My mom grew up in foster care most of her life. It's not something she often spoke about with me but when she did, the stories were terrible. She was one of the many unfortunate children who did not end up in a good loving home. My mom's experience is what made me want to be a foster parent in the first place. I knew from a young age that I wanted to be one of the good ones. To provide a stable caring home children could come to in crisis and feel safe and loved by a temporary parent. A place they could continue to be a kid without the problems of the adult world. Having now been a foster parent to multiple children in need, I never could have imagined how it would change myself and my life. Being a foster parent has greatly changed my perspective. I thought I understood what these children go through from what my mom told me, but that was only the tip of the iceberg. The things these children have seen, heard, and experienced horrify me. They also show me just how strong these children are to come out the other side, to open up and grow in my home, and to be able to trust in me or any other adult. Caring for children in the system has demonstrated how small most of my problems actually are in comparison and has changed how I approach issues in my own life. Every child I have fostered has changed me. They have changed how I appreciate the childhood and family I was lucky enough to grow up in. They have taught me new methods for gentle parenting, expressing emotions in healthy ways, and how to find joy in bad places. We navigate their issues together and I have learned many techniques and approaches to problems I never would have thought to learn otherwise. Most importantly being a foster parent has shown me that being a parent to these children is my most important role. I love my job but sometimes the hours I work get in the way of my foster children's needs. This is an issue I've been looking at how to fix, to continue my passion for nursing while fulfilling my role in foster parenting. That is why I am pursuing a Master's of Nursing in forensics so I may work in a far more flexible field of nursing and provide more consistent care to my foster children. They are the ones who inspire me to specifically work in forensics, caring for victims of abuse and neglect, and collecting evidence for use against the perpetrators. Without my involvement in the foster system, I may never have known the important role forensic nurses play. I saw firsthand how much difference a forensic nurse made when one of my foster children required their services. I want to be able to provide that to others while also being able to better care for my foster children as best I can.

For much of my childhood, I was unaware that I was disabled. There were things I couldn’t do that others could but I never cared because there were always something else I could do. In PE I couldn't run around and play all the games with everyone else but I got to be the referee or scorekeeper. I couldn't go on the play structures at recess with my crutches when it was raining but I got first dibs on a library pass to go play computer games. I couldn't play basketball or softball or soccer like my sisters could but I could swim and I was one of the best on my team. I didn't realize I was disabled because no one ever told me I was. My parents never told me what I couldn't do, they told me and helped me do all the things I could instead. Growing up this way greatly shaped my worldview, not only in terms of my disability. I don't use the word "can't". There is always a way for me to be involved, there is always something I can do instead. I focus on what I can do instead of what I can't. This mentality has served me well in my education and career. While others around me get discouraged easily by challenges and obstacles I simply look for an alternative path to my goal. I never give up on my journey to reach my goals. When I decided I wanted to be a nurse, I had so many people including professors and a career counselor tell me that nursing is not a good fit for me. That I wouldn't be able to meet the physical demands of the job such as walking all day or lifting patients. I even had one professor tell me I would be a liability. I heard this all again and more when I chose to specialize in emergency medicine. I didn't listen though because I knew my limitations and how to work around them. By this point, I was well aware of my disability status. Despite my parents never informing me that I was disabled, the rest of the world was quick to tell me and decide for me what I was and was not capable of. With the support of my parents, I found alternate ways to complete the same tasks as my peers. I made it through all of my nursing school clinical rotations and secured a position in a large emergency department thanks to my determination not to let anyone else decide my capabilities. I have encountered many people in my life, both able-bodied and disabled, who so easily give up in the face of a challenge or criticism of their abilities. For me though, being disabled has given me a more positive worldview. One shouldn't focus on what they can't do, instead focus on what you can. This mentality has given me a brighter outlook on my future possibilities and a great deal of confidence in myself. It's what pushes me forward to explore new paths. To find out all I CAN do in my life. I have enjoyed being an ER nurse and showing people how much a disabled person can accomplish but it has taken a physical toll. ER nursing is grueling on the body and maybe more so for me. Again my disability has directed my life toward a new path to get my master's degree in forensic nursing so that I may continue in my passion for nursing while taking care of my physical needs.

I am an emergency nurse and I intend to pursue a career in forensic nursing in the hospital setting as well as volunteer settings outside of work. I have personally seen the vast scope of cases that arrive in the emergency room as well as the inpatient settings and have witnessed how involved these nurses are in each case. I will not simply provide medical care, collect evidence, and leave; I will have the opportunity to know the patients I work with, find out their individual needs, and provide care and resources tailored to them. Outside of work, I am a dedicated foster mother. It is my great joy in life to care for others both at work and the children I bring into my home until they can be returned to their families. I take children into my home who are in crisis. I have seen the aftermath of abuse and neglect and the long-term impacts it has on my children. I have held them as they cry asking “Why did this happen to me?”, “What did I do?”, and tried my best to reassure them. In my involvement with the foster system I have come to find this is not unique. Too many children are exploited and abused before entering the system, in the system as well unfortunately, and continue to be stuck in a similar cycle after leaving the system without someone to help them break it. I have seen the long process that is seeking justice, both in criminal and family courts, and the anger and heartbreak when a child’s words are not enough in the absence of physical evidence. My experiences with foster children and the court system have given me insight into the important role forensic nurses can play in giving these young victims a voice and a way out of unimaginable situations. It was through one such difficult situation with one of my foster children that I became involved with a group for teens who have been through physical abuse or assault in my area. I began to volunteer as a mentor and chaperone to this group when my foster teen’s social worker suggested she attend. While I no longer have that child in my home, I continue to volunteer with this group because I have seen the good it can do and want to provide that support to as many people in these situations as I can. My hope is with training in forensic nursing I can provide a new aspect of services and follow-up care to this group. A degree in forensic nursing would bring me more than professional fulfillment because for me it is more than simply a job. It is a desire to help others in ways so few can. Whatever I do, I do wholeheartedly. My next goal is to pursue a masters degree in Forensic Nursing so I may physically and mentally help some of the most vulnerable in my community.

