When I was a kid my mom was in and out of the hospital for over a year. Surgery after surgery was performed in hopes of making her better. For my family this time was extremely tiring, even putting food on the table was an exhausting task. When I visited my mother at the hospital her assigned nurse was always kind and excited to meet us, making us as comfortable as possible despite how horrible our situation was. I found myself always looking to them when they walked in the room, seeing how they helped my mom with all of their efforts. That’s when I knew I wanted to be like them. I wanted to help not only patients like my mom, but patients families to smile when smiling was most difficult. After the hospital my mom had an at home nurse that would visit multiple times a week to help her with wound care. This was the nurse I remember the most. She became a part of our family even long after my mom’s surgeries and she never failed to make the house feel happier when she was around. So, I guess that when I’m asked the question of why I wanted to pursue nursing as a career it’s to make people smile even when smiling hurts. I had the most beautiful interaction in my Medical-Surgical clinical rotation in which I went down with a female patient to watch her kidney biopsy. She didn’t have anyone with her at the time and all we did when we were waiting was talk. We talked about her kids, her life outside the hospital, and even about the doctors she found attractive in the hospital which never failed to make us laugh. Afterwards when we got back to her room she thanked me. She was so glad I went down with her and comforted her because otherwise she would have been stuck with the thoughts of the procedure and nothing else. She was so glad just to have a hand to squeeze when they placed a painful IV, and a familiar face to look for during the procedure. I couldn’t have been more glad to be the hand to hold and the face to look for. My patients that are truly thankful for the things I can do for them are the ones I want to do this for. The patients that I can effect, the ones I can truly help to make their horrible situation just a little bit better. That’s my nursing ‘why’.

When I was a kid my mom was in and out of the hospital for over a year. Surgery after surgery was performed in hopes of making her better. For my family this time was extremely tiring, even putting food on the table was an exhausting task. When I visited my mother at the hospital her assigned nurse was always kind and excited to meet us, making us as comfortable as possible despite how horrible our situation was. I found myself always looking to them when they walked in the room, seeing how they helped my mom with all of their efforts. That’s when I knew I wanted to be like them. I wanted to help not only patients like my mom, but patients families to smile when smiling was most difficult. After the hospital my mom had an at home nurse that would visit multiple times a week to help her with wound care. This was the nurse I remember the most. She became a part of our family even long after my mom’s surgeries and she never failed to make the house feel happier when she was around. So, I guess that when I’m asked the question of why I wanted to pursue nursing as a career it’s to make people smile even when smiling hurts. I had the most beautiful interaction in my Medical-Surgical clinical rotation in which I went down with a female patient to watch her kidney biopsy. She didn’t have anyone with her at the time and all we did when we were waiting was talk. We talked about her kids, her life outside the hospital, and even about the doctors she found attractive in the hospital which never failed to make us laugh. Afterwards when we got back to her room she thanked me. She was so glad I went down with her and comforted her because otherwise she would have been stuck with the thoughts of the procedure and nothing else. She was so glad just to have a hand to squeeze when they placed a painful IV, and a familiar face to look for during the procedure. I couldn’t have been more glad to be the hand to hold and the face to look for. My patients that are truly thankful for the things I can do for them are the ones I want to do this for. The patients that I can effect, the ones I can truly help to make their horrible situation just a little bit better. That’s my nursing ‘why’. I found this scholarship on Bold.org.

When I was a kid my mom was in and out of the hospital for over a year. Surgery after surgery was performed in hopes of making her better. For my family this time was extremely tiring, even putting food on the table was an exhausting task. When I visited my mother at the hospital her assigned nurse was always kind and excited to meet us, making us as comfortable as possible despite how horrible our situation was. I found myself always looking to them when they walked in the room, seeing how they helped my mom with all of their efforts. That’s when I knew I wanted to be like them. I wanted to help not only patients like my mom, but patients families to smile when smiling was most difficult. After the hospital my mom had an at home nurse that would visit multiple times a week to help her with wound care. This was the nurse I remember the most. She became a part of our family even long after my mom’s surgeries and she never failed to make the house feel happier when she was around. So, I guess that when I’m asked the question of why I wanted to pursue nursing as a career it’s to make people smile even when smiling hurts. I had the most beautiful interaction in my Medical-Surgical clinical rotation in which I went down with a female patient to watch her kidney biopsy. She didn’t have anyone with her at the time and all we did when we were waiting was talk. We talked about her kids, her life outside the hospital, and even about the doctors she found attractive in the hospital which never failed to make us laugh. Afterwards when we got back to her room she thanked me. She was so glad I went down with her and comforted her because otherwise she would have been stuck with the thoughts of the procedure and nothing else. She was so glad just to have a hand to squeeze when they placed a painful IV, and a familiar face to look for during the procedure. I couldn’t have been more glad to be the hand to hold and the face to look for. My patients that are truly thankful for the things I can do for them are the ones I want to do this for. The patients that I can effect, the ones I can truly help to make their horrible situation just a little bit better. That’s my nursing ‘why’.

