My decision to continue my nursing education was shaped by experience, not theory. Working as an ICU nurse has shown me what it truly means to be responsible for another person’s life. In critical care, there is no room for detachment. Patients and families depend on nurses not only for their clinical skills, but also for their presence, honesty, and steady reassurance during moments of fear and uncertainty. That responsibility is what continues to motivate me to grow within the profession. My path into nursing began through emergency medicine and eventually led me to the intensive care unit, where I care for patients with complex, life-threatening conditions. Many are unable to speak for themselves. Many are frightened, confused, or facing sudden changes they never anticipated. Their families often look to the nurse for clarity and stability when everything feels overwhelming. Over time, I realized that becoming a better nurse meant deepening my knowledge and strengthening my clinical judgment so I could show up more confidently for both patients and families. I am currently pursuing my Bachelor of Science in Nursing while continuing to work in critical care, and I am actively studying for the CCRN certification. This step is intentional. I aim to establish a solid foundation in evidence-based practice, leadership, and critical thinking. Preparing for the CCRN has challenged me to understand complex disease processes better and has reinforced my commitment to providing high-quality, thoughtful care. Looking ahead, I am exploring advanced practice roles such as Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist or Nurse Practitioner. While I continue to thoughtfully consider which path aligns best with my skills and values, my goal remains clear. I want to continue caring for patients with serious illness and to take on greater responsibility in clinical decision-making. No matter the role I pursue, I will always remain grounded in the bedside perspective that has shaped who I am as a nurse. I am especially inspired by nurses like Dashanna K. McNeil, who demonstrated a lifelong commitment to learning and to uplifting others within the profession. Her dedication to nursing education and mentorship reflects the values I strive to embody. Nursing is not just a career to me. It is a calling that requires growth, resilience, and a willingness to serve wherever there is need. Continuing my education allows me to honor that responsibility. My goal is to become a nurse who combines strong clinical skills with compassion and integrity, and who makes a positive contribution to the profession and the communities I serve.

Working in the ICU has shown me how terrifying it can be when someone cannot breathe. A large part of my job involves caring for patients with severe lung disease or rare medical conditions who suddenly depend on machines, medications, and other people to survive. When breathing becomes difficult, fear shows up quickly. Patients feel it, and families feel it too. Being present during those moments has shaped my desire to continue working in healthcare and inspired me to strive to improve the lives of others. In critical care, helping someone is not always about fixing the problem; it's also about supporting the person. Many times, there is no quick solution. Instead, my role is to help patients and families feel a sense of safety when everything feels out of control. I care for patients who are confused, anxious, or unable to communicate, while their loved ones are trying to understand information they never expected to hear. I spend a lot of time explaining what is happening, answering the same questions more than once, and simply staying present when fear takes over. Those moments matter more than people realize. Lung disease and rare medical conditions can change someone's life in an instant. Patients can lose their independence quickly, and families are forced to make difficult decisions with very little time to process what is happening. As a nurse, I focus on comfort, dignity, and advocacy. Sometimes that means helping manage anxiety or supporting breathing. At other times, it means speaking up when something does not feel right or ensuring a patient is treated with respect, even when they cannot speak for themselves. I am also often involved in end-of-life situations in the ICU, including initiating organ donation referrals for patients who do not survive despite aggressive treatment. These are some of the most challenging conversations to be a part of. Families are grieving, overwhelmed, and trying to make sense of loss. While organ donation does not change the outcome for that family, it can create meaning during an excruciating time. Knowing that a patient's lungs or other organs may help someone else live has deeply influenced how I view healthcare and responsibility. I am currently pursuing my Bachelor of Science in Nursing while continuing to work in critical care, and I am studying for the CCRN certification to enhance my understanding of complex conditions. I am considering future roles, such as CRNA or Nurse Practitioner, but my current focus is on becoming the strongest ICU nurse I can be. I want to continue improving lives through healthcare by showing up for patients and families when they need support the most. Sometimes improving a life means saving it. Other times, it means offering compassion, honesty, and dignity during moments that will never be forgotten.

