This personal statement presents a nursing school applicant's case for admission by weaving together personal philosophy, academic history, and hands-on caregiving experience. The author reflects on their earlier nursing studies, a hiatus caused by family illness and loss, volunteer work following the Haiti earthquake, and the decision to study social psychology as a complement to clinical training. The essay argues that holistic, compassionate, patient-centered care — informed by an understanding of mental well-being — is the foundation of effective nursing practice, and positions the applicant as a motivated candidate ready to contribute to both the program and the profession.
This personal statement outlines my reasons for choosing a career in nursing and for applying to this program. These are valid and important questions — particularly for a student like me, who changed course during her studies and seriously considered pursuing a different major. In what follows, I will justify my application and describe the contributions I wish to make to the field of nursing.
I wish to begin by highlighting my personal philosophy of nursing. That philosophy is straightforward: always do the right thing, and be responsible and accountable for every action related to patient care. I believe that, like Florence Nightingale, we must pursue nursing — or any medical profession — as a vocation or a calling rather than merely a career. The work carries a sacred quality, imbued as it is with the sanctity of life, its preservation, and the promotion of a quality of life that makes living worthwhile.
With this philosophy at heart, I am motivated to do the right thing and to remain accountable for my actions toward every patient. I place myself in my patients' positions and seek to offer the kind of care that earns their trust, demonstrates compassion, and reflects genuine competence. Just as patients do not want to be treated badly, they have little tolerance for nurses who are incompetent, uncaring, or untrustworthy — nurses who diminish the reputation of the entire profession. I hold myself to the same standard I would want applied to my own care. When patients sense that a nurse truly understands their situation and feelings, they are far more likely to have faith in the therapeutic interventions that nurse must perform.
I recently completed a semester as a social psychology major. I had previously been pursuing a nursing major beginning in 2006, but due to my father's illness, I left the nursing program in the fall of 2007. Around the same time, I became deeply involved in the care of my grandfather, who later died of cancer. I switched to social psychology and attended school part time so that I could continue caring for my family. I also worked as a nursing assistant at Brigham and Women's Hospital during this period. Three weeks after the earthquake in Haiti, I traveled there to assist with relief efforts — an experience made even more painful by the loss of several family members in that disaster.
These experiences, difficult as they were, only deepened my commitment to nursing and to the healing professions. Each one taught me something irreplaceable about resilience, compassion, and the profound human need for competent, caring support.
As noted above, promoting quality of life is central to the treatment of patients. The power of positive thinking has much to do with successful patient outcomes, which is precisely why I felt I needed a thorough understanding of patients' mental health needs. My study of social psychology provided me with exactly that foundation. The promotion of a patient's mental well-being is a vital component of any holistic treatment regimen; with a positive mental attitude, even serious physical problems become far more possible to overcome.
"Social psychology informing holistic patient treatment"
"Leadership and interdisciplinary patient-centered care"
Attitude is everything. This, above all, is what I want to bring to your program. I will carry the positive lessons of nursing and caregiving into the classroom and clinical setting, and I am committed to being a credit to this program and to the profession.
You’re 62% through this paper. Sign up to read the remaining 2 sections.
Sign Up Now — Instant Access Already a member? Log inAlways verify citation format against your institution’s current style guide requirements.