When I was applying for the Compass Program I had no idea what I was getting into. The first week alone was intense as it was a lot of information to soak in, such as what we would be learning in the next 12 weeks, what projects we would be working on and what was to be expected of us. Since then we have had 10 class days with our amazing instructor, Jennifer, and 7 days of department rotations.
Our class days consisted of Jennifer providing us with tools and skills to use as a leader or manager. We learned about different learning types with the VARK learning tool which will help me understand how future dental assistants will learn when I’m training them. We also learned about emotional intelligence which is a big part of working in a healthcare environment. Currently, we’re learning about project management for our big group project, which I am excited for. Department rotations were very interesting. We learned how each and every department, big or small, works together like gears in a clock or in an engine. The two departments that I enjoyed the most were PCS, because we learned what type of managers they were and they gave us advice on how to be successful in the different roles of being managers. I also enjoyed nursing, because that is what I want to be when I grow up.
I would like to take this time to send out an enormous thank you to Jennifer for taking time away from her family to teach us and mold us into successful leaders, it really means a lot to me because I know how hard it is to leave your kids for others and having you here to help us advance shows how much you care for others to succeed. A huge thank you to the SLT members for taking time out of their busy schedules to come to our class to share their journeys to become the successful leaders they are and offering their advice so we can follow in their footsteps. Thank you to my mentor Miranda Johansson for guiding me and helping me back up when I felt like I was failing. Thank you to Tucker for nominating me into this program and pushing me to advance in my career. And tremendous thank you to my brothers at home for taking care of my children while I was away for this program.
If you enjoy your job/career as much as I do and you love helping others but you want to advance in your career, I highly recommend this program. Get out of your comfort zone. You can’t grow if you stay where you’re comfortable. A quote from our book ‘Crucial Conversations: “Nothing fails like success. On other words, when a challenge in life is met by a response that is equal to it, you have success. But when the challenge moves to a higher level, the old, once successful response no longer works-it fails; thus, nothing fails like success.”
I am a single mother of two beautiful daughters who was also raising 3 younger brothers, up until my daughters and I moved here to Bethel just this past weekend. If I can have my full-time job as a dental assistant, raise 5 children, fly back and forth for the Compass Program and still work hard to finish this program, so can you.
Nadine Long, Dental Assistant Sr.