Nursing School Personal Statement Example
It was a Friday evening at Touro Infirmary, I was on the elevator returning to the oncology unit when a male nurse asked if I had an interest in becoming a travel nurse. Ironically, I was wearing my noise-canceling headphones but I immediately answered, “I had never thought about nursing as a career.” The next day I remember sharing the details about this awkward elevator conversation with my mother and then I envisioned myself as a nurse. Only two weeks into my patient care technician job, I developed a good rapport with my coworkers who seemed really interested in my career goals. Emma, a more seasoned patient care technician, said I was missing my calling and that I should become a nurse. Although I provided care for patients, I began to observe the daily routines of nurses. I asked myself, “Why not become a nurse?” Not one reason came to my mind. I went back to my apartment and began searching for nursing schools.
Working as a patient care technician allowed me to witness firsthand the appropriate and efficient holistic care delivered by nurses, which reinforced my newfound interest in becoming a registered nurse. My undergraduate degree in public health became relevant to my work as a caretaker. Public health is a vital part of nursing as the profession extends well beyond merely treating a patient and involves the comprehensive care of each patient's particular needs. Seeing nurses educate patients and their families on their treatment plans, advocate for their patient’s needs, and provide alternate symptom relief measures allowed me to personally observe the intersection of public health and patient care. The nursing profession incorporates these two professions, which are essential for efficiently completing patients' treatment plans. Throughout my public health curriculum and internships, I was able to grasp and effectively practice prevention, safety, advocacy, and education. This helped me become a better public health professional and more importantly a better patient care technician.
As a patient care technician on the oncology unit, I frequently had patients in my care for extended periods of time, allowing me to witness patients at all stages of sickness as well as the care necessary to accommodate their changing needs. I cared for a specific patient from the time of their first diagnosis until their final chemo treatment, which lasted five months. This time spent with patients allowed for the formation of better patient-staff relationships, which ultimately led to patients having a more positive experience with the hospital care team. Because of my training in public health, I was often permitted to meet with these patients and their nurses on rounds to discuss preventative techniques that would be most advantageous in completing the patient's treatment plan. These techniques encouraged patients to live a healthier lifestyle upon discharge from the hospital. I was also able to discover effective treatment procedures and other preventative approaches from the nurses when teaching the staff and patients about my public health methods. This paved the way for improved collaboration and fluidity within the care team assigned to each patient.
I was allowed more autonomy in the unit once my adaptation to the complicated and ever-changing hospital setting was recognized. EKGs and blood draws were added to my workload because the nurses trusted that I could give appropriate and efficient care to their patients' requirements even when they were not present in the room. While I excelled as a patient care technician, the care team of which I became a member also improved. Patients and their families who had been at the hospital before my arrival, frequently commented on the improvements of the cancer unit. Our improved reputation for providing all-around excellent patient care was noticed by the other units on my floor. This led to improvements in their practices, resulting in an overall improvement in our hospital's patient satisfaction surveys.
In addition to my hands-on experiences in public health and healthcare, I bring a unique viewpoint to the nursing program, making me an even stronger prospect. As a black male growing up in a rural Louisiana community, my options in STEM were very limited or simply did not exist. I took advantage of programs such as AHEC of a Summer, A Day with the Doctor, and Our Lady of the Lake Patient Experience Program. These opportunities, oftentimes hours away, allowed students like myself to observe firsthand the wide range of careers and pathways available in the medical field. I genuinely have compassion for people who were often susceptible to diseases due to genetics or environmental circumstances. I realized that people like myself were crucial in creating changes in these limited and antiquated healthcare systems in rural communities.
An accelerated bachelor of science in nursing (ABSN) degree will require the same focus and attention I gave to my patients and simultaneously my undergraduate studies in order to be the best performing nursing student. The ABSN curriculum, in particular, emphasizes the techniques required to provide exceptional patient care. This program will enhance the skill set I have acquired and provide a pathway for me to become an excellent nurse.
