The University of ____ is my first choice for graduate school because I am the best fit for your DNP in Nurse Anesthesia Program due to my educational and clinical background. Motivated, determined, and resilient, I am an African American woman for whom life has been a struggle. I am nursing my principal salvation, providing boundless joy, dignity, and growing love and appreciation for the art of patient care. I have a solid educational foundation in the sciences and highly developed leadership skills - having served as a unit preceptor and charge nurse - in our high acuity ICU at ____ University Hospital. I also have experience as a Pharmacy Technician and a great passion for pharmacology.
Originally from Jackson, Michigan, an area with exceptionally high teen pregnancy rates, especially for Black girls, I escaped to Minneapolis, MN, where I moved in with an elder sister. I was doing well at the University of ____ until my mom was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma. I had no choice but to keep working full-time, and my grades hit. I transferred to ____ University to be closer to my mother during her cancer battle. I completed my first degree in Biological Sciences, finally graduating in 2011 with a 3.0 GPA. I then relocated to Indiana and worked for a year before beginning the Accelerated Nursing Program at ____ University School of Nursing, graduating with a 3.729 GPA in August 2014. I was excited to start my career and soon began my current position at ____ University Hospital as a Critical Care Nurse in the Medical Intensive Care Unit. Previously, I completed my internship in this hospital in the Transplant Intensive Care Unit. My continuous learning as a Critical Care Nurse is what I value the most. I have taken several courses offered at my hospital in areas such as advanced hemodynamic, rot prone, continuous renal replacement therapy, etc., and I have sought out shadow opportunities with our CRNAs as well as attending a Diversity CRNA information session and airway simulation lab workshop at the University of ____ where I became better acquainted with your program.
____ University Hospital is both an academic teaching hospital and a regional transfer center, thus allowing me to care for a wide variety of critically ill patients, constantly refining my thinking skills in often life-threatening conditions. Due to the level of patient acuity on our unit, many procedures are performed directly at the bedside, helping me better understand the pathophysiology of patient conditions and how to best advocate for my patients. Eighty percent of our patients are mechanically ventilated, and I am already an expert at ventilator assessment and blood gas interpretation/analysis, helping to anticipate the need for interventions. Especially because of my experience working as a Pharmacy Technician, I have been learning a lot about pharmacology for years, especially drug interactions and the effects of medications on the body. I am now responsible for titrating vasoactive drugs and caring for many shock patients.
My central professional goals include completing a DNP Degree after gaining several years of additional experience as a CRNA, precepting Nurse Anesthesia students, and mentoring a Diversity CRNA mentorship program. I also look forward to going on missions to the Developing World in support of surgeons, especially in the wake of disasters and war. In the short term, I ask for the opportunity to prove myself in your program at U__ because I could not be more highly motivated to excellence as a nursing student. Nurse Anesthesia at U__ offers me the most well-rounded experience possible and the opportunity to study highly challenging cases. I appreciate that your primary clinical site is a level one trauma center/teaching facility, providing me with intensive exposure to high-level acuity cases. Furthermore, U__ has a high pass rate, scoring above the national average. Finally, the number of clinical hours received by U__ nurse anesthesia students is higher than the national average.
Finally, I love the fact that U__ offers a “Diversity and Ethical Issues in Advanced Practice” course, as it’s imperative to me to be a culturally competent healthcare provider, especially as the country is becoming increasingly diverse and our profession increasingly aware of the importance of culturally sensitive care. I want to be a part of how cultural competence helps improve healthcare outcomes and quality of care. I look forward to increasing my knowledge and training about the social determinants of health as related to anesthesia.
Thank you for considering my application.
This text eloquently highlights the author's resilience, dedication, and passion for nursing, particularly in the field of nurse anesthesia. Their journey from challenging beginnings to becoming a highly skilled nurse demonstrates a profound commitment to patient care and lifelong learning. The emphasis on cultural competence and diversity in healthcare underscores the importance of providing empathetic and inclusive care to all patients. This narrative is a testament to the impact of personal determination and the pursuit of excellence in the nursing profession.