Personal Statement: Pace University Pace University\'s Accelerated

Personal Statement: Pace University

Pace University's Accelerated Combined Degree Program is the ideal launching pad for my new future as a nurse. I wish to begin my career in nursing as soon as possible, and given the current shortage of nurses, I believe that with this opportunity I could be prepared to be of service on the first day that I enter a hospital setting.

I have always been determined to enter the field of healthcare. I graduated from Queens College with a B.A. In psychology and completed all of the pre-med requirements. Afterwards, I attended Hofstra University's graduate program to prepare become a physician's assistant, but I was dissatisfied with the limitations the role of a P.A. placed upon me. I decided to pursue my M.A. In special education instead, to satisfy my desire to help people in another way. However, over the course of my study of children with special needs, I came to realize that I still wished to enter the field of medicine. I wanted to help people in a comprehensive manner, addressing their needs in a multifaceted fashion. Very often, I noticed that student's behaviors could be improved by adjusting their diet and exercise, getting them on a regular sleeping schedule, and changing the medications they received. Also, their parents and caregivers needed support to ensure that all of these needs were addressed.

The holistic perspective of nursing, a profession which treats the whole patient biologically, psychologically, socially, and spiritually, seems ideally well-suited to the way I see the world. I am fascinated by how patients' mental states and environments can affect their health. A career as a nurse would give me the opportunity to work with patients to promote wellness by talking to them, helping them understand what the optimal course of treatment is for their needs, and working with them to make their treatment a reality.

For example, when dealing with a health problem such as obesity, the nursing paradigm recognizes that it is not enough to simply tell someone to move more and eat less, and prescribe the patient an appetite suppressant. The entire family must be involved to ensure the patient has support in his or her weight loss efforts. The patient's diet must be adjusted in light of his or her budget and taste preferences as well as caloric needs, and the nurse must take into consideration the medications and preexisting conditions the patient might have. The nursing perspective is one of wellness promotion, as well as the treatment of sickness.

My background in psychology and education will enhance my understanding of nursing and give me a strong foundation to be an active and involved participant in Pace University's program. I am confident that I can graduate with success and be an asset in a hospital, either as a general nurse or a pediatric nurse, depending on where my needs and inclinations eventually lead me.