Nursing School Personal Statement 4

My journey to nursing has not been without obstacles. It’s taken me many years to even be able to apply to the nursing program at AUHS, and to be writing this today in hopes of joining your excellent program is an achievement in and of itself, for me. After graduating from my undergraduate with a degree in health science, my plan was to apply to nursing school. My path was waylaid when a drunk driver ignored a red light and put my mother in the hospital.

My mother was confined to her hospital bed for weeks while she underwent surgery to fix a broken elbow and collarbone, and then recover. Our family was expecting the hit to our budget from medical expenses, but it also meant my schooling had to be delayed. To help my family get through this difficult time and save money for my education, I became a certified nursing assistant and got to work.

Being a CNA was a rewarding choice for me. It allowed me to see what working nurses experienced every day in a busy hospital, to learn from them and dip my toe in the profession, so to speak. I was responsible for recording patient histories, inputting and tracking the hospital’s digital records and assisting with procedures whenever we were short on hands, which was often. With every chart I scribbled on, every time I checked a patient’s vitals or just said hello, every prescription handed off to me, I felt I was growing into my chosen profession. But I wanted to flourish.

I knew in my position I was gaining crucial knowledge and developing technical skill I would need to succeed, but I was also on the sidelines. Our patients were the center of our focus, but the main nursing staff were the carers interacting with the patients the most. I was typically sent running on errands and always moving, allowing me little facetime with our patients. This chord was struck hard when I performed an intake for a patient who stayed at the hospital for 3 weeks. After his admittance, I didn’t get to check in on him once during his entire stay. I performed a very necessary part of the job, but I wanted to do more. While my mother was in the hospital, her nursing staff were the bedrock of her care and well-being. They checked on her multiple times a day and talking with her to see that she was emotionally recovering from the trauma, too. They took time out of their hectic schedules to reassure my sister and I that she was in good hands. Their example reaffirmed for me what I had decided years earlier: that I wanted to apply to nursing school and become a nurse.

The thought first entered my mind when my sister was the one hospitalized, in need of a kidney transplant at only 15 years of age. Very fortunately for us, a relative was a match, and she underwent the procedure with no complications, despite our parents gut-wrenching worry. During her recovery, the nurses were the constant source of comfort and reassurance. They explained to 9-year-old me what was happening in ways I could understand. It was this compassion, patience and understanding I always tried to exude as a CNA. Every patient wasn’t just practice for when I became a nurse—every patient was my patient, deserving of care and respect. And I was a nurse, already. I was working my way up, developing my professional skills and saving every penny I could to put towards my further education.

When I wasn’t working and budgeting, I was preparing myself. Every week I scoured medical journals to keep up to date on current issues and debates in nursing. I explore how telehealth has changed the face of nursing and whether it has less impact than face-to-face treatment. I began watching virtual conferences about emerging medical technology and the implications for nursing. I learned about smart beds and wearable technology being used to monitor patients’ vitals and health records, and how it can make the work of nurses and CNAs faster and easier but may sacrifice important time with patients.

My years of preparation, saving and working have built my foundation in nursing. Although the original path I mapped for myself has been lost, I have forged a new one through changed circumstances. I have worked hard to take this opportunity for myself, and I am proud of my accomplishments and the work I do, even if I am not accepted to any nursing school and become a career CNA. No matter what, I am excited to be at the forefront of modern nursing and emerging developments in this amazing field. At the end of the day, I know my purpose and my role. I am a nurse. (804 words)

Nursing School Personal Statement 4