Border Crossings: 5183 Leading in Culturally Responsive Environments

Border Crossings 

Haylee Cannon

    For my scenario that allowed me to “cross a border”, I decided to sit in the waiting room

of a trauma floor at a local hospital. My sister-in-law is a nurse who works on this floor, so I

decided to bring her a coffee and listen to the stories this floor had to tell. To explain what I

learned through this experience, I want to focus on what I heard, what I saw, and what I felt.

    From what I heard, there was the beeping of monitors, the chatter of nurses and doctors,

and the wheeling of hospital beds and carts from room to room. I heard the elevator beeping as

nurses and doctors would enter and exit the floor for various reasons. I saw people moving at a

very quick speed with urgent news to deliver and important measures to take. I saw doors swing

open every so often with new people entering and exiting, but none of those people were family.

The trauma floor doesn’t allow for visits while patients are there as it is a critical care floor. I felt

the absence of family members who can’t be with their loved ones right now, and how I know it

would be deeply to not be with my loved one who was injured. Overall, the atmosphere was

grim as the floor was filled with traumas, pain, and patients who are in critical condition. This is a

world I am not familiar with, so it was heavy to sit in this environment as a passive observer.

This “border crossing” activity emphasized a concept many understand but few actually

experience, and that is how people don’t appreciate the challenges other people face in their

day to day life, their careers, and their lives in general. If humanity could truly empathize with

each other as a default reaction instead of responding with hate, judgement, and bitterness, the

world would be a very different place.

    This experience was highly valuable for me. We each have ample experience with our

own life, but true empathy comes from understanding others’ experiences and views. Things I

never have to think about are at the forefront of my neighbor's existence. This reminds me of the

different environments and experiences my students have. If I am to teach these students, it’s

important for me to meet them where they are and to understand their point of view as best as I

can. The world could always use a little more empathy, and this exercise was a great

experience to remind me that walking a mile in each other’s shoes is a valuable step to take,

and leads to a greater understanding between humans.

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