There are a lot of professions in the world that an individual can choose from. However, finding the right fit for the right person is not always easy. Choosing the right profession is a very important matter for me. I don’t consider it something to be thought of haphazardly or chosen randomly since it will be a lifetime commitment. Once you have chosen your profession, it must be something that you are happy with. Once you choose your profession, there is no turning back.
When I was little, I noticed that I have this huge empathy for people, especially the sick ones. I really want to take care of people. That is why I consider nursing as the profession that I want to pursue in college. I find it very interesting because not only will it benefit the people that I want to take care of, but also it gives me satisfaction that I’ve wanted since I was a kid.
Although there are some who see nursing as a field inferior to physicians, I still find it very interesting because it is very essential to every healthcare facility. Because I haven’t started college yet, there is little that I know about nursing. I know that it deals with the anatomy of people and a lot more about biological sciences. It also involves a little bit of mathematics. However, as my passion for nursing grew stronger, I started to research more things about the field to help me prepare for the field of nursing.
With the help of journal articles and other internet sources, I began to learn more things about the field that I want to pursue. I really want to research all the important things that I can find because I am really interested in nursing. I know that wanting to be a nurse is not enough to be a good nurse. It takes a lot of effort and initiative to be prepared in becoming a good nurse.
As I went through my research, I found out that there is more to nursing than just learning the human anatomy in the academy. There is more to nursing than just memorizing every single part of the body. In order to be a good nurse, you have to be prepared not just mentally, but also emotionally and physically. Being a committed nurse is like taking the commitment that you will take care of every person who gets sick. A nurse is just as busy as the doctors in the hospital (or even busier).
A nurse has to learn to work in different kinds of environments and situations. A nurse must not only work with all the standards in mind, but she must also be flexible in order to cope with different environments and working conditions. I also found out that nurses deal with high tech-equipment and other cutting-edge facilities every day. Thereofre, a nurse should not be stuck to what she has learned in college, but also must be aware and updated of the advancements in technology. Just like what I said earlier, a nurse will also deal with mathematics. I found out that this is necessary for nurses because nurses must be logical and are also responsible in decision making in the hospital (`Nursing Basics,` 2003).
Aside from the academic requirements, I also learned that there is a “personality’ requirement for nurses. A nurse has to have human relations skills since they will be dealing with people every day. And, they must also show a different level of compassion for people since they must always be willing to help people. The last sentence is the reason why I really like to be a nurse. I am very compassionate when it comes to people especially to the elderly. I really want to take care of the elderly because they are the group of people that are neglected most of the time. I really have this huge compassion for the elderly since they are often ignored by many people. I want to pay attention to them so that, at least, they would feel that there is a single person who still cares for them.
Aside from the requirements of being a nurse, I also encountered some popular news about the field of nursing. I learned that there has been a nurse shortage for a very long time now and that Peter Hecht (2007) even said that “California faces a shortfall of 12,000 full-time registered nurses in seven years unless state universities and community colleges admit more nursing students and reduce dropout rates”. By reading this, I realized that nursing is really a good profession because of the competitive compensation. However, I was also saddened by the fact that many of the students today take up nursing just because of the compensation. It is sad to know that many people resort to taking up nursing even if they really don’t want to take care of people. This would in turn, I believe, result to poor performance in the workplace.
Yes, there really is a nurse shortage happening not only I the United States but also all over the world. Because of this, a lot of people are taking up nursing which also resulted to the emergence of many nursing schools. In some Asian countries like the Philippines, several nursing schools were established because of the growing demand for nurses. This is actually great because since there is a nurse shortage. However, some of these schools fail to meet the standards of the government that is why there are many nurses who do not qualify for a job because they did not pass the licensure exams for nurses (Estella, 2005).
There is also news that I encountered that many doctors in the Philippines study nursing just to work abroad because of a much competitive compensation (Tabunar, 2007). I find it really ironic because many people dream of becoming a doctor while in that particular country, doctors are giving up their jobs and take up nursing just for the money. Well, I can’t blame them since the Philippines is a third world country and there are more opportunities for them abroad than in their own country. However, it is also sad to know that there are people who do not take nursing seriously but just job in which you earn money. As for myself, I consider nursing a passion and not just a job in which I want to earn money from. Of course, a good compensation is also a good thing, but nursing does not have to be limited to that. It takes a lot of passion and hard work to excel in the field of nursing.
When my family and friends talk about universities and colleges, the famous topics are: Harvard, Yale, Cornell, Cambridge, and Tufts. Although I find these schools very appealing, I want my future school to be something that can bring out my nursing potential and can really train me with the right nursing skills. I have been very happy in the two year program I am currently studying in at Columbus State Community College, but now am ready to move on to a great four-year program.
Luckily I got the chance to interview my aunt who is living in Seattle and she suggested a school there. She said that the University of Washington ranks number one in America when it comes to nursing. She even told me “You should pursue your career there! That school has ranked number one since 1984 in the field of nursing. I’d be happy to see you as one of their highly-skilled nurses.” With this, I had more hopes on becoming one of the greatest nurses in the country. I decided to do some research to find out if my aunt is correct and indeed she is. The University of Washington is the leading school in the country when it comes to the field of nursing. I am looking forward to studying there and pursue my dream profession. I would love to see myself graduating from that school summa cum laude with the degree in nursing.
WORKS CONSULTED
Estella, C. (2005). Nursing schools peddle dreams The Manila Times.
Hecht, P. (2007). Nurse shortage looming in state, says legislative analyst. Knight Ridder Tribune Business News, Page 1.
Nash, Sarah. (2007). Interview with the author on August 12, 2007.
Nursing Basics. (2003). Retrieved August 14, 2007, from http://www.futuresinnursing.org/basics/index.shtml
Tabunar, G. (2007). From Doctors to Nurses: In The Philippines, Some M.D.`s Are Turning To Nursing Instead. Retrieved August 14, 2007, from http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/08/01/asia_letter/main3121592.shtml
