There are many ways a person can be called to a profession or vocation. Sometimes it's a person's own experience, the observation of the experience of someone else, or the life story of someone that catches your attention. I was a young girl when I can remember thinking that one day I would be a nurse. I have become passionate about nursing in large part because my mother is a nurse. My mom has been an OB nurse for 25 years and I can see the joy and meanings it brings her. As I grew up, I vividly remember my mom coming home and talking about her day and the people she cared for. She would tell me that "being a nurse is priceless and a privilege because you have the opportunity to make a difference in someone's day that they will remember for a lifetime". Most times her stories would be full of joy, but occasionally her story would be one of intense grief of a family losing a baby. She would say how much of a privilege it was to walk with people through their grief. Hearing those stories inspired me to find my way to a meaningful career that was about more than earning a paycheck. God has given me gifts and abilities and I am going to do my best to use them in a way that glorifies Him. As a nurse, I hope to be able to touch the lives of my patients in an impactful way. I hope to be a pediatric nurse in a hospital devoted to pediatric patients with complex medical processes. I want to be a nurse who can not only cares for physical needs of my patients, but also cares for their emotional and spiritual needs. I want to make my pediatric patients smile, laugh, and make their day feel a little brighter. The family of pediatric patients are as important as the patient. I want to be a nurse who supports families and makes them feel heard and cared for as they walk through a stressful and heavy time in their life. I will not be a nurse who is solely focused on medication administration, physical assessments, and treatments but one who focuses on the patient and family in a holistic and nurturing way. After receiving two years of experience, I aspire to be excepted into a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner program. My life dream is to care for pediatric patients in the acute inpatient setting. My goals are big, but my work ethic and dedication is in place to achieve what I have set my mind to. I appreciate the opportunity to apply for this scholarship.

There are many ways a person can be called to a profession or vocation. Sometimes it's a person's own experience, the observation of the experience of someone else, or the life story of someone that catches your attention. I was a young girl when I can remember thinking that one day I would be a nurse. I have become passionate about nursing in large part because my mother is a nurse. My mom has been an OB nurse for 25 years and I can see the joy and meanings it brings her. As I grew up, I vividly remember my mom coming home and talking about her day and the people she cared for. She would tell me that "being a nurse is priceless and a privilege because you have the opportunity to make a difference in someone's day that they will remember for a lifetime". Most times her stories would be full of joy, but occasionally her story would be one of intense grief of a family losing a baby. She would say how much of a privilege it was to walk with people through their grief. Hearing those stories inspired me to find my way to a meaningful career that was about more than earning a paycheck. God has given me gifts and abilities and I am going to do my best to use them in a way that glorifies Him. As a nurse, I hope to be able to touch the lives of my patients in an impactful way. I hope to be a pediatric nurse in a hospital devoted to pediatric patients with complex medical processes. I want to be a nurse who can not only cares for physical needs of my patients, but also cares for their emotional and spiritual needs. I want to make my pediatric patients smile, laugh, and make their day feel a little brighter. The family of pediatric patients are as important as the patient. I want to be a nurse who supports families and makes them feel heard and cared for as they walk through a stressful and heavy time in their life. I will not be a nurse who is solely focused on medication administration, physical assessments, and treatments but one who focuses on the patient and family in a holistic and nurturing way. After receiving two years of experience, I aspire to be excepted into a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner program. My life dream is to care for pediatric patients in the acute inpatient setting. My goals are big, but my work ethic and dedication is in place to achieve what I have set my mind to. I appreciate the opportunity to apply for this scholarship.