I moved with my mother and two brothers from West Helena, Arkansas, my father’s home town, to Jacksonville, my mother’s home town, when I was around age four. My father, who was a Vietnam War veteran, met my mother when he was stationed in Jacksonville. I still remember my mother taking care of us and managing the affairs of our home all alone. As a little girl growing along with two older brothers, I have seen my mother enduring great pains toward making things comfortable for us. She always did things with a radiant smile, and was known for her kindheartedness in the neighborhoods. Her selfless deeds taught me the importance of patience and unconditional love while caring for others. Mom was my role model, and I constantly dreamed of becoming a selfless person like her when I grew up. No wonder, I nurtured a secret ambition of becoming a nurse professional one day to help others like mom. Taking inspiration from my mother to serve others with unconditional love, I wanted to become a nurse serving the public, especially children and women. I can clearly see that the profession of nursing is about serving the sick and the old with a tender heart as nurse professionals are the heart of healthcare (Sharon, 2014).
Towards grooming myself for my cherished career, I had been working as a Certified Nursing Assistant for over ten years before applying for the BSN program. I went to the Vance-Granville Community College to complete my LPN program. However, I never practiced as a LPN and immediately went back to the nursing school to pursue my LPN to RN program so as to achieve my goal of becoming a Registered Nurse. Later on, I got certified as a Public Health Nurse at UNC-Chapel Hill. As a Certified Nursing Assistant, I was mostly involved in public health. My areas of work in public health include child health, WIC programs and lab technician field. As a Registered Nurse, I am experienced in working with the family clinic. My key strength includes taking full responsibility for the well-being of patients under my care and flexibility in taking decisions from the perspective of my patients and their family members. My fearless nature and empathetic attitude always guide me to provide the best care to the patients under my care. I have a penchant for acquiring new knowledge and skills that always gives me the courage and confidence to face any situation.
As a professional with an Associate Degree in RN, I did not encounter any financial or social barriers while progressing through my RN to BSN program; however, I did come across certain personal trials that almost shattered my heart. Firstly, I lost my dear second older brother to a fatal fire accident in the house recently. My 39-year-old brother died by inhaling poisonous smoke. I am still mourning the death of my brother while gradually coming to terms with the stark reality. Secondly, my 16-year-old son met with a grave car accident in which he escaped miraculously. Even though he survived with certain minor injuries, the police and emergency team did not know how he survived the deadly accident. These incidents taught me certain valuable life lessons that would help me in my nurse profession: the need to remain emotionally balanced and proactive. I learned that nurses must learn to let go things. Basically, as a nurse, I am required to provide empathetic care to my patients with diverse needs like physical, mental, spiritual and emotional needs (Lombardo and Eyre, 2011). This warrants me to be emotionally balanced myself with a proactive attitude about life. Along with my studies, I took up a regular meditation program to improve my self-awareness. Also, regularly reading spiritual literature and listening to motivational talks help me to improve my self-awareness and emotional balance. Even as I do not have any mentor as such, I imbibe a lot of inspiration from what I read and listen every day.
As I progressed through the program, I spent quality time with my growing children. Sharing my mind with others helps me to lighten my mind and get new insights about life. I enjoy being with my two boy children: my oldest son has graduated from college whereas my young son would graduate from high school as I complete my graduation program. My nursing education and work experience have exposed me to a lot of theoretical and practical wisdom on providing quality healthcare to my patients. In light of healthcare service going through periodic changes, I realize the importance of always equipping myself with the latest knowledge and skills to provide the best service to my clients. As I enter the nursing profession with a BSN, I reiterate my determination never to cease learning. As an individual responsible for making lives easier for my patients and their family members, I vow to employ my self-awareness to learn from experience and make the world a better place for those who are under my care (Frankl, 2006).
The vision statement of WSSU nursing program that emphasizes quality education, research and service to the public to students of diverse backgrounds is the best place for individuals who wish to excel in their nurse profession. In keeping with the mission statement, the university has helped me take leadership by serving the underserved communities. Imparting compassionate care irrespective on one’s background is the strong message I take from this great Institution. I plan to continue to remain in public health. Concentrating on developing my competency by working in the clinic I currently work with is my first priority toward developing a meaningful career as a BSN nurse professional. Toward equipping myself for multitasking including coaching and mentoring others I am looking forward to doing my MSN degree after two years. I also have the vision of becoming a future nurse leader who develops next generation of quality nurse leaders.
References
Frankl, V.E. (2006). Man’s search for meaning. Boston: Beacon Press.
Lombardo, B., and Eyre, C. (2011). Compassion fatigue: A nurse’s primer. The online journal of issues in nursing, 16(1). Retrieved from http://www.nursingworld.org/MainMenu Categories/ANAMarketplace/ANAPeriodicals/OJIN/TableofContents/Vol-16-2011/No1-Jan-2011/Compassion-Fatigue-A-Nurses-Primer.html
Sharon, J. (2014). 6 Roles Nurses Play that Truly Make Them the Heart of Healthcare. Nursetogether.com. Retrieved from http://www.nursetogether.com/6-roles-nurses-play-truly-make-them-heart-healthcare