Essay Prompt 1 I initially entered healthcare to become a physician. Growing up with a father who is a firefighter, I was exposed to emergency response, teamwork, and service at an early age. At eighteen, I completed EMT training and went on to work as an emergency department technician for five years, caring for patients during moments of crisis and uncertainty. Those experiences shaped my understanding of healthcare and helped me recognize where I felt most effective. While physicians play an essential role in diagnosis and treatment, I was consistently drawn to the nurses at the bedside. Nurses were the ones patients saw throughout the day and night. They explained what was happening, noticed subtle changes, and provided reassurance when fear took over. I realized that nursing is where the human connection lives. As the demand for nurses continues to grow, the importance of compassionate, well-trained nurses has never been more evident. Nurses provide more than clinical care. They create a sense of safety, advocate for patients who cannot speak for themselves, and support families navigating overwhelming situations. In many cases, nurses are the steady presence when patients rarely see their physicians. As an ICU nurse completing my BSN, I witness this need on a daily basis. Patients and families rely on nurses not only for their technical skills, but also for their calmness, consistency, and trust. Choosing nursing was a deliberate decision based on the kind of impact I wanted to make. Pursuing my BSN reflects my commitment to strengthening my practice and continuing to provide compassionate, patient-centered care that defines this profession. Essay Prompt 2 To me, “human touch” means providing care that acknowledges the person behind the diagnosis. It is the combination of compassion, presence, and attentiveness that helps patients feel safe during some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives. Human touch is expressed not only through physical contact, but also through tone of voice, eye contact, patience, and the ability to listen without rushing. In nursing, human touch is essential because nurses are the healthcare professionals with whom patients interact most. While physicians play a critical role in medical decision-making, nurses are the constant presence at the bedside. We monitor subtle changes, explain complex information in understandable ways, and respond when fear or pain arises. That consistency builds trust and provides reassurance in situations that can feel overwhelming. Working in the ICU has reinforced the power of human touch. Many patients are critically ill, unable to speak, or disoriented. Families are often experiencing shock, grief, or uncertainty. In these moments, small acts can make a lasting difference. Sitting with a family while they process difficult news, holding a patient’s hand during a procedure, or calmly explaining what is happening can help restore a sense of control and dignity. Human touch also means advocacy. It involves speaking up for patient comfort, protecting privacy, and ensuring that patients’ wishes are respected, even when they cannot voice them themselves. This type of care requires empathy, confidence, and a deep sense of responsibility. As the need for nurses continues to grow, maintaining human connection is more important than ever. Human touch transforms nursing from a technical role into a profoundly meaningful profession. It is what patients and families remember long after their hospital experience ends, and it is central to the kind of nurse I strive to be.

When I graduated High School, we had a man come and give a speech to us. I do not remember his name or what he looked like or wore, but I distinctly remember his message. He told the graduating class that no matter what career we chose, if our reason for pursuing that goal isn't strong enough, we will fail. He told us, "If your 'why' does not motivate you, then you won't get where you need to go." I felt that his statement was so impactful, and he inspired me to self-reflect and honestly think about my reason for pursuing nursing. But before I can tell you my "why," I need you to understand my background. I work in the Emergency Department as an Emergency Department Technician, and I have been in the ED for over three years. I worked during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. I lost so many colleagues due to burnout; we worked tirelessly. I put in hundreds of hours of overt, and we were always short-staffed; all the while, patients were dying around me. Why would I stay for that? Why would I want to witness tragedy daily? Why do I want to be a nurse? It is so hard to put into words. It's more of a feeling that I haven't yet named. What I can tell you is that nursing is a calling. It certainly is not an easy path. But the reward of being there for a patient during their most significant time of need is immeasurable. I have cried with my patients, and I laugh with my patients. I have closed my patients' eyes when we couldn't save them despite our best efforts. I have seen children die, and I have helped save countless people. Most of them might not remember my name, but as Maya Angelou said, "At the end of the day, people won't remember what you said or did, they will remember how you made them feel." I want to make people feel cared for, I want them to feel safe, and I want to help them feel better. I want my patients to know that they are respected and that I am there for them. I do not want them to feel alone or like they are a burden. I am so grateful for my job in the ED because those small, infrequent moments when a patient tells me how grateful they are for me make all the difference in the world. Despite the extreme challenges I have faced working in the ED, I know that nursing is my calling. I am now in my second semester of nursing school and continue working part-time in the ED. That man at my graduation ceremony inspired me to realize my reasoning behind all this hard work. There have been many times when I have wanted to quit. I have wanted to give up. But I haven't, and I won't. I know I won't stop till I reach my goal because my “why” is strong enough.

