Personal Statement Nursing

Nursing Personal Statement It took me a while to understand what a seizure really was. To my five-year-old mind it just meant that Faye, my aunt, writhed and convulsed spastically for several minutes at a time. It also meant that she might die, my mom told me, and I had to look out for Faye and make sure she didn't fall.

I believe that I became a nurse when I was five years old, caring for my aunt during her illness and helping her to life a fulfilling life in spite of it. I, too, have lived a fulfilling life in spite of a potentially dangerous disease. When I was diagnosed with severe curvature of the spine, scoliosis, at the age of fifteen I faced a surgical procedure that could have left me completely paralyzed.

I had more than one nurse doting over me in the hospital: from the one who administered my anesthesia during the operation to the ones who massaged my feet and brought me food. Being on the receiving end of a nurse's care gave me a strong reason to pursue a career in the medical field. I also knew that I had the capacity, the strength, and the desire to help others achieve optimal health.

Throughout my adolescence and early adulthood, I have been studying anatomy and physiology in order to better understand the human body. Having experienced first-hand the chronic illness that my aunt suffered from, I also pursued nursing out of a desire to understand more about how human beings can learn to overcome their bodies' limitations.

I believe that nursing is not only about healing the body but about healing the mind: one of the nurse's main tasks is to ease the patient's worry and help him or her live fully and possibly joyfully even when facing debilitating illnesses. Understanding that nursing is a rigorous and rewarding career, I will commence my graduate studies with full awareness of what the job entails. I have no delusions about the work of nursing because I have met nurses who worked double shifts.

Nursing is nothing if not difficult, but I believe that through the difficulties of the profession I will derive the greatest rewards. I can't imagine anything more satisfying than helping a patient feel just a little bit better or watching a person in long-term care improve over time. When I first realized that becoming a nurse was the only profession that would fulfill me, I started to investigate possibilities for work, either paid or volunteer.

Because I had helped my aunt through many seizures, I focused especially on populations with brain-related disorders. I knew that one of the most dangerous side-effects of seizures was actually falling, and because preventing someone from falling did not require training, I offered my time in helping people with epilepsy avoid personal injury. When I could not find work, I focused more on academic research. Even books sold at local bookstores provided some basic information about health care that I found useful and motivational.

When it was time to apply for college, I selected schools that had pre-med facilities and those that had classes geared for people like me who were interested in health care. Therefore, my motivation for graduate study is deeply rooted within my psyche. I bring with me years of personal experience caring for others and having others care for me. I also bring to my graduate studies a foundation in health care education and awareness that comes from formal and informal avenues of investigation.

My undergraduate studies offered me a broad understanding of what nursing entailed, prepared me for the scientific and academic side of the profession, and introduced me to potential areas of specialization. As a result, I am applying with specific goals in mind. For example, I want to perform research on populations with epilepsy to determine best methods of care. I am also keenly interested in psychiatric nursing, which would allow me to work not only with patients with brain disorders but also those with psychological disorders.

Brain disorders reveal the interface between the body and the mind, and between pharmaceutical and humanistic care. I am well-disposed to deal with the complex issues surrounding psychiatric care because of my steady, calm, and compassionate personality. I look forward to contributing my energy toward helping others live a more fulfilling life through a combination of objective science and the more subjective side of caring that nurses provide.

I also want to research best overall nursing practices to understand how hospitals and health care centers can improve their infrastructure, services, and environment while at the same time meeting budgetary constraints. Far into the future, I would like to serve on the board of directors at a hospital so that I can help improve patient care and job satisfaction for.