I am a woman of Canadian and British background now living in California. I was the child of a military family and spent time in England, Germany, and Canada during my childhood. I am fluent in English, French, and learning Spanish and German.
At fifteen, I was cycling with two younger children, one of whom was struck by a car. I reacted instinctively; I sent the other child to a nearby house to call 911; I kept the injured child still and comforted him until EMS arrived, and the incident ended well. I received much praise for my calmness, presence of mind, and maturity in dealing with this situation, and it was then that I began to consider nursing as a career. I have always considered nursing a career choice I feel privileged to fulfill.
Most of my experience has been in emergency nursing. I worked for seven years in Emergency Departments and as a helicopter Flight Nurse for the last seven years. I have significant autonomy in my current role, have no immediate access to physicians, and am required to make, sometimes vital, decisions alone. I have acquired a particular skill in rapid assessment and time management skills. My work requires high motivation and confidence, and I find it most satisfying. I recently attended to an older woman who was quite agitated and speaking Arabic. I smiled at her and said, “Alaykumar salaam” (Peace be upon you). She immediately calmed down and smiled back at me. I have often found that a smile and a squeezed hand are the first aid to recovery.
In my current role as a Flight Nurse, I have become very aware of the desperate lack of accessibility to essential healthcare services for many people. I often fly to poor, rural areas where the emergency department's only primary healthcare is available. I am eager to help people of all ages make good decisions about their primary healthcare, such as effective tooth brushing, eating well, and exercising. I am also greatly interested in the study and application of holistic nursing.
I see my future as a Family Nurse Practitioner working in an emergency department's ‘fast track’ area. I am particularly interested in researching the effects of diverse cultures on holistic nursing care. I passionately share the values enunciated in the program’s mission statement, “…founded on the principle of serious and sustained discourse among people of different faiths, cultures, and beliefs promotes intellectual, ethical and spiritual understanding,” summarizes nursing ideals for me. While my current role has not exposed me to people of many distinct cultures, I have lived in several different countries in the past, both in Europe and North America, and I have traveled to several others in the Middle East. I relate well to those whose cultural backgrounds differ from mine and look forward to doing so within the program.
My grades in undergraduate nursing could not be described as ‘stellar.’ However, as I have matured, I have become a much more motivated student, as evidenced by the four extra certifications I have obtained. I have been awarded CCRN (Critical Care Registered Nurse), CFRN (Certified Flight Registered Nurse), CEN (Certified Emergency Nurse), and, just recently, CPEN (Certified Pediatric Emergency Nurse).
I aim to become the most effective and knowledgeable nursing professional specializing in family nursing. I see the master's program as the ideal fit to enable me to reach my objectives. I am aware that this prestigious program will attract many well-qualified applicants. Still, I genuinely believe I can ‘add value to my class and the academic community through my experience, motivation, love of learning, and, most importantly, my love of nursing.
MSN Master's Nursing FNP Flight Nurse
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