I love math because it is consistent. There is always an answer to be found at the end of a problem. Math has always been a subject that simply makes sense to me. There is no wondering where you are going or varied meanings as in other subjects. It gives me a sense of comfort to be able to solve a problem placed before me. There is a beauty to mathematics in patterns, numbers, and equations coming together to define the world around us. It can be used in so many areas to create arts, sciences, real life or theoretical applications. When I struggle to make sense of things, math can help me recenter and find meaning in these other categories. At a personal level math gives me confidence. I struggle with abstract things that are open to interpretation. Math is the one area where I excel and others struggle. From early elementary school maths to calculus in high school and eventually theoretical concepts of mathematics in college, it just comes naturally to me. It gave me the confidence boost to explore and excel in other areas of study and life. Evan as an adult I can count on math to make me feel centered in chaos. That could be finding the right medication dose at work using med-calc or relaxing with a sudoku puzzle at home. The consistency of math is what I love about it most.

During my time working in emergency medicine I have had the opportunity to care for a variety of patients in some of the worst situations of their lives. The situations that have impacted me most are those involving vulnerable individuals who have been harmed by others, whether by negligence, abuse, or assault. In these situations I’ve worked closely with forensic nurses to provide intimate individualized care to these patients as well as observed the process of collecting evidence in hopes of bringing justice against the perpetrators. I am inspired by these nurses’ compassion, skill, and determination. I believe I possess the compassion and determination for a position in forensic nursing and I am incredible excited to learn the necessary forensic and nursing skills to join their ranks. Outside of my career I am a foster parent. I take children into my home who are in crisis. I have seen the aftermath of abuse and neglect and the long term impacts it has on my children. I have held them as they cry asking “why did this happen to me?”, “what did I do?”, and tried my best to reassure them. I have stood back watching as a child smashes everything they can grab to vent the anger of the atrocities others have done to them. In my involvement with the foster system, talking with social workers, specialists, and other foster parents I have come to find this is not unique. Too many children are exploited and abused before entering the system, in the system as well unfortunately, and continue to be stuck in a similar cycle after leaving the system without someone to help them break it. I have seen the long process that is seeking justice, both in criminal and family courts, and the anger and heartbreak when a child’s words are not enough in the absence of physical evidence. My experiences with foster children and the court system has given me insight into the important role forensic nurse examinations can play in giving these young victims a voice and a way out of unimaginable situations. I hate that children cannot stop the hurt that cruel adults inflict on them. I believe it is a stain on our society that so many women are afraid to come forward after an assault. I want to fight a social stigma that has men feeling that they can’t seek help after an attack. Most of all I am angry that so many perpetrators get away with the pain they inflict. I can not stop these awful acts of violence from happening, but I can help make sure that these people don’t hurt anyone else, that they are held accountable for their crimes, and that every victim I care for has someone in their corner fighting for them. A career in forensic nursing would bring me more than professional fulfillment, because for me it is more than simply a job. It is a desire to help others in ways so few can.

Almost everything I do in my life is for my children. I believe that's the case for most single parents. My children are who inspire me to get up each morning and go to work so I can give them everything they deserve in life. It can be a lot of pressure though. It's incredibly stressful to be responsible for another human being, especially doing it alone and knowing if I don't provide for them no one else will. It is for them that I am going back to school, to be able to change careers and have a more flexible schedule so I can be home and with my kids more often. I want to be able to welcome them home after school, to go to all their special events, and to just spend quality time with them before they are all grown up and gone. Working full-time, going back to school part-time, and trying to be all that my kids need from both parents despite being the only parent overwhelms me. To combat this I have short-term and long-term techniques to help me through the tough times. Day to day I give myself two hours each day that are mine. For one hour at the start of the day I sit with my first coffee of the day and I take time to prepare myself for whatever that day brings. I think through the day's plans, meals, and what specific things I need to get done. It gets me in the right state of mind from the start. My children are generally asleep during this time but even if they wake up they know not to disturb me for anything less than a life-threatening emergency. At the end of the day after everyone else is asleep I give myself one more "me" hour. During this time I clean up the day-to-day messes. I allow myself whatever I need during this hour of cleaning up and resetting the house to do and feel whatever I need to without my kids seeing it. Sometimes I cry randomly for an hour, or drink half a bottle of wine, or sit down and play a few rounds of Mario Kart. It's my time to decompress for the day while making sure my space is ready for the next day's use. Despite my daily self-care time I still get overwhelmed by life. The constant need to care for myself and my children, to never miss work, to make sure all the bills are paid and still provide the things my kids both need and want. When it eventually builds up to more than my daily two hours can fix I am lucky enough to have a village to help. Once or twice a year I plan a weekend for my children to stay with my best friend while I go away for a "disconnected weekend". I leave all electronics at home and go stay in a cabin owned by another friend in the middle of nowhere. There is a landline for emergencies but otherwise, I am fully disconnected. I use this time to reset. I sleep in as much as I want, read a book that I haven't had the time to all year, and spend time out in nature. When I come back I feel refreshed and ready to be the best mom I can be. The best part is my children have an equally great time being spoiled for two days straight by their "auntie crazy". It gives us all a needed break so we can continue better than before.

