She looked me straight in the eye and told me that she wanted to die. Her pale, brown eyes burned through me as she indignantly stated that we do no more. No more medications, no more vital signs, no more blood draws, no more PEG tube feeding, nothing. She just wanted to die. I’ve learned many skills as a Certified Nursing Assistant, but this 93-year-old woman left me speechless. What do I say to someone who just told me to stop caring for them but just let them die? I looked at this tiny, frail woman with paper-thin skin, a button nose, and tear-stained eyes and I felt sudden despair. Here I am, a Patient Care Technician at Overlake Medical Center with a year of experience in a hospital environment and have been taught to keep patients comfortable, …show more content…
I face direct patient care to those who were ill and in need every day. From answering a call light to comforting a patient as they live their last few minutes constantly kept reassuring me this was my passion. I have experienced the ups and downs of nursing. I have worked long, hard night shifts. I have seen and experienced what nursing really is and what fulfillment it can bring to your life. Today, I stand with confidence with my desire to further my education and become a Registered Nurse through Seattle University. Working hands-on at the hospital has brought me a lot of satisfaction; I have learned new terminology and skills from the nurses, which has reassured me I want to go further. I want to gain the knowledge and be able to help patients even more in depth. Although a long journey waits, I am already eager and excited to serve my community in nursing. Nursing is a profession where you are making a difference. I have learned that healthcare is not only about medicine but also an opportunity to comfort, listen, and lend a helping hand. This means to look beyond a patient’s age, race, religion, ethnicity, or economic status but instead focus on their well-being. Nurses are just ordinary people who have the privilege to help patients, the community, and even the
My interest in nursing is fairly new; I had not explored the potential that a nursing career can offer. I became familiar with nursing professionally after becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant. While working with patients, side-by-side with nurses I became enamored with the potential of a nursing career. I now have a rewarding career working as a Medical-Surgical nurse on a Medical University Hospital floor that specializes in Transplant, Nephrology and Urology. Nursing encompasses the ideologies that fuel my passion, upon further research, and conversation with coworkers I realize my career goal of Family Nurse Practitioner; affording me the privilege to care for others by reaching out to various
Being accountable to me as a professional is saying yes to the call and responsibility we have to bear out. It is a responsibility we take for ourselves and for others who rely on us to be present in any situations. The mission requires an openness to relationship with others. The consistency of performing at a higher level each time the job is done and strive to give all for the greatest good. In collaboration with others involved. That bond can strengthen when everyone involved intersect their effort to the same purpose. The skills acquired over the years as a bedside nurses give me an opportunity to be dependable and trustworthy. Knowing what to do in difficult situations and being intuitive is a plus. It can help in a managerial position
A week before Christmas in 2013, my stepfather suddenly lost consciousness. His body stiffened and he began to violently convulse – he was having a seizure. Later in the hospital, the doctors informed us that my stepdad had suffered a hemorrhagic stroke. The anguish that I felt that night was eased by a nurse who talked to my family about my stepfather’s condition and assured us that the hospital would do everything that they can to assist him with recovery. The next few weeks were filled with uncertainty as my stepdad laid comatose, no knowledge of when or even if he would wake up. During that time, my interactions with the nurses always made me feel safe and comforted Unfortunately, he passed away in January 2014. Though this was a traumatic and life altering experience, what I remember most are the nurses that provided care to my stepfather. They went above and beyond their outlined job duties to care for my loved one and to make my family feel secure even in such a difficult time.
I have had the opportunity to care for wonderful individuals, each of whom have contributed the fabric of my personal nursing career. Nursing is a profession of both joy and sadness combined. My career has provided me the opportunity to care for those I need. In retrospect I can say that my personal nursing tapestry is comprised of patients who were grateful to a care team, after being revived from suffering a sudden cardiac event, the smile of a trusting child, a hand to be held while working with hospice patients and their families. My current role is a case manager. I seldom have direct contact with patients who have chronic illnesses, yet I am gifted with their trust. I have been given an opportunity to support, care, respect, educate, collaborate and research practice improvement initiatives. I continue to formulate my own nursing philosophy daily. While I experience daily encounters that allow my tapestry to become more colorful and detailed, I allow myself to set new goals. My final nursing goal, is to become a nurse practitioner. I can see myself in the next year working in an academic capacity in becoming a leader in rural health improvement and proficient at educating patients with diabetes and other chronic conditions, speaking at national events, advocating for patients and playing an active role in health policy. In five years I can see myself being ready to embark on another
Through the traumatic experience of my father’s illness, a positive and optimistic perspective of commitment to nursing career evolved. My journey of becoming a nurse and commitment of shining a bright light on another individual life has been my life long goal. I moved to the United States in early 1980 and with God help and guidance, I followed the nursing career and promised to make a small difference. During my first years as a nursing student, I took a part-time volunteered position as a candy-stripe and a part-time position as a nurse aid in a community hospital to provide relief and support to hospital staffs. I rocked and read poems for babies in the nursery, as a nurse aid I assist nurses with vital signs, blood pressures, fill ice pitchers in patient rooms, runs specimens to labs and sit with patients in the room and feed patients. I still volunteer in my hospital oncology department and the underserved and homeless clinics with several Emory physicians at the Good Samaritan Health Center, Mercy Care and National AIDS Education and Services for Minorities (NAESM) all in Fulton County, Ga, because it gave me fulfillment and appreciative of life
A nurse’s role in our society today is exceptionally significant. Nurses are somewhat idolized and looked to as our everyday “superman”. “The mission of nursing in society is to help individuals, families, and groups to determine and achieve physical, mental, and social potential, and to do so within the challenging context of the environment in which they live and work” (“The Role of a Nurse/Midwife”). Many Americans turn to nurses for delivery of primary health care services and health care education (Whelan). In our country, there is constantly someone in need of health care. There will always be a baby being born or a person dying, someone becoming ill or growing old. Some people due to their physical and/or mental state of health are completely dependent on a nurse and wouldn’t be able to get through the simple obstacles of every day, or achieve the necessary requirements of a simple day without their aid. Not only do nurses help, and assist you when you’re sick, but also act to promote good health to others. They end...
