These JWs are not being encouraged to quit school:
http://www.orangeleader.com/articles/2003/05/08/news/news4.txt
Twins seek identical opportunity
Special to The Orange Leader
Patients visiting a local hospital might think they're seeing double, when, in fact, they've met twin nursing students Karen and Christina Cook of Orange.
The sisters work as patient care assistants at Christus St. Elizabeth Hospital in Beaumont about two weekends a month. They plan to earn bachelor of science degrees in nursing from Lamar University this December.
The health care duo, who dressed alike until age 12, are fraternal twins. Although they aren't identical, at first glance, they might pass for carbon copies. They said their friends can tell them apart.
Christina initially had an interest in architecture, although she was fascinated with the medical field.
But Karen has always had a desire to work in health care.
"I always loved medical science," she said. While taking a biology class at West Orange Stark High School, the girls had the opportunity to tour Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. "We were hooked."
The twins decided to pursue nursing careers because it offers a flexible work schedule and the opportunity to help others.
"We love talking to people and helping them," Christina said. "We enjoy that a lot." Christina enjoys working in intensive care.
"You definitely have to be a people person if you work in the nursing field," said Karen, who prefers working in cardiac care.
As part of their training, Christina said, student nurses are taught to anticipate the worst- case scenario and how to respond correctly in that situation.
"Our instructors are trying to help us think more critically, beyond just the student role," Karen said.
Karen said she wants to be as prepared as possible to help her patients.
"We're dealing with people's lives."
As Lamar University honors students, Karen and Christina volunteered at the Ubi Caritas Community Clinic and Health Center in South Park and worked with the Crime Stoppers program.
While still attending high school, the sisters took college courses at Lamar State College - Orange as part of a dual enrollment program. Upon high school graduation in 2001, they transferred to Lamar University to study nursing.
"We graduated with more than 30 hours of college credit, which applied toward our prerequisit classes," Christina said.
Christina said they have considered seeking internships in Houston as part of their studies. After completing internships, they hope to return to the Golden Triangle to review their options, she said.
"We really want a schedule that will allow us to continue to pursue our volunteer work," Karen said.
Christina said their first love is spreading their faith through Bible education. Nursing fits as a career because it gives them the opportunity to earn a living while satifying their need to help others.
They spend about 70 hours a month teaching the Bible. The twins attend
the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses in Orange with their parents, Gary and Joyce.
In 2002, they assisted with flood relief in Houston after Tropical Storm Allison dumped more than 36 inches of water on some areas of the city, causing $5 billion in damage and leaving 22 people dead.
The sisters helped build housing in Houston as part of the flood relief effort, jointly volunteering more than one hundred hours. They primarily worked on the paint crew.
Since age 16, the Cook twins have worked with a Jehovah's Witnesses project in the greater Houston area building halls for new congrigations. During each four-day project, they work on the electrical crew during construction, under the supervisor of a certified electrician. They also offer medical help in case of minor injuries.
Both Karen and Christina have an interest in non-blood management, a means of eliminating or limiting blood transfusions during medical treatment. Christina said Jehovah's Witnesses choose not to accept blood transfusions as part of their faith because the Bible commands followers to "abstain from blood."
"We look for every alternative to blood transfusions, which challenges the medical community," Karen said.
The use of alternatives to blood transfusions in medicine is called bloodless medicine or non-blood management. Christina recently presented a paper on non-blood management as part of an honors nursing project.
Christina said some doctors are using drugs that cause the bone marrow to increase in red cell production in the period before surgery. Blood lost during surgery is offset by the boost in the number of red blood cells.
Karen said advances in technology allow patients to reuse the blood they lose duringsurgery after it is cleansed and filtered. Researchers are also using hyperbaric chambers to increase the oxygen level in blood so patients can tolerate lower blood levels during surgery.
Karen's research on trans-cultural nursing focuses on the sensitivity of a patient's faith, ethnicity, culture and other differences that make people unique.
Nursing is defined by caring, but caring is defined by a cultural context, Karen said, making trans-cultural nursing so important.
"Communication is our strength," she said.
During clinical studies, Karen and Christina don't work at the same hospital. It is against policy for siblings to take clinicals together through the nursing program.
Although the sisters don't dress alike, they do have similar tastes in clothing.
"We try not to wear the same thing, but we buy two of everything," Karen said.
