The desire to carry on a family legacy of making a difference is what drives me to pursue a bachelor's degree in nursing. When I was a child, I had the experience of watching as my mother navigated nursing school and went on to become a nurse. There were many years of scarcity and struggle that my mom fought to ensure my sister and myself be blissfully unaware of. Ultimately she triumphed over nursing school and went on to serve at UNMH's adult inpatient oncology unit. She was one of the few nurses in the state to become certified to assist in stem cell transplants. She fiercely advocated for her patients and would go above and beyond to connect with them and help them feel comfortable, informed and empowered. Growing up with a nurse as a mother exposed me to the world of healthcare from a young age. I grew up with an intimate understanding of the compassion and commitment nursing requires through watching my mother come home from her twelve-hour shifts. As I grew older, I began to appreciate the valuable lessons and experiences she shared with me. Later on in my early adulthood, my mother became ill. The final years of her life were punctuated by frequent admissions to hospitals and care facilities. Her role as a caregiver was ultimately reversed, and I will forever be endlessly grateful to the nurses and care teams who helped to make her feel comfortable and supported for the last months of her life. Due to my own personal experiences, I feel motivated to continue the legacy my mother set forth to contribute to the well-being and lives of others and find fulfillment in improving the health and quality of life of patients. I have seen the way that the personal sacrifice nurses make resonates through the people and families they care for. I could make connections with families and support them in the most critical junctures of their lives. I want to be able to make a positive impact by providing quality patient care and establishing trust and effective communication with patients. Through educating patients about their health conditions and treatment plans, I could empower patients in my community with knowledge and skills. I could be what makes the difference between someone feeling hopeless, confused alone or afraid. I could be the source of warmth and respect that changes a person's entire experience of needing medical help. Nurses are pillars of strength within a community. The gravity of the responsibility of nursing has been ingrained in me throughout my life. I would consider it a great honor to carry on this same path.

The desire to carry on a family legacy of making a difference is what drives me to pursue a bachelor's degree in nursing. When I was a child, I had the experience of watching as my mother navigated nursing school and went on to become a nurse. There were many years of scarcity and struggle that my mom fought to ensure my sister and myself be blissfully unaware of. Despite being a single mother who worked and went to school full-time, she always made sure that we had what we needed. Ultimately she triumphed over nursing school and went on to serve at UNMH's adult inpatient oncology unit. She was one of the few nurses in the state to become certified to assist in stem cell transplants. She fiercely advocated for her patients and would go above and beyond to connect with them and help them feel comfortable, informed and empowered. Growing up with a nurse as a mother exposed me to the world of healthcare from a young age. I grew up with an intimate understanding of the compassion and commitment nursing requires through watching my mother come home from her twelve-hour shifts. As I grew older, I began to appreciate the valuable lessons and experiences she shared with me. Later on in my early adulthood, my mother became ill. The final years of her life were punctuated by frequent admissions to hospitals and care facilities. Her role as a caregiver was ultimately reversed, and I will forever be endlessly grateful to the nurses and care teams who helped to make her feel comfortable and supported for the last months of her life. Due to my own personal experiences, I feel motivated to continue the legacy my mother set forth to contribute to the well-being and lives of others and find fulfillment in improving the health and quality of life of patients. I have seen the way that the personal sacrifice nurses make resonates through the people and families they care for. I could make connections with families and support them in the most critical junctures of their lives. I want to be able to make a positive impact by providing quality patient care and establishing trust and effective communication with patients. Through educating patients about their health conditions and treatment plans, I could empower patients in my community with knowledge and skills. I could be what makes the difference between someone feeling hopeless, confused alone or afraid. I could be the source of warmth and respect that changes a person's entire experience of needing medical help. Nurses are pillars of strength within a community. The gravity of the responsibility of nursing has been ingrained in me throughout my life. I would consider it a great honor to carry on this same path.

