Whatmotivatesyoutopursuenursingasaprofession?

AftergraduatinginApril2015fromtheUniversityofSouthFlorida,onlythreeyearsafter
graduatingfromhighschool,Iammoredriventhanevertopursueacareerinnursing.
Compassion,motivation,andenthusiasmarequalitiesthatIpossessthatenablepeopletofeel
comfortedinsituationsinwhichtheycannothelpthemselves.Byvirtueofpossessingthese
personalcharacteristics,Ibelievenursingismyvocationalcalling.Asaregisterednurse,Iwill
beabletotouchpeopleslivesinanintimateandspecialwaythatnoothercareercanoffer.I
haveseenfirsthandhowacompassionatenursecansupportandeasethechallengesofanillness
forthepatientandlovedones.Mychildhoodbestfriend,Kelly,wasdiagnosedwithcanceratthe
youngageofnineyearsold.Asshebegantodeteriorate,shewasassignedhomehealthcare
nursesthatcaredforher24hoursaday,7daysaweek.Kellyhadacycleoffournursesthattook
differentshiftsthroughoutthedayandnight,butonenursestoodouttomeinparticular.Natasha
Myershadthegreatestimpactonmychosenpathtowardbecominganurse.Natasha
administeredKellyspainmedicationsandmonitoredheroxygenlevelinsuchanempathetic
andcaringwaythatmadeherfeelcomforteddespitetheendlesspainshewasenduring.She
explainedKellysconditiontomeinawaythatwarrantedtrustandunderstanding.Althoughshe
wasspeakingtoachildwitnessingascaryandconfusingsituation,shehandledherselfina
professionalandconfidentmannerthatputmyconcernsandquestionstoease.Thededication,
compassion,andcommitmentNatashaembodiedtowardsKellyandherfamilywasremarkable
andmadeanimpressiononmethatinstilledapassiontobecomearegisterednurse.Iamhighly
motivatedtofollowinNatashasfootstepsandcomfortmyownpatientsthrougharewardingand
selflesscareerwherequalityandcompassionisvalued.ThenursesthatIhavebeenexposedtoin
varioussettingshaveallhadonethingincommon:adedicationtothehighestqualityofcarefor
theirpatients.IbelievethatcaringforothersissomethingthatIdemonstrateinmydaily
interactions.Alongwithhavingapassionforhelpingpeople,Iamanextremelyhardworkerin
everytaskthatIpursue.IthrivewhenIamgivenvigoroustasksincriticalsituations.Nursingis
theperfectprofessionformetobeconsistentlyfacedwithchallengesthatdrivemetothink
outsidetheboxandallowmetopositivelygrowasaprofessionalandaperson.IbelievethatI
embodythepersonalcharacteristicsofrapport,adaptability,anddedicationtotheprofessionof
nursing.

Youhaveabiasagainstpregnantwomenwhosmoke.Youhaveapatientwhoispregnant
andsmoking.Howdoyoureconcileyourbiastocareforthispatient?

Nursesarehumantoo,peoplewhohaverealemotionsandfeelingsthathavethepotentialto
positivelyornegativelyaffecttheirworkplace.Asanurse,Iwillbeexposedtoadiverserangeof
patientsthatposedivergentchallengesthatmaybedifficulttohandle.Mypatientslifechoices
maynotbeparalleltomyown.Nevertheless,Imustbeempathetictowardsmypatientsince

everypersondeservescompetentandequalcare.Inordertocareformypatientefficientlyand
effectively,Imustidentify,reflect,andworkthroughmybias.Itisimportanttotalkaboutthe
bias,ratherthanignoreit.Mostimportantly,Iwouldeducatemypatientontheimportanceof
smokingcessationnotonlyforherownhealthbutforthehealthofherchild.Itisimportantto
offerthepatientsmokingcessationaidsduringherhospitalstayandalsoeducatethepatienton
continuingtheaidsoncesheleavesthehospitalsetting.Mypatientmaybeinacertain
circumstanceorsituationthatIamnotfullyawareof,butitisvitaltoexplaintheharmsmoking
candotooneshealthandunbornchild.Providingabalanceofeducationonrisksalongwitha
balancedrespectforourpatientsrighttoautonomyiscrucialinmakingtheirownhealth
journey,Itisimportanttobeunderstandingandsensitivetopopulationsthatneedspecialized
compassionatecare.InmyexperienceasavolunteeratMoffittCancerCenter,Iwasexposedto
apatientwhowasdiagnosedwithlungcancerbutinsistedoncontinuingsmokingcigarettesin
betweenhischeckupvisits.Iwatchedasthenursestreatingthispatientbecameincreasingly
frustratedeverytimehecameinhowever,theyneverlettheirpersonalbeliefsinterferewiththe
waytheytreatedtheirpatient.Ihopetoemulatetheseamless,nonjudgementalcarethesenurses
respondedtoensurequalitypatientcenteredcare.

Youareinaclinicalexperienceatthehospital.Attheendoftheday,yourfellowstudent
statesthatshewastooafraidtogivethepatientabedbathanddidntdoit.Afewminutes
later,yourclinicalinstructorcomestothefloor.Sheasksyourfellowstudentifshe
completedallofthetasksfortheday.Thestudentsays,YesandIdocumentedeverything,
eventhebedbath.Howwouldyouapproachthissituation?

Luckily,Ihaveagreatdealofpreviousteamworkexperience,andhavefacedthisunethical
situationinthepast.Inmyexperience,themostimportantfirststepinapproachingan
underperformingteammemberiscommunicatingyourconcernsdirectlytothepersonthe
momentitoccurs.Sincemyfellowstudenthadalreadymentionedthatshewastooafraidtogive
thepatientabedbath,Iknowthemeaningbehindwhythetaskwasntcompleted.Iwouldlether
knowthatbeinganurserequiresputtingyourpatientsneedsaboveeverythingelse.Bynot
completingthetaskathandseveralpeopleareaffected.Thepatientsuffersbynotgettingthe
carethathe/sheneeds,thegroupofstudentsintheclinicalgroupsuffersbynotholdingtheir
teammemberaccountable,andtheclinicalinstructorsuffersbybeingmisleadbyastudentsheis
mentoring.Iwouldletmyfellowstudentknowthatweareateamandifoneteammemberfails,
weallfail.Theclinicalgroupistheretosupportoneanotherandovercomechallengestogether.I
wouldsuggesttomyfellowstudentthatshetakeonclinicaltasksinthelearningsettingthat
challengeher.Thenursingfieldisoneofthemoststressfulandchallengingcareers.Nursing
presentsyouwithvariousbarriersandobstacleseveryday.Iwouldadvisehertoconfessher
oversighttoourclinicalinstructoranddiscusshowshecanovercomeherfearofgivingbed
baths.WhileIunderstandmyfellowstudentsfearsdroveherfalsification,myowncommitment

topatientsafetyasapriorityprovidesthecouragetodotherightthingandspeakup.Aftershe
holdsherselfaccountabletoourclinicalinstructorforfalsifyinghertasksfortheday,myfellow
studentshouldtaketheleadonperformingabedbathinclinicals.However,thistimeIwouldbe
theretoassistandsupportherthroughouttheentireprocess.