I first became passionate about health and wellness at a young age. Throughout high school, I volunteered at the local hospital and worked alongside many nurses. My daily responsibilities included attending to the patients’ bedside needs, answering call lights, and delivering meal trays. While interacting with the patients and staff, I became very interested in nutrition. I chose to attend the Didactic Program in Dietetics at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo because of its rigorous quarter system and “Learn By Doing” approach. However, as I went deeper into my classes, I desired to learn more about the care and wellbeing of others than just nutritional status.
During my sophomore year of college, I welcomed the opportunity to work for an Alzheimer’s Center as a Volunteer Caregiver. The first moment that I stepped onto the floor, the smells and sights of the deterioration that aging causes overwhelmed me, and I questioned whether or not I was meant for this line of work. However, my perspective immediately changed once I interacted with the patients. While assisting the elderly residents suffering from moderate to severe Alzheimer’s disease, I gained a wealth of knowledge and experience that simply cannot be obtained in the classroom. For instance, I was given the responsibility of feeding the residents who suffered from hand tremors due to Parkinson’s disease, along with those who were physically unable to manipulate utensils. In addition, I worked alongside many nurses making sure each resident consumed proper medications while providing a safe and comforting environment.
While volunteering at the Alzheimer’s Center, I discovered my talent of providing care and reassurance to the patients. I felt comfortable putting the residents at ease, gaining their confidence and empathizing with them. It is important to me that patients receive quality care when they are at their most vulnerable. By providing hands-on care to the residents, I saw just how big of a contribution that nurses and caregivers make not only in the lives of the patients but also the patient’s families. Possessing a career that enabled me to have a positive impact on the health of others was something that I was determined to pursue.
I aspired to further augment my caregiving experience by branching out into the hospital setting. I quickly became a volunteer at the local Medical Center, where I worked on-call for each hospital department. I was responsible for admitting and discharging patients, transporting patients to and from radiology, as well as assembling oxygen tanks and delivering prescriptions to the pharmacy. By working in the different hospital departments, I was exposed to professionals and patients from all ages and backgrounds. It was easy for me to integrate myself into the team of nurses, physicians, volunteers, and food service workers. I enjoyed the one-on-one interactions that I had with the patients while caring for them when they needed it most. My passion for caregiving was confirmed when I was hired as a Dietary Aide, where my primary responsibility involved meeting one-on-one with patients to help them choose appropriate meals based on their food preferences, medical diets, and allergies.
My genuine desire to care for others and to become a nurse was further enhanced during my junior year at Cal Poly. I was selected for an internship through the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Breastfeeding Program where I helped to provide breastfeeding education and support to low-income postpartum women. Since a major goal of the WIC Breastfeeding Program is to improve the nutritional status of infants, possessing a strong nutritional background helped me to succeed as an intern. I learned how to ease the suffering of mothers in pain while guiding them toward healthy practices. It was easy for me to quickly establish nurturing and trusting relationships with the new clients and motivate them on the right steps toward lead long, healthy lifestyles. It is here where I discovered my passion of investing myself fully into the health and wellbeing of others.
My experiences working alongside nurses and many healthcare professionals helped to solidify my desire to become a registered nurse. Through the breastfeeding clinics and the Medical Center, I discovered my innate ability of providing a sense of safety and comfort while caring for patients. While exposing myself to the medical needs of the elderly population and the special care they required, I recognized that empathy and compassion are an integral component of healing the mind, body, and soul. Possessing a nutrition background enables me to have a positive impact on the health of others by using a well-rounded approach. I am passionate about making a positive impact in the lives of others, and nursing is the career that best fulfills this ambition for me.
What motivates you as a nurse? Why did you become a nurse? What attracted you to nursing? COMMENT BELOW :)