Almost everything I do in my life is for my children. I believe that's the case for most single parents. My children are who inspire me to get up each morning and go to work so I can give them everything they deserve in life. It can be a lot of pressure though. It's incredibly stressful to be responsible for another human being, especially doing it alone and knowing if I don't provide for them no one else will. It is for them that I am going back to school, to be able to change careers and have a more flexible schedule so I can be home and with my kids more often. I want to be able to welcome them home after school, to go to all their special events, and to just spend quality time with them before they are all grown up and gone. Working full-time, going back to school part-time, and trying to be all that my kids need from both parents despite being the only parent overwhelms me. To combat this I have short-term and long-term techniques to help me through the tough times. Day to day I give myself two hours each day that are mine. For one hour at the start of the day I sit with my first coffee of the day and I take time to prepare myself for whatever that day brings. I think through the day's plans, meals, and what specific things I need to get done. It gets me in the right state of mind from the start. My children are generally asleep during this time but even if they wake up they know not to disturb me for anything less than a life-threatening emergency. At the end of the day after everyone else is asleep I give myself one more "me" hour. During this time I clean up the day-to-day messes. I allow myself whatever I need during this hour of cleaning up and resetting the house to do and feel whatever I need to without my kids seeing it. Sometimes I cry randomly for an hour, or drink half a bottle of wine, or sit down and play a few rounds of Mario Kart. It's my time to decompress for the day while making sure my space is ready for the next day's use. Despite my daily self-care time I still get overwhelmed by life. The constant need to care for myself and my children, to never miss work, to make sure all the bills are paid and still provide the things my kids both need and want. When it eventually builds up to more than my daily two hours can fix I am lucky enough to have a village to help. Once or twice a year I plan a weekend for my children to stay with my best friend while I go away for a "disconnected weekend". I leave all electronics at home and go stay in a cabin owned by another friend in the middle of nowhere. There is a landline for emergencies but otherwise, I am fully disconnected. I use this time to reset. I sleep in as much as I want, read a book that I haven't had the time to all year, and spend time out in nature. When I come back I feel refreshed and ready to be the best mom I can be. The best part is my children have an equally great time being spoiled for two days straight by their "auntie crazy". It gives us all a needed break so we can continue better than before.

I am an emergency nurse and I intend to pursue a career in forensic nursing in the hospital setting as well as volunteer settings outside of work. I have personally seen the vast scope of cases that arrive in the emergency room as well as the inpatient settings and have witnessed how involved these nurses are in each case. I will not simply provide medical care, collect evidence, and leave; I will have the opportunity to know the patients I work with, find out their individual needs, and provide care and resources tailored to them. Outside of work, I am a dedicated foster mother. It is my great joy in life to care for others both at work and the children I bring into my home until they can be returned to their families. I take children into my home who are in crisis. I have seen the aftermath of abuse and neglect and the long-term impacts it has on my children. I have held them as they cry asking “Why did this happen to me?”, “What did I do?”, and tried my best to reassure them. In my involvement with the foster system I have come to find this is not unique. Too many children are exploited and abused before entering the system, in the system as well unfortunately, and continue to be stuck in a similar cycle after leaving the system without someone to help them break it. I have seen the long process that is seeking justice, both in criminal and family courts, and the anger and heartbreak when a child’s words are not enough in the absence of physical evidence. My experiences with foster children and the court system have given me insight into the important role forensic nurses can play in giving these young victims a voice and a way out of unimaginable situations. It was through one such difficult situation with one of my foster children that I became involved with a group for teens who have been through physical abuse or assault in my area. I began to volunteer as a mentor and chaperone to this group when my foster teen’s social worker suggested she attend. While I no longer have that child in my home, I continue to volunteer with this group because I have seen the good it can do and want to provide that support to as many people in these situations as I can. My hope is with training in forensic nursing I can provide a new aspect of services and follow-up care to this group. A degree in forensic nursing would bring me more than professional fulfillment because for me it is more than simply a job. It is a desire to help others in ways so few can. Whatever I do, I do wholeheartedly. My next goal is to pursue a masters degree in Forensic Nursing so I may physically and mentally help some of the most vulnerable in my community.