When I was young, my mom went into septic shock. She almost died, and yet I couldn't do anything about it, just watch as days went by, watching as she got sicker and sicker until she got surgery; even then, she was left with problems she'd have to live with for the rest of her life. She's a miracle and lucky to be alive. As a kid, I could do nothing but watch, wait, and listen, but now, as I move into my schooling for nursing, I understand I have the opportunity to save lives, much like how the doctors and nurses who saved my mother's life did. I get to help the families, wives, husbands, sons, and young daughters like me who don't have the knowledge I do in getting the help they need to survive. Had those doctors and nurses not been able to help my mother, she wouldn't be here today. Instead, I wouldn't have had my mom to cry to when school stressed me out or throw millions of questions at when I got my first period. I wouldn't have had a mom to kiss me goodbye before I took the bus to school, and I wouldn't have had her applause from the audience when I grabbed my diploma at my high school graduation or danced at my last dance recital. Worst of all, she wouldn't see the future that was to come. Recently, my Grandfather was placed in the hospital when he had a cardiac emergency. Just thinking about the way my mother and aunt had reacted at that moment, how terrified they were to lose a loved one in that split instant, was only more of a reason for me to want to be a nurse. I want to be the person who helps the family understand what's happening and why we are doing everything we're doing. Not only placing the family at ease but my patient as well, being the best caregiving mentally as well as physically that I can be. I want to be a part of the equation. I began my journey with EMT training in my senior year of high school and fell in love with the medical field, which made me want to continue my education. So, I will now be moving on to the journey of becoming a nurse. If I can be the one to even make the slightest positive change in someone's life, I want to take the path that lands me in that position.

As a current Freshman nursing student, we learn that holistic healing is one of the best medicines for our patients. Something as simple as holding their hand can give them a sense of comfort in during a time they’re in so much pain. I strive to follow holistic healing methods when helping to care for my patients whether that be in the hospitals emergency room or the operating room. With some much medicine around I’m sure having a nurse willing to take deep breaths with you and sit there to hold your hand would make all the difference. My Professor has always told us that holistic medicine is the first medicine, and in this way I strive to be much like her. People these days are so quick to medicate before trying anything else. I hope to heal as many people as possible through holistic methods, and teach them to continue with them on their own time. Things like meditation can bring so many changes to people’s lives that many doesn’t even know about. I personally meditate before bed and it has shown tremendous help with my sleeping habits, and helped to control my anxiety. This scholarship would provide me with funds to continue my education in the nursing field so I can educate my patients and coworkers on the works and benefits of holistic medicine in the future. Paying for college has been extremely tough considering I don’t have much time at all outside of my studies to work. This would bring peace of mind so I can focus on my studies without as much financial worry on my hands. I also plan to use holistic methods during my clinical rotations and already have begun using them with my patients in the nursing home, simply taking them through hard times and holding their hands when they’re struggling or in any form of pain. This would pay towards my second semester of nursing school and be put towards anything I need to pay for including; room and board, textbooks, and tuition. I’m very excited to continue my nursing education here at Hartwick and further my nursing skills so I can practice holistic methods not only inside and out of clinical but also when I become a nurse in the near future. I hope you can consider me for this scholarship, with your help I believe I can tackle the giant hump that is nursing school.

When I was young, my mom went into septic shock. She almost died, and yet I couldn't do anything about it, just watch as days went by, watching as she got sicker and sicker until she got surgery; even then, she was left with problems she'd have to live with for the rest of her life. She's a miracle and lucky to be alive. As a kid, I could do nothing but watch, wait, and listen, but now, as I move into my schooling for nursing, I understand I have the opportunity to save lives, much like how the doctors and nurses who saved my mother's life did. I get to help the families, wives, husbands, sons, and young daughters like me who don't have the knowledge I do in getting the help they need to survive. Had those doctors and nurses not been able to help my mother, she wouldn't be here today. Instead, I wouldn't have had my mom to cry to when school stressed me out or throw millions of questions at when I got my first period. I wouldn't have had a mom to kiss me goodbye before I took the bus to school, and I wouldn't have had her applause from the audience when I grabbed my diploma at my high school graduation or danced at my last dance recital. Worst of all, she wouldn't see the future that was to come. Recently, my Grandfather was placed in the hospital when he had a cardiac emergency. Just thinking about the way my mother and aunt had reacted at that moment, how terrified they were to lose a loved one in that split instant, was only more of a reason for me to want to be a nurse. I want to be the person who helps the family understand what's happening and why we are doing everything we're doing. Not only placing the family at ease but my patient as well, being the best caregiving mentally as well as physically that I can be. I want to be a part of the equation. I began my journey with EMT training in my senior year of high school and fell in love with the medical field, which made me want to continue my education. So, I will now be moving on to the journey of becoming a nurse. If I can be the one to even make the slightest positive change in someone's life, I want to take the path that lands me in that position.

When I was young, my mom went into septic shock. She almost died, and yet I couldn't do anything about it, just watch as days went by, watching as she got sicker and sicker until she got surgery; even then, she was left with problems she'd have to live with for the rest of her life. She's a miracle and lucky to be alive. As a kid, I could do nothing but watch, wait, and listen, but now, as I move into my schooling for nursing, I understand I have the opportunity to save lives, much like how the doctors and nurses who saved my mother's life did. I get to help the families, wives, husbands, sons, and young daughters like me who don't have the knowledge I do in getting the help they need to survive. Had those doctors and nurses not been able to help my mother, she wouldn't be here today. Instead, I wouldn't have had my mom to cry to when school stressed me out or throw millions of questions at when I got my first period. I wouldn't have had a mom to kiss me goodbye before I took the bus to school, and I wouldn't have had her applause from the audience when I grabbed my diploma at my high school graduation or danced at my last dance recital. Worst of all, she wouldn't see the future that was to come. Recently, my Grandfather was placed in the hospital when he had a cardiac emergency. Just thinking about the way my mother and aunt had reacted at that moment, how terrified they were to lose a loved one in that split instant, was only more of a reason for me to want to be a nurse. I want to be the person who helps the family understand what's happening and why we are doing everything we're doing. Not only placing the family at ease but my patient as well, being the best caregiving mentally as well as physically that I can be. I want to be a part of the equation. I began my journey with EMT training in my senior year of high school and fell in love with the medical field, which made me want to continue my education. So, I will now be moving on to the journey of becoming a nurse. If I can be the one to even make the slightest positive change in someone's life, I want to take the path that lands me in that position.