When I graduated High School, we had a man come and give a speech to us. I do not remember his name or what he looked like or wore, but I distinctly remember his message. He told the graduating class that no matter what career we chose, if our reason for pursuing that goal isn't strong enough, we will fail. He told us, "If your 'why' does not motivate you, then you won't get where you need to go." I felt that his statement was so impactful, and he inspired me to self-reflect and honestly think about my reason for pursuing nursing. But before I can tell you my "why," I need you to understand my background. I work in the Emergency Department as an Emergency Department Technician, and I have been in the ED for over three years. I worked during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. I lost so many colleagues due to burnout; we worked tirelessly. I put in hundreds of hours of overt, and we were always short-staffed; all the while, patients were dying around me. Why would I stay for that? Why would I want to witness tragedy daily? Why do I want to be a nurse? It is so hard to put into words. It's more of a feeling that I haven't yet named. What I can tell you is that nursing is a calling. It certainly is not an easy path. But the reward of being there for a patient during their most significant time of need is immeasurable. I have cried with my patients, and I laugh with my patients. I have closed my patients' eyes when we couldn't save them despite our best efforts. I have seen children die, and I have helped save countless people. Most of them might not remember my name, but as Maya Angelou said, "At the end of the day, people won't remember what you said or did, they will remember how you made them feel." I want to make people feel cared for, I want them to feel safe, and I want to help them feel better. I want my patients to know that they are respected and that I am there for them. I do not want them to feel alone or like they are a burden. I am so grateful for my job in the ED because those small, infrequent moments when a patient tells me how grateful they are for me make all the difference in the world. Despite the extreme challenges I have faced working in the ED, I know that nursing is my calling. I am now in my second semester of nursing school and continue working part-time in the ED. That man at my graduation ceremony inspired me to realize my reasoning behind all this hard work. There have been many times when I have wanted to quit. I have wanted to give up. But I haven't, and I won't. I know I won't stop till I reach my goal because my “why” is strong enough.

Hi there, my name is Layla, and I am a second-semester nursing student! My best back-to-school tip is to stay organized! It would be best if you had a planner or a calendar- anything you will use to keep you on track. Once you fall behind, it can be challenging to catch up. Organize your files on your computer, ensure everything has a place, and you know where to find it. Don't just click download and leave it under a random name- you will never find what you are looking for this way! Make a master excel spreadsheet of all your due dates, and put them ALL in your planner/calendar. Try taking digital notes on your iPad/ Laptop. Having digital notes will help you keep better track of them! Best of luck to everyone this semester! We've got this! Layla Sheldon- Instagram @laylarae1