There are many ways society measures success: money, power, the number of stamps in one’s passport, followers on social media, the length of one’s contact list, or connections to other “successful” people. These measures, though, have no end, and no way to truly be fulfilled because success by societal standards is completely subjective. My idea of success is finding the best role for me in life and being fulfilled both personally and professionally. My dad often told me “Do what makes your soul shine”. It has been a motto for me. It means find what you love to do and do it, and the rest will fall into place. Often I hear friends and coworkers talk about hating their jobs and just putting in the hours to pay the bills so they can go home to what they actually enjoy. The reality is though that most people spend a significant amount of time at work, and I am fortunate to feel differently about my work. I believe you should make a career doing something that you love and look forward to, rather than dreading. When I have found the thing I want to wake up and do happily for the next forty years, then I will view it as a success. Success for me is more than just my career goals though. There is a whole side of success for me personally that comes from my relationships with others. I foster children and with each child that leaves my home, I look back on our time together and ask myself if I did right by them. If I can truly say to myself that I did my best and gave them all I could physically and emotionally then I can say I was successful as their foster parent. In my friendships and romantic relations, success is having close connections where both our needs for connection and love and support are met. Not all my relationships end up successful by even my own measures, but in those instances, I try to learn and build better success next time. Working in emergency medicine I have seen death far too often. In the end, all those subjective ideas of success don’t matter one bit. The best situations of death I’ve seen involve talking about the people they’ve impacted, the time spent together, happy or funny memories, and all the positive impacts made in their lifetime. On the other side, the most bitter deaths for patients and families come when they look back unhappy with what they’ve accomplished, comparing it to others and to societal standards rather than their own. This has greatly shaped my view that success is overall being content with my life. My dreams and plans change frequently but my overall goal remains to enjoy what I am doing, to love who I’m doing it with, and to be happy when I look back on my life. This scholarship can financially support me as I look to the next stage of my life and career which I hope will continue to provide me with success. I am pursuing a Master of Science in Forensic Nursing. It is a career I believe I will enjoy and thrive in from my experience thus far. It will also give me far more flexibility in my personal life to pursue other interests, spend more time with my foster children, and use my time and skills in forensic nursing to better serve the volunteer support group for abused teens in my area. It will allow me to continue finding new experiences and interests that can add to my success.

From early on in school I excelled in maths and science. As a female, I was heavily praised for this my whole life and told by everyone from parents to teachers that I should go into a math or science based career. I never really considered anything else. By my junior year of high school, I knew I was going to be a biomedical engineer. I only applied to universities with this major and was directly accepted to one such program. I absolutely hated it. From there I switched my major multiple times to chemical engineering then civil engineering then genetic microbiology. I spent much of my first year of college trying to find the science career I would enjoy. It didn't happen. While I was successful in my classes and got good grades, I couldn't imagine spending my life doing these jobs day in and day out. The one area of study I enjoyed during all the major switching was the medical aspect of biomedical engineering. I spoke with the career counselor on campus who set me up to shadow a variety of medical professionals. During my shadows, I had the "aha" moment. I found I enjoyed the personal care provided in nursing. I like the direct satisfaction of seeing that I was helping another person. Medical care was fascinating and for the first time I didn't feel like I had to fight for a space. I had spent most of my educational life in male-dominated areas having to prove myself twice as much to get the same space. Nursing showed me a whole new space dominated and led by women. Most of the people around me thought I was crazy when I decided to switch my major to nursing. It was so far from any of my previous interests and wasn't even offered as a major at my university. I had made up my mind though. A switch had flipped and I just knew that nursing would fulfill me in a way engineering never could. I transferred to a new university for my sophomore year. I was behind because many of my engineering courses didn't apply to nursing. The nursing courses were difficult but to me felt infinitely easier because the subject matter was something I cared to learn about. As I went through my final year of nursing I tried to imagine what type of nursing I wanted to do. One of the draws of nursing for me was how open a field it is. I could do anything, work in any setting and specialty that interested me, and many areas did interest me. I chose emergency nursing for that reason. I got to learn skills in caring for patients of all ages with issues in all body systems. Plus I find it exciting to never know what will walk through the door next. I have no regrets about choosing to be a nurse. It has given me joy in my work that I never could have imagined. I have enjoyed the last few years in emergency medicine and it has led me to my next nursing pathway. I have often worked with a sub-specialty of skilled forensic nurses and believe I could thrive in this field as well. I am again excited to start a new journey in nursing: returning to school to pursue my Master's degree in forensic nursing. It is a field that combines my joy of emergency medicine with my passion to provide quality individualized care to people who most need it.

Though I have no biological children of my own, I still consider myself a mother. I have had six amazing children in my life thus far as a foster mother and I know I will have many more to come whom I will love as my own. As a foster parent, I have many unique challenges with balancing work and child care as well as many I'm sure all parents experience. Like most working parents I struggle to balance work, school, extracurricular activities, doctor's appointments, and time at home to just relax and enjoy each other's company. Being a single foster parent, I have the added uncertainty of never knowing when I will have a child or for how long. There are visitations with biological parents, social workers, court dates, and so much extra time required to learn each child's individual needs from me as their temporary parent. It is my work that led me to foster parenthood. I am an emergency room nurse and I often see children come in who, for any number of reasons, cannot return to their homes and families. Seeing this need I became a licensed foster home and have never regretted it. While it can be a struggle at times to balance my needs and work life with those of my children, I am fulfilled in my parental role in a way nothing else can provide. I desire to better care for and give more time to these children which has led me to a career change. I am lucky that nursing is fairly flexible, only working three days a week with the ability to choose which days. However, these days are long and I hardly see my children on work days. Some of my foster kids have struggled with not seeing me all day, not having me home to tuck them into bed, or not having me present for after-school activities. I want to be all that they need me to be while they live in my home. That is why I am pursuing a Master's degree in forensic nursing. As a forensic nurse examiner, much of my work can be done from home. It is an on-call position requiring only a few hours each week in person, mostly at night. This will give me far more flexibility to be home as the only parent to my foster children. I have a wonderful village around me to help when I am unavailable but it's not the same as being there myself to provide care, love, and support whenever needed. It is my role as a parent and the needs of my children that made me look into alternative careers, ultimately leading me to enter a Master's of Nursing program.

