I have had many plans and ideas of who I wanted to be from infancy, displayed my interest through Halloween costumes and dress up with my little sister. But growing up, I realized I can be whatever I want to be so far as am determined and work hard towards my goal. As I grew up and started college, I finally figured out on what I wanted to be and began working towards it. Being an African, I helped my mum nurse and nurture my grandmother when she had stoke. The bond and experiences we shared together before she passed made me a better person and from there, I knew nursing was what I wanted to do. Am pursuing this career path because, I believe people need all the care they can get in terms of healthcare and having a support system.
I am Amanda Selich, 27 years old, and have been living in San Francisco for roughly 10 years. I grew up in the East Bay with my 3 siblings and was raised by a single father. Much of my childhood was spent taking care of my younger siblings. This responsibility was so demanding I was forced to drop out of high school and become their “surrogate mother”. However at the age of 24 I was able to get my GED and finally attend college. In fact this past May I graduated from City College of San Francisco with highest honors in Science and Math.
There are many different fields to choose from while working as a Registered Nurse. “Registered nurses work in hospitals, physicians' offices, home healthcare services, and nursing care facilities. Others work in correctional facilities, schools, or serve in the military.” (bls.gov). You can also specialize in a specific type of nursing by seeking employment in that individual line of work or by taking a certification test. “The Nursing2011 Salary Survey reports that nurses certified in a specialty earn an average of $10,200 per year more than nurses who are not.” (pncb.org). If you choose to go further with your education you can continue past a bachelor’s degree and get a master’s degree becoming a nurse practitioner.
Nursing is the most trusted and reliable profession leading in the transformation of healthcare. “Nursing helps to promote, protect, and optimization of health and abilities to prevention of illness and injury, facilitation of healing, alleviation of suffering through the diagnosis and treatment of human response, and advocacy in the care of individuals, families, groups, communities and populations” (American Nursing Association, 2017). Nursing offered careers for both men and women and it is the profession that provides healthcare everywhere. Society has great expectations for this profession. Caregivers are one the reasons why nursing is seen as the engine room of healthcare system. In the quest to provide preventive and restorative measures. There are three basic career guides which are; education, job opportunities, and salary.
When deciding to advance a nursing career from registered nurse to an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse or APRN, there are many avenues to choose from. Advanced Practice Registered Nurse is a broad term for a Registered Nurse who has obtained at least a Master’s Degree in Nursing. Every nurse has different interests, and reasons for the type of nursing they choose; as well as strong suits in his or her specialty. For this reason it is important to research all education categories of APRNs. Categories of Advanced Practice Registered Nursing include Nurse Practitioners, Certified Nurse Midwives, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists, and Clinical Nurse Specialists. Each type of Advanced Practice Nurse has a broad scope of practice, giving a Registered Nurse who is looking to
According to my result from “My next move”, there are many different careers that are a match for me. Many of them did not interest me, but there were a few that caught my eye or I already have been thinking about. Choosing one career is very difficult, especially if you do not know what you want to do with the rest of your life. Luckily for me, I knew since as long as I can remember, that I wanted to become a nurse. The only thing is, I never knew exactly what field in nursing I wanted to work in, but in most cases you can not choose. One thing I am sure of is to become a Registered Nurse, it is what I always wanted to become. Other careers that interested to me but didn't know much about is a Physical Therapist and Nurse Midwives.
Growing up I knew I wanted to be someone that helped others. There are many careers with this expertise. Being a teacher, police officer, or even a lifeguard, but I personally want to be a prenatal nurse. Seeing my mom in the Army and helping with a younger sister that was born with cerebral palsy helped to mold me into wanting to be a person that can make a difference. But with becoming a nurse I know there are many responsibilities I have to keep in mind.
As I walk into the doctor’s office for an annual check-up, all I see is white faces. From my doctor, to the nice lady that is driving a chart, and even the lovely person that is giving me a shot. I was discombobulated, puzzled by the unbalance dilemma of people that is here, in Children’s Hospital.
However, it was difficult for me to find that I wanted my major to be nursing. I’ve grown up around a couple of nurses throughout my life. The person that inspired me the most to become a nurse was my grandma. She was such a hard working and well respected person her entire life. I remember all of the stories she used to tell me while I was growing up about all of the people she helped. I then realized I wanted to do the same and help others.
When I began my research for the senior project I expected to find out what a day in the life of a nurse really is, but I was surprised when my mentor Vicki summed up the truth for the hardest part about the job saying, “You won’t save everyone, you can’t be everyone’s friend, and you won’t be okay at the end of every day”. Every job has pros and cons, but being a nurse isn’t just a job- it’s a lifestyle, and it isn’t for everyone with the preconception that they really are cut out for it.
Throughout my life, I’ve had many future career interests like becoming a teacher, dentist, and even an astronaut. Once, when I was with my friend in the hospital for her concussion, I was sent out of her room and I ended up having to wait outside. As I waited, I realized how intrigued I was while watching all the different things that the nurses and doctors were doing. I knew at that point what I wanted to be when I grew up, a nurse, but more specifically, a registered nurse.
If one has a weak stomach, this career is not a good choice for them. Nursing is one of the most draining jobs there is out there but is also the most rewarding. A nurse may be treating a patient that has a common cold one day and the next they’re trying to save someone’s life.There are not a whole lot of jobs where one can actually save a life but this job is one of them.
When I explored my passions and imagined which career is best for me it is a very difficult decision. There are so many different types and areas of study to choose from and many that had my interest. My decision to choose a career in nursing was not a childhood dream of mine. It was something that developed over time. My first encounter with a nurse was when I was nine years old. We received a call that my father had been shot, that resulted with him being paralyzed from the waist down. However, my inspiration to become a nurse was fully sparked during my hospitalization. During that time, I witnessed health care providers and their passion for the well-being of their patients. Nursing is the most appealing career for me because it is a
For as long as I can remember I have always had the calling to help others and to assist those who cannot assist themselves. Ever since I was little I can remember always wanting to help take care of my family when they were sick, or soothing those who were in distress. However, I never considered nursing as a lifetime career until this year. Frustrated with myself for just now realizing nursing is what I have been called to do, I am working hard to catch up and get ahead. I am motivated to succeed and I am taking every opportunity I can grab and using it to better myself and prepare me to become a great future nurse. For example, this summer I am planning on taking the American Red Cross CNA training so that I can begin the start of my career and obtain as much experience as soon as possible. Also, I have found great opportunities to shadow family practitioners and nurses to ensure that nursing is where I am meant to be. As a result of these job shadowing’s, it has not only shown me a glimpse of the nursing field, but has confirmed that this is the career I am meant to be in.
Donna Dier’s quote made me think of the difficult times in my nursing career when I had to focus on the reason I became a nurse to get me through the day and the courage to return to work the next morning. During the most difficult times, I reflect on the monumental moments of my nursing career. For example, I had a patient that was unable to speak, had dementia, and was bed ridden. This patient had not spoken for the days I took care of him and was reported to be non-verbal. Although he could not speak, I cheerfully had conversations as I cared for him. As I was charting in the room, he looked up at me, signaled for me to come closer and whispered “help me, I’m scared.” I replied, “I am your nurse and I am taking good care of you.” The
I was always undecided regarding the career that I wanted to pursue. As I got older and looked at many choices in careers I realized that I wanted to have a career in the medical field. Being a nurse interests me because it requires the study of the human body along with other great opportunities that nurses have in this career. I want to become a nurse because I like being able to help those who are in need.