A career in nursing is a lifelong commitment which requires a high level of dedication, strength, courage, and resiliency to achieve success. A life of service requires a nurse to exercise compassion, understanding, acceptance, and strength in many areas and reflects the importance of continuing education and learning to serve others effectively. Service to others requires a nurse to put aside his or her own needs to put patients first and to acknowledge the importance of developing relationships and cohesion that will positively impact patients. As a nurse, I must acknowledge and support diversity throughout the profession and recognize the importance of all patients, regardless of their skin color or core values. Diversity in nursing requires additional knowledge by asking the appropriate questions, supporting new methods to address a variety of needs, and encouraging the development of policies and procedures that will positively impact all patients across different groups. From a personal perspective, a life of service in nursing is important because I want to help heal patients and provide them with tools to improve their quality of life.
A life of service in the healthcare industry is also important because I have had personal experiences with family members who have had serious health conditions which require ongoing care and treatment. These experiences have taught me that life’s greatest rewards involve helping others and in recognizing the importance of serving those in need and who are less fortunate. This requires a commitment to changing the circumstances of those who are affected as best as possible and in recognizing that diversity is an opportunity to acquire new knowledge and utilize that information to help others in their time of need. Service to the healthcare community involves helping others improve their health and to acquire knowledge that will support change in different ways, while also working towards achieving greater excellence and strength among the patient population.

At different points in my life, I have advocated for people facing a variety of difficult situations who otherwise might not have the knowledge or strength to improve their circumstances. This occurs throughout the life span as people are involved and are impacted by different situations at school, at home, at work, and in social settings. As a nurse, advocacy for all patients is a critical component of this role and requires an effective understanding of the plight of patients to ensure that their needs are met without difficulty or other limitations. Therefore, it is necessary to effectively communicate with patients on a regular basis, to identify their primary concerns, and to ensure that their needs are met as best as possible. In some cases, this may require nurses to speak on behalf of their patients and to potentially overcome resistance that could influence decision-making regarding plans of care. This is an important step because it empowers a nurse to support a patient through advocacy and by providing a voice that will likely be heard.

When I was in high school, I witnessed a group of students bullying another student based upon her looks on several occasions, which visibly upset the victim and left her in tears in each instance. I was upset by these experiences because no person deserves to be bullied for any reason and there is always a risk of triggering other actions that are a direct result. Therefore, when I had my chance after one of these encounters, I confronted the group of students and said my peace regarding their behavior, going so far as to tell them that I would tell the principal and other teachers if the behavior continued. Fortunately, the students listened and this was the last time that she experienced the bullying behavior. Soon after, she took me aside and thanked me for what I did and for sticking up for her. This form of advocacy is important because life is so difficult and different experiences may have a negative impact to the point that it may affect an individual for the rest of her life.