My mom grew up in foster care most of her life. It's not something she often spoke about with me but when she did, the stories were terrible. She was one of the many unfortunate children who did not end up in a good loving home. My mom's experience is what made me want to be a foster parent in the first place. I knew from a young age that I wanted to be one of the good ones. To provide a stable caring home children could come to in crisis and feel safe and loved by a temporary parent. A place they could continue to be a kid without the problems of the adult world. Having now been a foster parent to multiple children in need, I never could have imagined how it would change myself and my life. Being a foster parent has greatly changed my perspective. I thought I understood what these children go through from what my mom told me, but that was only the tip of the iceberg. The things these children have seen, heard, and experienced horrify me. They also show me just how strong these children are to come out the other side, to open up and grow in my home, and to be able to trust in me or any other adult. Caring for children in the system has demonstrated how small most of my problems actually are in comparison and has changed how I approach issues in my own life. Every child I have fostered has changed me. They have changed how I appreciate the childhood and family I was lucky enough to grow up in. They have taught me new methods for gentle parenting, expressing emotions in healthy ways, and how to find joy in bad places. We navigate their issues together and I have learned many techniques and approaches to problems I never would have thought to learn otherwise. Most importantly being a foster parent has shown me that being a parent to these children is my most important role. I love my job but sometimes the hours I work get in the way of my foster children's needs. This is an issue I've been looking at how to fix, to continue my passion for nursing while fulfilling my role in foster parenting. That is why I am pursuing a Master's of Nursing in forensics so I may work in a far more flexible field of nursing and provide more consistent care to my foster children. They are the ones who inspire me to specifically work in forensics, caring for victims of abuse and neglect, and collecting evidence for use against the perpetrators. Without my involvement in the foster system, I may never have known the important role forensic nurses play. I saw firsthand how much difference a forensic nurse made when one of my foster children required their services. I want to be able to provide that to others while also being able to better care for my foster children as best I can.

Though I have no biological children of my own, I still consider myself a mother. I have had six amazing children in my life thus far as a foster mother and I know I will have many more to come whom I will love as my own. As a foster parent, I have many unique challenges with balancing work and child care as well as many I'm sure all parents experience. Like most working parents I struggle to balance work, school, extracurricular activities, doctor's appointments, and time at home to just relax and enjoy each other's company. Being a single foster parent, I have the added uncertainty of never knowing when I will have a child or for how long. There are visitations with biological parents, social workers, court dates, and so much extra time required to learn each child's individual needs from me as their temporary parent. It is my work that led me to foster parenthood. I am an emergency room nurse and I often see children come in who, for any number of reasons, cannot return to their homes and families. Seeing this need I became a licensed foster home and have never regretted it. While it can be a struggle at times to balance my needs and work life with those of my children, I am fulfilled in my parental role in a way nothing else can provide. I desire to better care for and give more time to these children which has led me to a career change. I am lucky that nursing is fairly flexible, only working three days a week with the ability to choose which days. However, these days are long and I hardly see my children on work days. Some of my foster kids have struggled with not seeing me all day, not having me home to tuck them into bed, or not having me present for after-school activities. I want to be all that they need me to be while they live in my home. That is why I am pursuing a Master's degree in forensic nursing. As a forensic nurse examiner, much of my work can be done from home. It is an on-call position requiring only a few hours each week in person, mostly at night. This will give me far more flexibility to be home as the only parent to my foster children. I have a wonderful village around me to help when I am unavailable but it's not the same as being there myself to provide care, love, and support whenever needed. It is my role as a parent and the needs of my children that made me look into alternative careers, ultimately leading me to enter a Master's of Nursing program.

For much of my childhood, I was unaware that I was disabled. There were things I couldn’t do that others could but I never cared because there were always something else I could do. In PE I couldn't run around and play all the games with everyone else but I got to be the referee or scorekeeper. I couldn't go on the play structures at recess with my crutches when it was raining but I got first dibs on a library pass to go play computer games. I couldn't play basketball or softball soccer like my friends and sisters could but I could swim and I was one of the best on my team. I didn't realize I was disabled because no one ever told me I was. My parents never told me what I couldn't do, they told me and helped me do all the things I could instead. Growing up this way greatly shaped my worldview, not only in terms of my disability. I don't use the word "can't". There is always a way for me to be involved, there is always something I can do instead. I focus on what I can do instead of what I can't. This mentality has served me well in my education and career. While others around me get discouraged easily by challenges and obstacles I simply look for an alternative path to my goal. I never give up on my journey to reach my goals. When I decided I wanted to be a nurse, I had so many people including professors and a career counselor tell me that nursing is not a good fit for me. That I wouldn't be able to meet the physical demands of the job such as walking all day or lifting patients. I even had one professor tell me I would be a liability. I heard this all again and more when I chose to specialize in emergency medicine. I didn't listen though because I knew my limitations and how to work around them. By this point, I was well aware of my disability status. Despite my parents never informing me that I was disabled, the rest of the world was quick to tell me and decide for me what I was and was not capable of. With the support of my parents, I found alternate ways to complete the same tasks as my peers. I made it through all of my nursing school clinical rotations and secured a position in a large emergency department thanks to my determination not to let anyone else decide my capabilities. I have encountered many people in my life, both able-bodied and disabled, who so easily give up in the face of a challenge or criticism of their abilities. For me though, being disabled has given me a more positive worldview. One shouldn't focus on what they can't do, instead focus on what you can. This mentality has given me a brighter outlook on my future possibilities and a great deal of confidence in myself. It's what pushes me forward to explore new paths. To find out all I CAN do in my life. I have enjoyed being an ER nurse and showing people how much a disabled person can accomplish but it has taken a physical toll. ER nursing is grueling on the body and maybe more so for me. Again my disability has directed my life toward a new path to get my master's degree in forensic nursing so that I may continue in my passion for nursing while taking care of my physical needs.