The desire to carry on a family legacy of making a difference is what drives me to pursue a bachelor's degree in nursing. When I was a child, I had the experience of watching as my mother navigated nursing school and went on to become a nurse. There were many years of scarcity and struggle that my mom fought to ensure my sister and myself be blissfully unaware of. Despite being a single mother who worked and went to school full-time, she always made sure that we had what we needed. Ultimately she triumphed over nursing school and went on to serve at UNMH's adult inpatient oncology unit. She was one of the few nurses in the state to become certified to assist in stem cell transplants. She fiercely advocated for her patients and would go above and beyond to connect with them and help them feel comfortable, informed and empowered. Growing up with a nurse as a mother exposed me to the world of healthcare from a young age. I grew up with an intimate understanding of the compassion and commitment nursing requires through watching my mother come home from her twelve-hour shifts. As I grew older, I began to appreciate the valuable lessons and experiences she shared with me. Later on in my early adulthood, my mother became ill. The final years of her life were punctuated by frequent admissions to hospitals and care facilities. Her role as a caregiver was ultimately reversed, and I will forever be endlessly grateful to the nurses and care teams who helped to make her feel comfortable and supported for the last months of her life. Due to my own personal experiences, I feel motivated to continue the legacy my mother set forth to contribute to the well-being and lives of others and find fulfillment in improving the health and quality of life of patients. I have seen the way that the personal sacrifice nurses make resonates through the people and families they care for. I could make connections with families and support them in the most critical junctures of their lives. I want to be able to make a positive impact by providing quality patient care and establishing trust and effective communication with patients. Through educating patients about their health conditions and treatment plans, I could empower patients in my community with knowledge and skills. I could be what makes the difference between someone feeling hopeless, confused alone or afraid. I could be the source of warmth and respect that changes a person's entire experience of needing medical help. Nurses are pillars of strength within a community. The gravity of the responsibility of nursing has been ingrained in me throughout my life. I would consider it a great honor to carry on this same path.

My name is Erin Maes and I have very recently enrolled in nursing school at Brookline College. I will be starting classes at the beginning of January. I am a lifelong New Mexico resident. I currently work full time and have my entire adult life. At the beginning of this year, I became a first-time homeowner. I am greatly looking forward to following in my mother's footsteps in becoming a nurse. She passed away about two years ago, but in her life served as an oncology and hospice nurse. I am a fast-learning, hard-working, dedicated and warm individual, and I believe I will make an excellent nurse one day. The desire to carry on a family legacy of making a difference is what drives me to pursue a bachelor's degree in nursing. When I was a child, I had the experience of watching as my mother navigated nursing school and went on to become a nurse. There were many years of scarcity and struggle that my mom fought to ensure my sister and myself be blissfully unaware of. Ultimately she triumphed over nursing school and went on to serve at UNMH's adult inpatient oncology unit. She was one of the few nurses in the state to become certified to assist in stem cell transplants. She fiercely advocated for her patients and would go above and beyond to connect with them and help them feel comfortable, informed and empowered. Growing up with a nurse as a mother exposed me to the world of healthcare from a young age. I grew up with an intimate understanding of the compassion and commitment nursing requires through watching my mother come home from her twelve-hour shifts. As I grew older, I began to appreciate the valuable lessons and experiences she shared with me. Later on in my early adulthood, my mother became ill. The final years of her life were punctuated by frequent admissions to hospitals and care facilities. Her role as a caregiver was ultimately reversed, and I will forever be endlessly grateful to the nurses and care teams who helped to make her feel comfortable and supported for the last months of her life. Due to my own personal experiences, I feel motivated to continue the legacy my mother set forth to contribute to the well-being and lives of others and find fulfillment in improving the health and quality of life of patients. I have seen the way that the personal sacrifice nurses make resonates through the people and families they care for. I could make connections with families and support them in the most critical junctures of their lives. I want to be able to make a positive impact by providing quality patient care and establishing trust and effective communication with patients. Through educating patients about their health conditions and treatment plans, I could empower patients in my community with knowledge and skills. I could be what makes the difference between someone feeling hopeless, confused alone or afraid. I could be the source of warmth and respect that changes a person's entire experience of needing medical help. Nurses are pillars of strength within a community. The gravity of the responsibility of nursing has been ingrained in me throughout my life. I would consider it a great honor to carry on this same path.