What led me to nursing in the beginning was having a passion for people. I love the holistic approach and level of care that nurses bring to the literal bedside table. I knew throughout nursing school that I wanted to advance my education further than bedside nursing. I debated on whether to pursue a master’s degree in nursing and just become a nurse practitioner, but ultimately, I knew I wanted to advance my education even further to help make and promote changes in healthcare. By choosing to become a doctorally prepared nurse practitioner, I hope to change the stigma that is attached with being “just a nurse” and show that nurses play a vital role in redesigning
The field of nursing provides one the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others. Nurses interact directly with patients at times of hardship, vulnerability, and loss. The nursing profession has been around for decades. Due to the contribution from historical leaders in nursing, the nurse’s role has progressed over time. Although the roles of nurses have evolved throughout the years, one thing has remained the same: the purpose in giving the best patient care.
Hello everyone! My name is Brittany Thomas. I graduated from Tunstall High School in 2013 and now I’m here at Patrick Henry Community College majoring in Practical Nursing. I have a 3-year-old little girl by the name of Bri’Asia. When I get time off from school and work I like to do craft activities with my daughter. Other than that I’m just focused on working toward receiving my Practical Nursing Certificate. I hope everyone have a wonderful school year
Who I am is a brand new nurse that has entered a different environment of healthcare compared to my previous work of the pharmaceutical industry. I am a person who has always had an interest in helping people, doing amazing things on a daily basis and learning consistently. In efforts to fulfill my interest; I became a nurse through the many obstacles and sacrifices that were faced. To my very core, I am a person of great ambition, empathy, confidence, and value respect. I practice nursing in a hospital environment caring for patients on a medical-surgical floor. How I practice nursing is by providing education to patients, learning the material through experience, carrying out provider orders, taking care of
Adult Nursing is a very rewarding career which provides endless opportunities. I would describe myself as a caring and compassionate person. I believe I possess these qualities naturally. I am compelled to put other people’s needs before my own. I can contribute my personal qualities to this course of being dedicated and determined into committing myself to this 3 year course and excelling academically. Personally, caring for my mother with high blood pressure made me interested in the world of medicine. This long term sickness inspired me to gain more experience outside of the home and volunteer which confirmed that this was the right course for me. I am fascinated by the practical aspect that the course involves as well as the theoretical
When I made the decision to return to school for my Bachelor's degree, all those who had gone before issued me nothing short of a surgeon general's warning: your life as you know it is over ... in nursing terms, I could visualize a flat EKG line without any peaks or rhythm. That sounded like trouble to me!
Nursing is more than merely a job, an occupation, or a career; it is a vocation, a calling, a frame of mind and heart. As a nurse, one must value the general good of others over his own. He must devote of himself nobly to ensure the well-being of his patient. However, today’s well-recognized nurses are notably different from nurses of the recent past. Service is the core of the nursing profession, and the essential evolution of the vocation reflects the ever-changing needs of the diverse patient population that it serves. As a profession, nursing has evolved progressively, particularly in its modernization throughout the past two centuries with the influence of Florence Nightingale. The field of nursing continues to grow and diversify even today, as nurses receive greater medical credibility and repute, as its minority representations
The profession of nursing has both positive and negative effects on the well-being of nurses, which can lead to learning opportunities for those that are new to the profession. To receive an accurate depiction of the nursing profession, an interview with a currently practicing nurse is conducted and the challenges that they face will be analyzed with the intent of exploring different strategies that can be used when coping with these issues. The nurse that was interviewed stated that she has been in the nursing field for the past seventeen years; with the past ten being in the role of a nurse practitioner (Personal Communication, October 26, 2016). The nurse has experience in a variety of settings, as well as holding several degrees and certificates
I have always had an interest in critical care nursing as I have grown up in the medical field. My grandpa once spent a month in the ICU. Being present with him during this time made me realize what a special person it takes to do critical care nursing. Not only is it a great responsibility to care for the critically ill, but it is also incredibly challenging. However, with great challenge can come great reward by being able to see the direct effects of your actions and know that you are making a difference in someone’s life.