ICU,'' Harpold said, ``but for the first two hours, it was a little overwhelming. The patients are so critically ill. It's something you have to get used to. But you find out they're just people who need good nursing care and a little loving kindness. I loved not only dealing with the patients, but also their families.''
Due to her excellent nursing care and community service, Harpold was the first student to be nominated by the Obici School of Nursing for the Army's ``Spirit of Nursing'' Award.
On Aug. 14, Sgt. 1st Class Earl P. Elmore of the U.S. Army Nurse Recruiting Station in Richmond presented Harpold the award during the Stripes and Banding Ceremony at Obici. At that time, junior nurses received their stripes, and seniors, the black bands for their nursing caps.
``Lora has been recognized several times by the hospital's employee recognition program for her volunteerism,'' said Sondra Statzer, director of the school.
Last January, Harpold received an ``All Star Performer'' Award, which puts her in competition for the hospital's President's Award.
``As a freshman student, she served as vice president of the Obici Nursing Students' Association Chapter of the National Student Nurses' Association,'' said Statzer. ``During the president's leave of absence from school, Lora did an outstanding job of stepping in and fulfilling the president's duties.''
A native of San Diego, Calif., and the oldest of three siblings, Harpold has lived in various cities in the United States. When she was 11, her Navy family moved to Morocco for a year.
In 1978, the family moved to Virginia Beach where Harpold graduated from Princess Anne High School.
``We had a three-year, record-setting length of stay in Virginia Beach,'' she said, laughing.
After graduation, Harpold entered the Obici School of Nursing, and met her future husband while attending classes at Paul D. Camp Community College. She married after her freshman year and moved to Franklin.
Harpold left nursing school to be a full-time wife and mother when her daughter, Sarah, was born. Four years later, Adam arrived. Harpold home-schooled both of her children for two years.
Three years ago, the Harpolds separated, and the following August, Lora Harpold began her nursing career all over again.
``All the nursing courses I had taken were outdated,'' she said. ``There was a lot to learn that was new, and I don't regret having to take them over.''
Harpold has learned to adapt as both a student and a single parent. She assists her children with their school work and last year, volunteered to assist first-grade students with math, reading and language skills once a week at Joseph P. King Elementary School.
Fourteen-year-old Sarah helps at home by cooking meals, and Adam, 10, cleans house and is interested in learning to cook.
``Last weekend, my daughter wanted to go to the mall to buy school supplies,'' Harpold said, ``and I had a test to study for. So, while I drove her to the mall, she quizzed me for the test. I've even learned how to study with the TV on.''
In spite of her busy schedule, Harpold has volunteered to help with Obici fund-raisers and health screenings. She has assisted with Franklin High School sport physicals, the Obici booth at Peanut Fest and ``Lunch With Santa'' for foster children, sponsored by the Grace Home for Children.
This year, Harpold is also a Virginia Nursing Students' Association State Board of Directors' member and director of ``Breakthrough to Nursing,'' which seeks to generate interest in nursing and to include more minorities.
``Each board member is assigned a region, and I will go to schools and talk to kids about nursing,'' she said.
As she enters her senior year in nursing school, Harpold ranks first in her class.
``Juniors and seniors are involved with total nursing,'' she said. ``I will be assigned patients, do research diagnosis, and plan and implement their nursing care.
``I try to deal with the whole person, not just their physical needs, and if my patient goes into the operating room, I'll watch, do research and do a care plan for that.''
Harpold's long-term goals are to earn both a bachelor's and master's degree, possibly commuting to the Medical College of Virginia.
``Eventually, I want to come back to the Obici School of Nursing and teach,'' she said. ``I've developed a loyalty for Obici.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MICHAEL KESTNER
Lora Harpold, 35, was the only nursing student selected for duty in
Obici's Intensive Care Unit as part of a eight-week summer
externship.
by CNB