Hi, my name is Daniela Aguilar. I am a first-generation nursing student. And I have been loving it. I am currently in the second semester of my ADN program, and I just applied to a concurrent BSN program. I am very ambitious. I have big goals and plans for myself. But I always remember to enjoy each day. I have been loving my experiences in this healthcare world. I have experience volunteering for a hospice organization. And I consider myself very blessed to take on that challenge and come out the other end more grateful than ever. I can truly say that experience, those patients, and those families motivated me to go through nursing school even more. Nursing school was always the plan for me, but they gave me the reassurance that this was the field for me. I have a very soft spot for the geriatric population. Many of my peers think of the older population and say "No thank you." I feel like there is a stigma that older generations are mean and too hard to care for. But every time I am caring for someone of old age, I feel so grateful I was able to give them the care that they need. Being able to be the person to brush their teeth, brush their hair, turn them so they don't hurt so much, and laugh with them, is what makes it worth it. Yes, there are tough days, days where I left the facility a little sad cause I got yelled at or felt like I couldn't get through to the patient and make a meaningful impact. But I just remember, they have more years on their belt than I do, I don't know what challenges life threw at them many years ago. I always reflect on my own challenges, and then remember they have most likely experienced that and more. Which is why I do my best to make that day better than the previous. I cannot change their past, but I can help them today and tomorrow. Nursing is a challenging profession. Nursing school alone is a challenge. Having to study hours on end, do unpaid clinical hours, and pay for the schooling itself, is very stressful. But I don't regret it one bit. I know I can and will make a difference to at least one person. And that one person is what I am looking forward to. When that day comes, I won't think about that exam I had last week, or the tuition bill, or the essays. This is why I know for a fact, that nursing is for me. I am not motivated by the pay or even the praise of being a nurse, but it is the feeling I get when I make a difference in someone's day. Making a difference in someone's life is something I can only wish to have the privilege to accomplish.

Hi, my name is Daniela Aguilar. I am a first-generation nursing student. And I have been loving it. I am currently in the second semester of my ADN program, and I just applied to a concurrent BSN program. I am very ambitious. I have big goals and plans for myself. But I always remember to enjoy each day. I have been loving my experiences in this healthcare world. I have experience volunteering for a hospice organization. And I consider myself very blessed to take on that challenge and come out the other end more grateful than ever. I can truly say that experience, those patients, and those families motivated me to go through nursing school even more. Nursing school was always the plan for me, but they gave me the reassurance that this was the field for me. I have a very soft spot for the geriatric population. Many of my peers think of the older population and say "No thank you." I feel like there is a stigma that older generations are mean and too hard to care for. But every time I am caring for someone of old age, I feel so grateful I was able to give them the care that they need. Being able to be the person to brush their teeth, brush their hair, turn them so they don't hurt so much, and laugh with them, is what makes it worth it. Yes, there are tough days, days where I left the facility a little sad cause I got yelled at or felt like I couldn't get through to the patient and make a meaningful impact. But I just remember, they have more years on their belt than I do, I don't know what challenges life threw at them many years ago. I always reflect on my own challenges, and then remember they have most likely experienced that and more. Which is why I do my best to make that day better than the previous. I cannot change their past, but I can help them today and tomorrow. Nursing is a challenging profession. Nursing school alone is a challenge. Having to study hours on end, do unpaid clinical hours, and pay for the schooling itself, is very stressful. But I don't regret it one bit. I know I can and will make a difference to at least one person. And that one person is what I am looking forward to. When that day comes, I won't think about that exam I had last week, or the tuition bill, or the essays. This is why I know for a fact, that nursing is for me. I am not motivated by the pay or even the praise of being a nurse, but it is the feeling I get when I make a difference in someone's day. Making a difference in someone's life is something I can only wish to have the privilege to accomplish.

Hi. My name is Daniela Aguilar. I am a first-generation nursing student. And I have been loving it. I am currently in the second semester of my ADN program, and I just applied to a concurrent BSN program. I am very ambitious. I have big goals and plans for myself. But I always remember to enjoy each day. I have been loving my experiences in this healthcare world. I have experience volunteering for a hospice organization. And I consider myself very blessed to take on that challenge and come out the other end more grateful than ever. I can truly say that experience, those patients, and those families motivated me to go through nursing school even more. Nursing school was always the plan for me, but they gave me the reassurance that this was the field for me. I have a very soft spot for the geriatric population. Many of my peers think of the older population and say "No thank you." I feel like there is a stigma that older generations are mean and too hard to care for. But every time I am caring for someone of old age, I feel so grateful I was able to give them the care that they need. Being able to be the person to brush their teeth, brush their hair, turn them so they don't hurt so much, and laugh with them, this is what makes it worth it. Yes, there are tough days, days where I left the facility a little sad cause I got yelled at or felt like I couldn't get through to the patient and make a meaningful impact. But I just remember, they have more years on their belt than I do, I don't know what challenges life threw at them many years ago. I always reflect on my own challenges, and then remember they have most likely experienced that and more. Which is why I do my best to make that day better than the previous. I cannot change their past, but I can help them today and tomorrow. Nursing is a challenging profession. Nursing school alone is a challenge. Having to study hours on end, do unpaid clinical hours, and pay for the schooling itself, is very stressful. But I don't regret it one bit. I know I can and will make a difference to at least one person. And that one person is what I am looking forward to. When that day comes, I won't think about that exam I had last week, or the tuition bill, or the essays. This is why I know for a fact, that nursing is for me.

“America’s nurses are the beating heart of our medical system” once said former president, Barack Obama. I have wanted to be in the medical field from a very young age when I witnessed my father going in and out of hospital rooms and spending hours by his side. As I got older, I reflected on those days and appreciated the care the nurses gave. I saw how they were the ones also coming in and out of those rooms. This is when I knew nursing was the career I wanted to pursue. As I got older, I learned of the nurse shortage. I wondered to myself, how can such an important and gratifying role lack people? I always knew this is what I wanted to do, it was just about when I was going to get there. I am currently 21 years old, and I am extremely grateful to have been selected for a spot in a nursing program close to home. I consider myself lucky, but I also know it was my hard work that got me here. It was my motivation and discipline that put me on this roster. I knew since I was in high school how much of a challenge this first obstacle of even getting into a nursing program was going to be. But I never considered taking the “easy way out” and choosing a different major, because I know this is what I want to do. Providing care for others during their vulnerable moments and when they need it most is important to me. I did volunteer work in hospice for about a year, and that solidified my decision even more. The time I spent with the patients, and seeing the care the nurses gave inspired me deeply in the type of nurse I want to be. I want to be a nurse that can be a friendly face, an advocate for patient’s needs, and a provider of the best care to human beings. Because of the shortage, that just means the nurses we do have, have to be exceptional providers and caregivers. Which is why I understand why these programs are so competitive. And I am honored to be seen as worthy of providing such care to people. I hope to spread awareness of the nurse shortage and inspire others to be compassionate caregivers. I have many friends that have opted for other majors when they originally were going toward nursing. And while I do not want to influence them to a career that they are not passionate about, I hope they see the fulfilling career it is, and reconsider the position, since there is such a need for helping hands and empathetic souls. I hope my contribution to becoming a nurse helps nearby hospitals and my community, even if I only help one patient. Also the goal of course is to help many many patients for years to come.