Upon completion of the associates program, I felt an overwhelming relief as I’ve heard from many nurses before me say that is the “hard part”. However in my journey of furthering education and lifelong learning, I’ve come to find much more invaluable knowledge in the baccalaureate program. Many of the courses have helped me incorporate learning into refining my daily professional life. Things such as cultural competency, and communication skills always leave room for improvement and self-reflection.
Topics of discussion have opened a world of interests that I didn’t have time for during my road to attaining a license in nursing. I feel much more passionate for learning, and confident in helping others through my newfound knowledge. I have always loved being able to utilize knowledge in my personal life, and learning about things such as case management has enabled me to advocate for my family, and my patients. I have a new perspective on what nursing is, and the importance of my role, as each nurse is vital to the outcome of patients, the community, and even the entire healthcare system. I am motivated to achieve greatness and hope to one day make a larger impact on improving what nursing is today.
I believe that sense of accomplishment a few years ago was justified and well deserved, however I now understand that there is no end goal. I find satisfaction in looking back on my experiences, hardships, and look forward to the journey ahead.