@jennykabat97

I am an emergency RN and I intend to pursue a career in forensic nursing in the hospital setting as well as volunteer settings outside of work. I have personally seen the vast scope of cases that arrive in the emergency room as well as the inpatient settings and have witnessed how involved these nurses are in each case. I will not simply provide medical care, collect evidence, and leave; I will have the opportunity to know the patients I work with, find out their individual needs, and provide care and resources tailored to them. Outside of work, I am a dedicated foster mother. It is my great joy in life to care for others both at work and the children I bring into my home until they can be returned to their families. I take children into my home who are in crisis. I have seen the aftermath of abuse and neglect and the long-term impacts it has on my children. I have held them as they cry asking “Why did this happen to me?”, “What did I do?”, and tried my best to reassure them. In my involvement with the foster system I have come to find this is not unique. Too many children are exploited and abused before entering the system, in the system as well unfortunately, and continue to be stuck in a similar cycle after leaving the system without someone to help them break it. I have seen the long process that is seeking justice, both in criminal and family courts, and the anger and heartbreak when a child’s words are not enough in the absence of physical evidence. My experiences with foster children and the court system have given me insight into the important role forensic nurses can play in giving these young victims a voice and a way out of unimaginable situations. It was through one such difficult situation with one of my foster children that I became involved with a group for teens who have been through physical abuse or assault in my area. I began to volunteer as a mentor and chaperone to this group when my foster teen’s social worker suggested she attend. While I no longer have that child in my home, I continue to volunteer with this group because I have seen the good it can do and want to provide that support to as many people in these situations as I can. My hope is with training in forensic nursing I can provide a new aspect of services and follow-up care to this group. A degree in forensic nursing would bring me more than professional fulfillment because for me it is more than simply a job. It is a desire to help others in ways so few can. Whatever I do, I do wholeheartedly. My next goal is to pursue a masters degree in Forensic Nursing so I may physically and mentally help some of the most vulnerable in my community.

I am an emergency RN and have primarily worked in level 1 and 2 trauma centers. I intend to pursue a career in forensic nursing in the hospital setting. I have personally seen the vast scope of cases that arrive in the emergency room as well as the inpatient settings and have witnessed how involved these nurses are in each case. I will not simply provide medical care, collect evidence, and leave; I will have the opportunity to know the patients I work with, find out their individual needs, and provide care and resources tailored to them. Outside of work, I am a dedicated single foster mother. It is my great joy in life to care for others both at work and the children I bring into my home until they can be returned to their families. I take children into my home who are in crisis. I have seen the aftermath of abuse and neglect and the long-term impacts it has on my children. I have held them as they cry asking “Why did this happen to me?”, “What did I do?”, and tried my best to reassure them. In my involvement with the foster system I have come to find this is not unique. Too many children are exploited and abused before entering the system, in the system as well unfortunately, and continue to be stuck in a similar cycle after leaving the system without someone to help them break it. I have seen the long process that is seeking justice, both in criminal and family courts, and the anger and heartbreak when a child’s words are not enough in the absence of physical evidence. My experiences with foster children and the court system have given me insight into the important role forensic nurses can play in giving these young victims a voice and a way out of unimaginable situations. It was through one such difficult situation with one of my foster children that I became involved with a group for teens who have been through physical abuse or assault in my area. I began to volunteer as a mentor and chaperone to this group when my foster teen’s social worker suggested she attend. While I no longer have that child in my home, I continue to volunteer with this group because I have seen the good it can do and want to provide that support to as many people in these situations as I can. My hope is with training in forensic nursing I can provide a new aspect of services and follow-up care to this group. I hate that children cannot stop the hurt that cruel adults inflict on them, that so many women are afraid to come forward after an assault, and that men feel so stigmatized they can’t seek help. Most of all I am angry that so many perpetrators get away with the pain they inflict. I can not stop these awful acts of violence from happening, but I can help make sure that these people don’t hurt anyone else, that they are held accountable for their crimes, and that every victim I care for has someone in their corner fighting for them. A career in forensic nursing would bring me more than professional fulfillment because for me it is more than simply a job. It is a desire to help others in ways so few can. Whatever I do, I do wholeheartedly. My next goal is to pursue a masters degree in Forensic Nursing so I may physically and mentally help some of the most vulnerable in my community.