The desire to carry on a family legacy of making a difference is what drives me to pursue a bachelor's degree in nursing. When I was a child, I had the experience of watching as my mother navigated nursing school and went on to become a nurse. There were many years of scarcity and struggle that my mom fought to ensure my sister and myself be blissfully unaware of. Ultimately she triumphed over nursing school and went on to serve at UNMH's adult inpatient oncology unit. She was one of the few nurses in the state to become certified to assist in stem cell transplants. She fiercely advocated for her patients and would go above and beyond to connect with them and help them feel comfortable, informed and empowered. Growing up with a nurse as a mother exposed me to the world of healthcare from a young age. I grew up with an intimate understanding of the compassion and commitment nursing requires through watching my mother come home from her twelve-hour shifts. As I grew older, I began to appreciate the valuable lessons and experiences she shared with me. Later on in my early adulthood, my mother became ill. The final years of her life were punctuated by frequent admissions to hospitals and care facilities. Her role as a caregiver was ultimately reversed, and I will forever be endlessly grateful to the nurses and care teams who helped to make her feel comfortable and supported for the last months of her life. Due to my own personal experiences, I feel motivated to continue the legacy my mother set forth to contribute to the well-being and lives of others and find fulfillment in improving the health and quality of life of patients. I have seen the way that the personal sacrifice nurses make resonates through the people and families they care for. I could make connections with families and support them in the most critical junctures of their lives. I want to be able to make a positive impact by providing quality patient care and establishing trust and effective communication with patients. Through educating patients about their health conditions and treatment plans, I could empower patients in my community with knowledge and skills. I could be what makes the difference between someone feeling hopeless, confused alone or afraid. I could be the source of warmth and respect that changes a person's entire experience of needing medical help. Nurses are pillars of strength within a community. The gravity of the responsibility of nursing has been ingrained in me throughout my life. I would consider it a great honor to carry on this same path.

The desire to carry on a family legacy of making a difference is what drives me to pursue a bachelor's degree in nursing. When I was a child, I had the experience of watching as my mother navigated nursing school and went on to become a nurse. There were many years of scarcity and struggle that my mom fought to ensure my sister and myself be blissfully unaware of. Ultimately she triumphed over nursing school and went on to serve at UNMH's adult inpatient oncology unit. She was one of the few nurses in the state to become certified to assist in stem cell transplants. She fiercely advocated for her patients and would go above and beyond to connect with them and help them feel comfortable, informed and empowered. Growing up with a nurse as a mother exposed me to the world of healthcare from a young age. I grew up with an intimate understanding of the compassion and commitment nursing requires through watching my mother come home from her twelve-hour shifts. As I grew older, I began to appreciate the valuable lessons and experiences she shared with me. Later on in my early adulthood, my mother became ill. The final years of her life were punctuated by frequent admissions to hospitals and care facilities. Her role as a caregiver was ultimately reversed, and I will forever be endlessly grateful to the nurses and care teams who helped to make her feel comfortable and supported for the last months of her life. Due to my own personal experiences, I feel motivated to continue the legacy my mother set forth to contribute to the well-being and lives of others and find fulfillment in improving the health and quality of life of patients. I have seen the way that the personal sacrifice nurses make resonates through the people and families they care for. I could make connections with families and support them in the most critical junctures of their lives. I want to be able to make a positive impact by providing quality patient care and establishing trust and effective communication with patients. Through educating patients about their health conditions and treatment plans, I could empower patients in my community with knowledge and skills. I could be what makes the difference between someone feeling hopeless, confused alone or afraid. I could be the source of warmth and respect that changes a person's entire experience of needing medical help. Nurses are pillars of strength within a community. The gravity of the responsibility of nursing has been ingrained in me throughout my life. I would consider it a great honor to carry on this same path.

