Entrance Nursing
Children pretend and use their imaginations to carry out their inner dreams. From playing doctor to wearing a firefighter’s hat as children we already have it set in our minds the roles we want to play in our adult lives. As a child I always had the desire to help people in need. If a friend fell while playing tag I would stop to help, when my younger siblings would cry I would always offer my candy and a hug. I learned that helping others made me feel good. It was something I loved.
While becoming a woman I only embrace this love even more. Although I did not comprehend that these small gestures as a child would soon lead me into a path of nursing, I am truly aware that they have opened a place in my heart for a career as a nurse. Over the years I have assimilated the remedy of caring and understanding the medical needs of various individuals. I now understand that medical needs are not just cured with medicine alone; but with care, nurture and support received during the recovery period.
For example, if you treat someone as if they are sick and not reinsure him or her that they can possibly get better; that person will continue to feel sick and have no ambition in recovery. I understand through my own personal experience that nurses/caregivers/doctors can pave the way for a person to find a balance and harmony within the mind, body and soul; which would promote a greater amount of health in a person and a sense of serenity. I believe through my life changing experiences I can make a difference in the lives of those in need and also helping those recover from their ailments.
My first life changing experience was at the age of 14. I received my working documents and had the privilege to work in the Admissions department at Metropolitan Hospital. The office was right outside the Emergency Room. I remember having front row seats to the different traumas that entered the hospital. The one experience that I will not forget was the time a teenage boy was rushed in after being hit by a car while riding his bike. He was not severely hurt, just in pain waiting for his parents to arrive.
My initial reaction was to help him and keep him company until his parents arrived. I was completely helpless but still felt the need to do something. The only thing that came to mind was purchasing the young boy a bag of potato chips and a can of soda from the vending machine. I gave it to him and he smiled and thanked me. I felt a sense of gratification but did not realize how much that small gesture helped him with his fear of being in the hospital. It made him comfortable and open to receiving care from the doctor if necessary and made me realize I wanted to pursue a career in nursing.
My second life changing experience was in the year of 2007 in which I had the chance to participate in the delivery of a baby. My friend asked me to accompany her while she gave birth to her daughter. I was honored and extremely excited. I recall being extra supportive during her periods of contractions; rubbing her back, getting her ice, assuring her that everything will be okay and telling her to breathe. I do not have any children of my own so this was all new to me yet I was ecstatic and prepared give all the help I could.
I recall when it was time for her to deliver her baby; I held one leg while the nurse held the other. We both encouraged her to push and I held her hand at her request. I will never forget the feeling that I had from watching life being brought to this world. I also had a newfound respect for mothers, but also for nurses and doctors. I realized that working in this field is not a job but a lifestyle. You must prepare yourself for different situations such as births, deaths, and ailments. You have to be supportive and considerate to different kind of emotions.
After taking place in this experience I have decided that I when I become a nurse I want to work in the Labor and Delivery unit. I want to contribute with bringing life to the world and happiness to an entire family. I enjoy being a part of that support system, especially for those mothers that do not have a support team of their own outside of the hospital staff. My final, but most important, life changing experience occurred in 2008. This was the year that I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS).
As a teen many circumstances forced me to live on my own at the age of 16, yet I managed to graduate from high school and find a job working with the mentally disabled. At 18 years old, I got my own apartment and had took on the responsibility of caring for my two younger brothers, whom I provided both emotional and financial support to. I had to provide housing and try my hardest to teach them responsibility although I was learning myself. This caused me to have to take on more hours at work and play a major role I was much unprepared for.
Throughout life I have been so focused on providing and supporting others that I forgot to properly care for myself. I ignored all the symptoms of my disease for years until my body finally gave up and I had to be hospitalized. Though this may seem like a detrimental period of my life, it wasn’t. I had lots of love from family and friends but the nurses played a significant role in my recovery; not just physically but emotionally, mentally and spiritually. They were very helpful, nurturing, kind, and thoughtful and gave me the confidence needed to pull through this tragic moment in my life.
The nurses and doctors vigorously reassured me that things would get better. They gave me energy, made me smile, and most of all they helped prepare me for my journey ahead allowing me to deal with my life long friend (MS). This life changing experience gave me the opportunity to intertwine the incident of being the patient and learning how to properly treat and care for a patient when I start in my career of being a nurse. Medical care is much more than a prescription from a pad, a needle to the vein, an x-ray or a simple checkup. It includes the love and care that comes from within.
You need an attitude that will stand firm with the fight against an ailment as well as be understanding when a patient is giving a hard time because he or she is afraid and does not comprehend their situation. If given the opportunity of _________ (to attend your school or receive the scholarship, include names) _______________ I am confident that it will lead to a better career and lifestyle not only for me but also for others. I plan to complete my degree in nursing and pursue a career as a nurse but most importantly as a great leader encouraging others with obstacles that their goals can be achieved.
Although I have been faced with many obstacles in my life, I do not feel these obstacles should prevent me from achieving my goals therefore I do not plan to allow any circumstances to prohibit me from what I am striving for. My life changing experience has molded me into the woman I am today, pushing me to work harder towards my goals. I am ready to combine both the knowledge that I have gained from my own personal experience and the knowledge I will embrace from attending classes, working with other individuals in this field, and research to actualize what I am destined to do; helping others.
