Essay

When I decided to go back to school the first hurdle to cross was the Nursing School Application. It was a very detailed process, not intended for the casual applicant. There was a list, two pages long, detailing the information required before you could even be considered as a student in the program. Some of it was more easily completed such as getting copies of my certifications and tracking down a few wonderful people who were willing to provide a written referral on my behalf.

The most difficult requirement was the request for an essay; three to five pages outlining why I was applying for the program, the experiences in my life that helped me choose nursing as a career and what I would be willing to sacrifice in order to become a full-time student. I don't like talking about myself so this task seemed very daunting. Luckily, I have some connections and was able to have a wonderful editor help me out. I think the outcome was exceptional, especially on such short notice and obviously it was successful because I was offered a spot in the program.

For your reading pleasure, here is a copy of my nursing school application essay.

My interest in healthcare began at an early age. There is one very important memory which has stayed with me during my whole life and has had an enormous impact on my career path. During the fourth grade, after taking a science exam, I was called up to stand at the front of the class. My teacher explained that after the most recent exam, I was the only student in the class to have achieved a 100% grade for the entire unit of science curriculum over the complete school year. I was then awarded with a very fashionable ribbon, emblazoned with a stethoscope, to wear for the rest of the school day. I remember beaming, standing and the front of the class, hoping that feeling would never go away. The most remarkable thing is that the subject matter came so easy to me; I hadn’t even realized I was scoring at such an advanced level. It wasn’t school work for me, it was fun and I loved it. I maintained that interest throughout my career as a student and enrolled in nearly all the science classes my middle school and high school had to offer.
My first venture into the healthcare world began after my completion of a phlebotomy training course in 2001. I enjoyed working directly with patients and excelled as a phlebotomist but I felt as if there was more I could do to help people. A few months later I completed a certified nurse’s aid program and was immediately drawn to bedside care. The program required clinical hours in a hospital setting, at an extended care facility, and at an urgent care center. I was introduced to many facets of healthcare but it was direct contact with my patients which I looked forward to the most. I liked talking with them, listening to them, holding their hand and helping them. It wasn’t always easy, but I found a personal satisfaction with my work and that was enough for me.
After completing my CNA, I accepted employment at the University of Utah Hospital on a special care unit and instantly fell in love with not only my patients, but my nurses too. I found that I enjoyed supporting the nursing staff and was thrilled with the friendships that developed in the process. I also cemented a special bond with the Cystic Fibrosis patients that frequented the unit, which led my ongoing participation with the Great Strides walk organized by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. The unit was a jumble of patients ranging in age from pediatric to geriatric requiring all manner of cares and assistance. Every shift was a new adventure and I absorbed all I could from my nurses, resident physicians and patients. My experiences were unmatched, but I was ready for more. I felt I wanted a new challenge and the technical side of medicine seemed to be the next great adventure. I knew how to take care of the patients on the unit, but wanted to learn more about how they came to be on my unit. The art of diagnosing a patient intrigued me, like solving a puzzle, so I turned to diagnostic radiology.
I began working with Intermountain Healthcare at Cottonwood Hospital in 2005. I was trained exclusively in the CT department and fell in love with a new branch of the healthcare field. I enjoyed learning the more technical side of diagnosing patients and excelled quickly. I learned about aseptic techniques and draping a sterile field for biopsy procedures. I was trained to start intravenous catheters and gained confidence as a skilled IV tech. After Cottonwood Hospital closed its doors in 2007, I transferred facilities within the Intermountain family and began working at Primary Children’s Hospital in the operating rooms.
At Primary Children’s Hospital, I assist in caring for patients in a surgical setting. This has been the most challenging of my experiences so far, but an amazing one, and has also offered many different outlets for me to learn and grow as a healthcare provider. The OR is a very high volume area that circulates many patients on a daily basis, some with very specific needs. There are many different areas within the rooms and I’ve enjoyed learning from and working beside anesthesiologists, pharmacists, surgical techs, nurses, and residents; sometimes all during a single case. It’s also been an adjustment for me since the patient population is nearly all small children. Caring for children is much different than an adult who understands why they are there and why they are sick. I’ve borrowed from my own experiences as a mother to help ease my patient’s fears and the fears of the parents too. Working in healthcare sometimes means being a support for not only the patient but for the family members as well. I’ve had many opportunities to extend the skills learned from my experiences in direct beside care to listen to the mothers and fathers, hold their hands and sit with them while their baby is in surgery.
My work as a CNA has given me a firsthand knowledge about what it takes to be a nurse. I’ve observed many nurses on the job and I’m familiar with what it entails. I have enjoyed being their support and their friend but I’m prepared for the next step in my own future. I’ve spent years bathing patients, helping them dress, ambulate and eat. I’ve emptied bedpans, catheters and drains. I’ve answered call lights, monitored vital signs and documented pages of cares and special needs of individual patients. I’ve been peed on, thrown up on, pushed, kicked and bled on-there’s nothing I haven’t gone through to get the job done. I’ve paid my dues and I deserve to be a part of this program and achieve my goal of a nursing degree. I look forward to the day that I walk into my very first patient room, and I get to introduce myself as their nurse.
Through the years I’ve have spent working in the healthcare field, I’ve felt like I have been searching for an area that didn’t agree with me. I kept telling myself that as soon as I failed, I would know that nursing was not the right path for me to take. Only I never failed. In fact, I discovered I relished in every new challenge and found happiness in my duties. I sacrificed many years that could have been dedicated to pursuing my education, by instead testing the waters to decide if I was dedicated enough to follow through with a career in nursing. I am confident that one day, I will walk into a patient room and with a smile on my face, introduce myself as their nurse. I know that I will be able to achieve this goal through hard work, sacrifice and dedication. I’ve adjusted my work schedule, ended a process of house-hunting and decided to rent our home for two more years, bought a TRAX pass and printed out the schedule for every bus route and TRAX route from my home to Utah Career College in case there’s an issue with my own personal transportation. I’m prepared for anything and that is what will make me successful in this program.
I posses an intense appreciation for the nursing field that began when I walked into my very first patient room as a CNA. Consistent with that fateful day in fourth grade when I was awarded for my efforts in science class, I am beaming, proud of myself, how far I’ve come and most importantly, at peace with my calling. I want to be a nurse.