Career goals as a family nurse practitioner and educator

Goals Statement

I have felt strongly that I should serve the community by becoming a nurse practitioner for quite some time. I want to provide the best care possible to patients in the local community based on my experience and all the advances in the field. By working in a family clinic setting, there are many opportunities to provide a level of holistic care that impractical in many other settings. For example, since a family nurse practitioner gets to see many patients, from newborn to geriatric, on a regular basis, it is possible to build relationships with patients that can truly make a difference in their lives; especially in regards to preventative services.

Mid-level healthcare providers are taking on an extremely important role in the health care system with the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). There are many possibilities to exhibit leadership at this level with emphasis on preventing illness and promoting all citizens to carry health insurance. Not only would I like to provide exceptional care in this setting, but I would also like to teach on many different levels. One crucial opportunity to teach the local community would be to educate patients and the public about steps they can take to become healthier and prevent illness. However, I would also like to teach the next generation of nurses. I have a passion working with staff nurses, medical doctors, and various other health care providers and I would like to focus on closing the gaps in healthcare and providing the best care possible.

I believe that my current professional role has also provided me with invaluable experience to help me along my chosen career path. Currently, I work in a Surgical/Trauma/neurological intensive care unit in which I care for multiple varieties of patients on a daily basis. In addition, I also serve our Unit Pain champion and I help educate fellow staff nurses on the correct interventions and documentation. This role has led me to become a great resource to the unit as well as offering exceptional experience in a dynamic environment.

I have also had a passion in continuing my education and staying abreast with the latest advancements in the field. This has help me to complete many certifications. For example, I have attained advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) certification, pediatric advanced life support (PALS), Trauma Nurse common core (TNCC) certification, and the NIH stroke scale certification. Furthermore, I am also working on my white belt with researching hypoglycemia in the intensive care unit and have devoted the time it takes for resolution of this pursuit. I believe these pursuits have collectively provided an excellent foundation to pursue a Doctorate in Nursing Practice (DNP) with an emphasis on becoming a full-time family nurse practitioner (FNP). I believe that having a DNP will empower me to see patients on a daily basis as well as to make a significant difference in people lives.

Completing my DNP will be the ultimate highlight of my education, and I believe that attaining my DNP will help me become a leader in my practice. Furthermore, having a DNP opens up many additional doors for me especially in a family practice setting. From my perspective, the choice of UIC's DNP program seems obvious as UIC is one of the best nursing schools in Illinois as well as the nation. A degree from UIC comes with great respect and honor while the mission of UIC, to transform healthcare and to educate future leaders with different backgrounds, is one of my healthcare passions. The Vision of UIC to be a leader in advancing healthcare and nursing is also of great importance to me. I have chosen the DNP program at UIC because of the respect and honor shown for this mission and vision.