I am an emergency RN and I intend to pursue a career in forensic nursing in the hospital setting as well as in volunteering. I have personally seen the vast scope of cases that arrive in the emergency room as well as the inpatient settings and have witnessed how involved these nurses are in each case. I will not simply provide medical care, collect evidence, and leave; I will have the opportunity to know the patients I work with, find out their individual needs, and provide care and resources tailored to them. Outside of work, my partner and I are dedicated foster mothers. It is my great joy in life to care for others both at work and the children we bring into our home until they can be returned to their families. We take children into our home who are in crisis. I have seen the aftermath of abuse and neglect and the long-term impacts it has on my children. I have held them as they cry asking “Why did this happen to me?”, “What did I do?”, and tried my best to reassure them. In my involvement with the foster system I have come to find this is not unique. Too many children are exploited and abused before entering the system, in the system as well unfortunately, and continue to be stuck in a similar cycle after leaving the system without someone to help them break it. I have seen the long process that is seeking justice, both in criminal and family courts, and the anger and heartbreak when a child’s words are not enough in the absence of physical evidence. My experiences with foster children and the court system have given me insight into the important role forensic nurses can play in giving these young victims a voice and a way out of unimaginable situations. It was through one such difficult situation with one of my foster children that I became involved with a group for teens who have been through physical abuse or assault in my area. I began to volunteer as a mentor and chaperone to this group when my foster teen’s social worker suggested she attend. While I no longer have that child in my home, I continue to volunteer with this group because I have seen the good it can do and want to provide that support to as many people in these situations as I can. My hope is with training in forensic nursing I can provide a new aspect of services and follow-up care to this group. I hate that children cannot stop the hurt that cruel adults inflict on them, that so many women are afraid to come forward after an assault, and that men feel so stigmatized they can’t seek help. Most of all I am angry that so many perpetrators get away with the pain they inflict. I can not stop these awful acts of violence from happening, but I can help make sure that these people don’t hurt anyone else, that they are held accountable for their crimes, and that every victim I care for has someone in their corner fighting for them. A career in forensic nursing would bring me more than professional fulfillment because for me it is more than simply a job. It is a desire to help others in ways so few can. Whatever I do, I do wholeheartedly. My next goal is to pursue a masters degree in Forensic Nursing so I may physically and mentally help some of the most vulnerable in my community.

I am an emergency RN and I intend to pursue a career in forensic nursing in the hospital setting as well as volunteer settings outside of work. I have personally seen the vast scope of cases that arrive in the emergency room as well as the inpatient settings and have witnessed how involved these nurses are in each case. I will not simply provide medical care, collect evidence, and leave; I will have the opportunity to know the patients I work with, find out their individual needs, and provide care and resources tailored to them. Outside of work, I am a dedicated foster mother. It is my great joy in life to care for others both at work and the children I bring into my home until they can be returned to their families. I take children into my home who are in crisis. I have seen the aftermath of abuse and neglect and the long-term impacts it has on my children. I have held them as they cry asking “Why did this happen to me?”, “What did I do?”, and tried my best to reassure them. In my involvement with the foster system I have come to find this is not unique. Too many children are exploited and abused before entering the system, in the system as well unfortunately, and continue to be stuck in a similar cycle after leaving the system without someone to help them break it. I have seen the long process that is seeking justice, both in criminal and family courts, and the anger and heartbreak when a child’s words are not enough in the absence of physical evidence. My experiences with foster children and the court system have given me insight into the important role forensic nurses can play in giving these young victims a voice and a way out of unimaginable situations. It was through one such difficult situation with one of my foster children that I became involved with a group for teens who have been through physical abuse or assault in my area. I began to volunteer as a mentor and chaperone to this group when my foster teen’s social worker suggested she attend. While I no longer have that child in my home, I continue to volunteer with this group because I have seen the good it can do and want to provide that support to as many people in these situations as I can. My hope is with training in forensic nursing I can provide a new aspect of services and follow-up care to this group. A degree in forensic nursing would bring me more than professional fulfillment because for me it is more than simply a job. It is a desire to help others in ways so few can. Whatever I do, I do wholeheartedly. My next goal is to pursue a masters degree in Forensic Nursing so I may physically and mentally help some of the most vulnerable in my community.

I am an emergency RN and have primarily worked in level 1 and 2 trauma centers. I intend to pursue a career in forensic nursing in the hospital setting. I have personally seen the vast scope of cases that arrive in the emergency room as well as the inpatient settings and have witnessed how involved these nurses are in each case. I will not simply provide medical care, collect evidence, and leave; I will have the opportunity to know the patients I work with, find out their individual needs, and provide care and resources tailored to them. Outside of work, my partner and I am are dedicated foster mothers. It is my great joy in life to care for others both at work and the children we bring into our home until they can be returned to their families. We take children into our home who are in crisis. I have seen the aftermath of abuse and neglect and the long-term impacts it has on my children. I have held them as they cry asking “Why did this happen to me?”, “What did I do?”, and tried my best to reassure them. In my involvement with the foster system I have come to find this is not unique. Too many children are exploited and abused before entering the system, in the system as well unfortunately, and continue to be stuck in a similar cycle after leaving the system without someone to help them break it. I have seen the long process that is seeking justice, both in criminal and family courts, and the anger and heartbreak when a child’s words are not enough in the absence of physical evidence. My experiences with foster children and the court system have given me insight into the important role forensic nurses can play in giving these young victims a voice and a way out of unimaginable situations. It was through one such difficult situation with one of my foster children that I became involved with a group for teens who have been through physical abuse or assault in my area. I began to volunteer as a mentor and chaperone to this group when my foster teen’s social worker suggested she attend. While I no longer have that child in my home, I continue to volunteer with this group because I have seen the good it can do and want to provide that support to as many people in these situations as I can. My hope is with training in forensic nursing I can provide a new aspect of services and follow-up care to this group. I hate that children cannot stop the hurt that cruel adults inflict on them, that so many women are afraid to come forward after an assault, and that men feel so stigmatized they can’t seek help. Most of all I am angry that so many perpetrators get away with the pain they inflict. I can not stop these awful acts of violence from happening, but I can help make sure that these people don’t hurt anyone else, that they are held accountable for their crimes, and that every victim I care for has someone in their corner fighting for them. A career in forensic nursing would bring me more than professional fulfillment because for me it is more than simply a job. It is a desire to help others in ways so few can. Whatever I do, I do wholeheartedly. My next goal is to pursue a masters degree in Forensic Nursing so I may physically and mentally help some of the most vulnerable in my community.

