I remember my first day in the Associate degree program. I was very shy, overwhelmed and felt it was an impossible task to get done. It was the first day and I was already a week behind. The program was honestly one of the biggest hurdles that I had to go through. As we all know, the process of nursing school can be grueling, demanding, and exhausting all on its own. I had periods where I wanted to give up, but I kept pushing. Nursing has been my dream, my passion, and my mission in life for many years now. The main reason I strive to finish was because of my love for nursing. Florence Nightingale once said that “nursing is an art: and if it is to be made an art, it requires an exclusive devotion as hard a preparation, as any painter’s or sculptor’s work” (1982). Therefore, I know that to be a nurse requires devotion and determination. It was a very challenging experience, but it has helped to shape the nurse I am today.
Now, I am currently a New York State licensed nurse and is about to accomplish my BSN degree in the upcoming months. The program helped to shape and develop my leadership skills and help me to communicate in an effective manner. I was able to acquire skills that enabled me to practice safe and competent nursing care. One of the main skills is my ability to critically think. As a nurse, we have to be able to problem solve and make quick decisions in regard to a patient condition. It is an essential process for safe, efficient nursing care. This in turn help to increase my confidence level enormously.
As an upcoming nurse, I have come to believe that nursing is a discipline of knowledge acquired both through formal education and through life experiences. The sum of these parts continues to alter and refine my nursing career path. I continue to study to expand my empirical knowledge about nursing. I can only enhance my practice by continuing to learn from all aspects of life.
Reference:
Nightingale, F. (1982). Notes on nursing: What it is and what it is not. London: Harrison.