The desire to carry on a family legacy of making a difference is what drives me to pursue a bachelor's degree in nursing. When I was a child, I had the experience of watching as my mother navigated nursing school and went on to become a nurse. There were many years of scarcity and struggle that my mom fought to ensure my sister and myself be blissfully unaware of. Ultimately she triumphed over nursing school and went on to serve at UNMH's adult inpatient oncology unit. She was one of the few nurses in the state to become certified to assist in stem cell transplants. She fiercely advocated for her patients and would go above and beyond to connect with them and help them feel comfortable, informed and empowered. Growing up with a nurse as a mother exposed me to the world of healthcare from a young age. I grew up with an intimate understanding of the compassion and commitment nursing requires through watching my mother come home from her twelve-hour shifts. As I grew older, I began to appreciate the valuable lessons and experiences she shared with me. Later on in my early adulthood, my mother became ill. The final years of her life were punctuated by frequent admissions to hospitals and care facilities. Her role as a caregiver was ultimately reversed, and I will forever be endlessly grateful to the nurses and care teams who helped to make her feel comfortable and supported for the last months of her life. Due to my own personal experiences, I feel motivated to continue the legacy my mother set forth to contribute to the well-being and lives of others and find fulfillment in improving the health and quality of life of patients. I have seen the way that the personal sacrifice nurses make resonates through the people and families they care for. I could make connections with families and support them in the most critical junctures of their lives. I want to be able to make a positive impact by providing quality patient care and establishing trust and effective communication with patients. Through educating patients about their health conditions and treatment plans, I could empower patients in my community with knowledge and skills. I could be what makes the difference between someone feeling hopeless, confused alone or afraid. I could be the source of warmth and respect that changes a person's entire experience of needing medical help. Nurses are pillars of strength within a community. The gravity of the responsibility of nursing has been ingrained in me throughout my life. I would consider it a great honor to carry on this same path.

The desire to carry on a family legacy of making a difference is what drives me to pursue a bachelor's degree in nursing. When I was a child, I had the experience of watching as my mother navigated nursing school and went on to become a nurse. There were many years of scarcity and struggle that my mom fought to ensure my sister and myself be blissfully unaware of. Ultimately she triumphed over nursing school and went on to serve at UNMH's adult inpatient oncology unit. She was one of the few nurses in the state to become certified to assist in stem cell transplants. She fiercely advocated for her patients and would go above and beyond to connect with them and help them feel comfortable, informed and empowered. Growing up with a nurse as a mother exposed me to the world of healthcare from a young age. I grew up with an intimate understanding of the compassion and commitment nursing requires through watching my mother come home from her twelve-hour shifts. As I grew older, I began to appreciate the valuable lessons and experiences she shared with me. Later on in my early adulthood, my mother became ill. The final years of her life were punctuated by frequent admissions to hospitals and care facilities. Her role as a caregiver was ultimately reversed, and I will forever be endlessly grateful to the nurses and care teams who helped to make her feel comfortable and supported for the last months of her life. Due to my own personal experiences, I feel motivated to continue the legacy my mother set forth to contribute to the well-being and lives of others and find fulfillment in improving the health and quality of life of patients. I have seen the way that the personal sacrifice nurses make resonates through the people and families they care for. I could make connections with families and support them in the most critical junctures of their lives. I want to be able to make a positive impact by providing quality patient care and establishing trust and effective communication with patients. Through educating patients about their health conditions and treatment plans, I could empower patients in my community with knowledge and skills. I could be what makes the difference between someone feeling hopeless, confused alone or afraid. I could be the source of warmth and respect that changes a person's entire experience of needing medical help. Nurses are pillars of strength within a community. The gravity of the responsibility of nursing has been ingrained in me throughout my life. I would consider it a great honor to carry on this same path.