I have been around healthcare all my life, but never thought that I would actually be a part of it. My mother was a certified nursing assistant, and she would commute back-and-forth to Macon, Georgia from Atlanta, Georgia. One year I was struggling with advancing in my current career as a chef, and my mom mentioned that maybe I would be good in the healthcare field. I decided to finally go and get certified as a nurse’s assistant. I really didn’t think that I would like it, but I fell in love with the idea of being a phlebotomist so once I graduated as a nurse’s assistant, I began to work at the hospital. Working at the hospital, I made it my job to find out more about being a phlebotomist. My interest in the work of a phlebotomist grew stronger with passion and excitement on how the specimens were collected. The more my passion grew the more the nurses on my shift took interest in how excited I was about healthcare. One of the nurses suggested that I take a look at becoming a nurse instead of a phlebotomist because he saw the way I cared for the patients. He would come find me at the beginning of every shift and tell me that a patient was asking for me. This nurse would also take the time to show me different things that they do for the patients as far as care, medications, and how the I.V. pump worked. The more and more this nurse taught me, the more I started to love what nurses provided for the patients. It wasn’t just passing meds or giving baths. It was a sense of comfort for these patients, knowing that someone was there that truly cared about their recovery. During this time, my mother fell ill with breast cancer. I placed my career on hold so that I could care for my mother. I watched her health decline as she fought as hard as she could. In this moment, watching the nurses care for her, I realize that all nurses do not provide the same quality of care that I would provide for my mother and for other patients. My mother‘s battle with cancer is really what led me to want to pursue a career in nursing. Anyone who has had to deal with the struggle of a family member battling cancer, going through constant chemo treatments, and radiation, understand the value of quality patient care. I feel like having that experience with my mom allows me to be more empathetic with patients dealing with similar health conditions. I want to be able to be the support that my patient and their family needs during this difficult battle. I want them to feel comforted and heard throughout the process of healing or throughout the process of end of life. Heaving healthcare professionals that actually care for patients like family is a rare thing to find, but in the years that I have worked in healthcare, it’s one of the things that matter the most. Being apart of something that allows me to give back to my community and helps to make my community members stronger is important to me because I believe in doing for others and not just myself. Although my love for wanting to be a nurse goes deeper than I could have ever imagined, I also enjoy cooking, reading and different crafting projects. Balancing life can be hard at times, especially having teenage children, a full time job, and going to school full time also. I tend to find joy in reading a good book or even just making a coffee run for a friend and her daughter. Being able to find time to just do some of the things that I love helps to take off the stress of the day to day work load. I also enjoy taking road trips with my children at random just to disconnect sometimes. Being with them and hearing their laughs and seeing smiles on there faces, helps keep me balanced and brings joy to my soul. Knowing they are happy and thriving gives my life purpose and assures me that I am going in the right direction in my life. My children are my biggest supporters and knowing that they are in my corner, I will never stop working hard on becoming the nurse I am meant to be.

As a single mother, pursuing my education has been filled with sacrifice, uncertainty, perseverance, and faith. I became a mother to my daughter at the age of 24, and from the moment I learned I was pregnant, I knew I needed to build a stable future for both of us. Although culinary school was not my passion, it was a program I could complete in eighteen months that would provide financial stability. I attended school each morning from 7:00 a.m. until 12:45 p.m., then worked from 2:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m. Despite the many challenges including pregnancy sickness, childcare struggles, and even a time when I did not have stable housing, I pressed on and kept faith. I eventually completed my Associate’s degree in Occupational Science and secured a decent-paying job. For a while, life felt stable and my daughter was thriving. However, when I became pregnant with my son three years later, I realized my current career was not enough to support two children. I decided to pursue healthcare, which had always interested me. I returned to school and earned my certification as a nurse technician. While I loved the work and caring for people, the pay was still not enough to fully support my growing family. During this time, a friend who worked for General Motors told me they were hiring in Tennessee. The opportunity offered higher pay but required relocating to a state where I had no family or support system. This was the most difficult decision I had ever faced. I applied and three days later I was offered the job. With little time to decide, I took a leap of faith and moved to Tennessee. My friend allowed me to stay with them while I got established. While working at General Motors, I learned the company offered educational assistance for permanent employees. This gave me hope that I could eventually pursue nursing school. I worked long hours for four years hoping to reach that opportunity. Unfortunately, shortly after I became a permanent employee, the company laid us off. During the layoff period, the COVID-19 pandemic began and hospitals faced severe staffing shortages. I decided to become certified as a phlebotomist and accepted a hospital position. Although the starting pay was a large decrease from $23 per hour to $12.50, I accepted the position. Within two months my pay increased to $18.75 due to the demand for healthcare workers. When General Motors later called employees back, I chose to remain at the hospital. That decision became one of the most meaningful steps in my journey. For the past five years I have continued working at the hospital while pursuing my nursing degree. I attend school during the week and work weekends. Along the way I have faced many challenges including housing issues, car troubles, childcare struggles, and the financial strain of supporting my children’s sports and activities. Despite these difficulties, I keep pushing toward my goal. The most fulfilling part of this journey has been working with patients. Sometimes the most meaningful thing I can offer is reassurance and simply listening. Being able to comfort someone and let them know they are not alone reminds me why I chose healthcare. Today, I am two years away from completing my nursing degree. Continuing my education will allow me to expand my ability to care for others while creating greater stability for my family. My goal is to grow professionally but also to show my children the power of perseverance. Through nursing, I hope to uplift my family while making a lasting difference in the lives of others.