Nursing school admissions essay

Nursing is a challenging and every-changing career path. Nurses serve in a multitude of different roles: as healer, as advocate, as leader, and as visionary dedicated to improving public health as well as promoting individual patient outcomes. Entering the nursing profession opens up doorways and new paths that were previously unknown to me, offering me the chance to explore different areas of specialization and ancillary career options including the chance to work abroad or to enter the realm of public policy analysis. The profession has also been expanding at an unprecedented rate. As many new nursing students commence their program of study worldwide, the nursing shortage remains a critical area of concern. We need more and better qualified nurses to meet the world’s demand in providing top quality, evidence-based healthcare to a greater number of people. More nurses will help alleviate the burden of care, improve patient outcomes, and improve job satisfaction for nurses. Many nurses also appreciate the flexibility the career allows in their personal and professional life. As demanding as the career can be, it also offers nurses the opportunities to serve in whatever capacity they are most suited, including positions of leadership in healthcare administration or in the realm of advanced nursing practice. Finally, nursing has strengthened its professional scope in ways that have transformed healthcare practice in general. We now work as independent members of an interdependent healthcare team, applying best practices and cultural competencies towards optimizing patient care. Nursing education is notoriously demanding, due to the rigors of professional competencies that are expected of all graduates. I am prepared to make changes to my time management, to my self-concept, and to my lifestyle in order to successfully complete the degree while also preparing for my financial future. Nurses who are committed to advancing the profession itself, as well as their own personal career, place additional burdens on themselves to make their education count. I am dedicated to the profession as a whole, and therefore look forward to learning and growing through this program. Maintaining a work/life balance is an ongoing challenge for most professionals, nurses included. I have already balanced having multiple jobs with going to school full time, so I am well equipped to manage my time carefully. With an abundance of energy and enthusiasm, I have healthy coping styles and a strong social support system that helps me stay on track and able to succeed in the long run. I understand the need to make sacrifices and prioritize my time and resource expenditures not just during the pursuit of the degree but throughout my career. Growing up as a first generation American, I respect and appreciate the commitment the nursing profession makes to valuing and honoring diversity. My childhood taught me self-awareness, an understanding how my culture and background contribute to my attitudes, beliefs, and worldviews. Similarly, my experiences have also taught me to recognize that other people might see the world differently, solve problems using different styles, and communicate differently. Diversity awareness is important for nurses in their interactions with colleagues as well as with patients, and helps us also to understand community-level health issues. Attending college in a diverse campus like Auraria has enhanced my cultural competencies because I have learned about other cultures, and have become even more open minded and accepting—an attitude that will carry over and shine through in my studies and in my career as a nurse.