My name is Matthew Geno and I am interested in obtaining my MSN. I am submitting myself for review for the Family Nurse Practitioner program. My goal is to continue my education and advance my career by taking this next step.
I had all ways been envious of people that had careers they were passionate about. I had jobs, just that I floated between aimlessly. I made a conscience choice to end that cycle when I joined the U.S. Army as a medic. Working in the medical field was something that always appealed to me, but I kept putting off pursuing it. So, I took a big leap and I landed firmly on the ground. I had finally found a path to walk, and from there I had traction and I took off running.
The Army Medical Corps gave me just what I needed. The Army gave me the opportunity to experience a wide variety of jobs in the medical field. I did everything from working in a small family health clinic in Germany to serving as an infantry medic. Each job demanded a slightly different set of skills. The health clinic exposed me to working as part of a patient centered care model, that focused on preventative care and family medicine. While serving as an infantry medic taught me how to deal with acute trauma as the sole medical personnel in extreme and challenging environments. I was constantly pressed to learn, adapt and improve myself and my fellow soldiers. Leadership was not a skill I had seen in myself before the Army. When pressed into that roll I excelled. As a team leader I taught and mentored new soldiers as well as foreign nationals from other countries. To be able to teach I had to better educate myself to the how’s and the why’s things worked. It is one thing to know how to do something; it is another to be able to teach it. When my enlistment ended, I decided the best way to continue to serve those around me was to pursue my BSN and become a nurse.
I have found a fulfilling career as a nurse. I take much pride in that title. I started my career working in a mixed acuity unit and worked my way into a medical ICU. Each day I help take care of people, continue to learn more and grow. Education is the key to continuing the journey down my path. My experience as an Army medic and as a registered nurse have prepared me to take the next step into a Family Nurse Practitioner role.
My ultimate goals for are to advance my skills in critical thinking, communication, patient education, and to gain the knowledge needed to become a lifelong learner and leader. I hope to enhance my understanding of preventative care in the community through support and education. Primarily I want to work with a wide variety of medical problems and help patients understand their issues and how to deal with them. Patient education that is proactive and communicated effectively can lead to positive outcomes for patients and lead to fewer readmissions. I would like to put an emphasis on preventative care, enhancing patient education, and the importance of achieving a healthy balance in physical, mental, and emotional health; specifically, in our local veteran community.
After, I complete the Family Nurse Practitioner program at Bellarmine I will be one more step closer to my goal of impacting the health of the veteran community of Louisville. I have witnessed numerous family and community members fall susceptible to diseases that could have been prevented or better managed with the correct help. As a Family Nurse Practitioner, I believe a holistic approach to health is necessary. Patients need good education to go along with a proper assessment and diagnosis of their medical issues. Following this up with good communication skills to help the patients understand the root of the medical problems and what reasonable outcomes are possible. I will work with the patient and their care team to create a viable plan to achieve those positive results.
I want to reach a diverse population and teach proactive measures through practice and community awareness events. As an alumnus of Bellarmine, I am aware of the reputation and how rigorous and thorough the Lansing School of Nursing are. I am certain that by completing the Bellarmine’s FNP program I will achieve my goals. This will empower me to function as a proficient advance practice nurse.