I am an emergency RN and have primarily worked in level 1 and 2 trauma centers. I intend to pursue a career in forensic nursing in the hospital setting. I have personally seen the vast scope of cases that arrive in the emergency room as well as the inpatient settings and have witnessed how involved these nurses are in each case. I will not simply provide medical care, collect evidence, and leave; I will have the opportunity to know the patients I work with, find out their individual needs, and provide care and resources tailored to them. Outside of work, I am a dedicated foster mother. It is my great joy in life to care for others both at work and the children I bring into my home until they can be returned to their families. I take children into my home who are in crisis. I have seen the aftermath of abuse and neglect and the long-term impacts it has on my children. I have held them as they cry asking “Why did this happen to me?”, “What did I do?”, and tried my best to reassure them. In my involvement with the foster system I have come to find this is not unique. Too many children are exploited and abused before entering the system, in the system as well unfortunately, and continue to be stuck in a similar cycle after leaving the system without someone to help them break it. I have seen the long process that is seeking justice, both in criminal and family courts, and the anger and heartbreak when a child’s words are not enough in the absence of physical evidence. My experiences with foster children and the court system have given me insight into the important role forensic nurses can play in giving these young victims a voice and a way out of unimaginable situations. It was through one such difficult situation with one of my foster children that I became involved with a group for teens who have been through physical abuse or assault in my area. I began to volunteer as a mentor and chaperone to this group when my foster teen’s social worker suggested she attend. While I no longer have that child in my home, I continue to volunteer with this group because I have seen the good it can do and want to provide that support to as many people in these situations as I can. My hope is with training in forensic nursing I can provide a new aspect of services and follow-up care to this group. I hate that children cannot stop the hurt that cruel adults inflict on them, that so many women are afraid to come forward after an assault, and that men feel so stigmatized they can’t seek help. Most of all I am angry that so many perpetrators get away with the pain they inflict. I can not stop these awful acts of violence from happening, but I can help make sure that these people don’t hurt anyone else, that they are held accountable for their crimes, and that every victim I care for has someone in their corner fighting for them. A career in forensic nursing would bring me more than professional fulfillment because for me it is more than simply a job. It is a desire to help others in ways so few can. Whatever I do, I do wholeheartedly. My next goal is to pursue a masters degree in Forensic Nursing so I may physically and mentally help some of the most vulnerable in my community.

I am an emergency RN and have primarily worked in level 1 and 2 trauma centers. I intend to pursue a career in forensic nursing in the hospital setting. I have personally seen the vast scope of cases that arrive in the emergency room as well as the inpatient settings and have witnessed how involved these nurses are in each case. I will not simply provide medical care, collect evidence, and leave; I will have the opportunity to know the patients I work with, find out their individual needs, and provide care and resources tailored to them. Outside of work, I am a dedicated foster mother. It is my great joy in life to care for others both at work and the children I bring into my home until they can be returned to their families. I take children into my home who are in crisis. I have seen the aftermath of abuse and neglect and the long-term impacts it has on my children. I have held them as they cry asking “Why did this happen to me?”, “What did I do?”, and tried my best to reassure them. In my involvement with the foster system I have come to find this is not unique. Too many children are exploited and abused before entering the system, in the system as well unfortunately, and continue to be stuck in a similar cycle after leaving the system without someone to help them break it. I have seen the long process that is seeking justice, both in criminal and family courts, and the anger and heartbreak when a child’s words are not enough in the absence of physical evidence. My experiences with foster children and the court system have given me insight into the important role forensic nurses can play in giving these young victims a voice and a way out of unimaginable situations. It was through one such difficult situation with one of my foster children that I became involved with a group for teens who have been through physical abuse or assault in my area. I began to volunteer as a mentor and chaperone to this group when my foster teen’s social worker suggested she attend. While I no longer have that child in my home, I continue to volunteer with this group because I have seen the good it can do and want to provide that support to as many people in these situations as I can. My hope is with training in forensic nursing I can provide a new aspect of services and follow-up care to this group. I hate that children cannot stop the hurt that cruel adults inflict on them, that so many women are afraid to come forward after an assault, and that men feel so stigmatized they can’t seek help. Most of all I am angry that so many perpetrators get away with the pain they inflict. I can not stop these awful acts of violence from happening, but I can help make sure that these people don’t hurt anyone else, that they are held accountable for their crimes, and that every victim I care for has someone in their corner fighting for them. A career in forensic nursing would bring me more than professional fulfillment because for me it is more than simply a job. It is a desire to help others in ways so few can. Whatever I do, I do wholeheartedly. My next goal is to pursue a masters degree in Forensic Nursing so I may physically and mentally help some of the most vulnerable in my community.

A foster mom to as many children as I can manage while maintaining my sanity and a forensic nurse working in the ER I already love to be a part of, using my unique skills to care for victims of violence in all areas of my life.