It is my dream to become a Nurse Practioner. I am completely fascinated with healthcare, and I am eager to learn as much as possible. I always knew that what I decided to devote my life to needed to be meaningful, and for me, there is nothing more significant than saving a life. My father is a Firefighter and a Paramedic, which means I grew up around someone who practiced Emergency Medicine for a living. Once I graduated high school, I decided to enroll in an Emergency Medical Technician course. This class helped me grow into a more mature version of myself, and I now have the privilege of working in the Emergency Room as an Emergency Department Technician. My job in the Emergency Room is one that I am proud of, and it continues to solidify that I belong in the medical field. It is not a relaxed journey, and there are many times when I have had to push myself outside of my comfort zone. However, I believe it will all be worth it in the end because I will be able to devote my life to doing something I am passionate about. Working in the Emergency Room has shown me that I have a great passion for taking care of children. When I graduate with my Nursing Degree, I intend on working at Phoenix Children's Hospital. There is something special about those who take care of pediatric patients and do it well. I want to be that particular person. Children require a different way of communicating than adults, and in some ways, to me, it feels like perfecting an art. I try to figure out how to make everything feel less scary. I carry small bubble vials in my work bag; I have found that children love blowing bubbles when trying to get their vitals. Another unique aspect of pediatric Nursing is that it is generally not their fault when children are ill. There is a significant contrast between geriatric and pediatric nursing because each group is sick. For example, many of the diseases elder adults end up having are caused by years of unhealthy living. At the same time, children who have a disease are typically dealt an unfortunate set of cards that make them very sick. Basically, on one side, most of their suffering is preventable, and with children, it isn't always able to be prevented. In closing, I believe I would be a great pediatric nurse. Taking care of children is something that I genuinely enjoy, and my end goal is to become a Pediatric Nurse Practioner. Receiving this scholarship would be immensely helpful in my pursuit of higher education. I am currently in my first semester of nursing school and have considerably cut down on my hours worked in the Emergency Room. I did this to put forth more effort into studying, but it has caused some financial difficulties. I want to graduate with my Nursing Degree debt-free, and winning this scholarship would significantly help. I appreciate your consideration.

In a world that has been conditioned to be so isolated over the last year and a half, it can be challenging to remember the importance of human connection. However, we mustn't forget how rich our lives can be when we have people to share it with. To me, generosity is giving a piece of yourself to someone with the intent of bettering that person's day. Sometimes this is something as small as allowing an older adult to have your chair or your spot in line. It can be immeasurable. Perhaps generosity is allowing yourself to give the woman yelling at you some grace instead of meeting her with hate. It is generous to purchase someone a gift, even when you know you work quite hard for your money. Kindness and generosity are the only way to escape the hostility that is running rampant around us now. It shields you from other's hate and gives you strength in knowing you are enriching someone's life in addition to enhancing your own. So, in conclusion, let us be kind, let us be generous, and let us be light to help guide those who have yet to find their own. After all, life is much more gratifying when we help those around us.

The scientific discovery that I deem to be my favorite is the discovery of genes. Genetics is so complex and quite incredible. Without knowing what genes are, we would be eons behind in our treatment of genetic diseases. Sickle cell disease is one of many genetic disorders currently underway in being treated with gene therapy. There is so much unlimited potential for the world and healthcare. With the knowledge of genetics, we can truly make the world a healthier and better place. I believe that there is no reason someone should suffer if it is treatable. To that end, the scientific community continues to make significant headway into allowing gene therapy to become more integrated into society. In conclusion, I believe Mendel's discoveries have paved the way towards a brighter and healthier future for humanity.

This is Charlie, my 4-year-old Miniature Schnauzer. He and I go for walks every evening. We were blessed with this beautiful sunset during one of our evening outings. I had him sit and wait, but the smile he did all on his own!

It was July 2020, and I had an incredibly difficult year, not to mention a challenging childhood. My stress was at an all-time high, and I was experiencing a significant amount of chest pain. I ignored it for a while, but it became so bad one day that I decided to go to Urgent Care. The doctor decided my chest pain was likely caused by the significant amount of stress I was under. He prescribed me an antidepressant and told me to follow up with my PCP. The medication he prescribed me didn't work, so my PCP prescribed another medication. The medication she put me on made me worse, and I was ready to give up. I was suicidal, angry, explosive, anxious, depressed, etc. Thankfully, my dad helped me get in to see a therapist, and I believe she truly saved my life. My therapist referred me to a Nurse Practioner specializing in mental health, and she finally sorted out my medications. I had begun feeling normal for the first time in years, and I started intensive therapy. I saw my therapist 2 times a week for almost a year. She helped me sort through the significant childhood trauma I had, along with the PTSD I had obtained from working in the ER. While in therapy, I had experienced the death of a 5-year-old girl. This was perhaps the hardest moment of my life so far, but I was fortunate enough to have my therapist there to support me. I had a tough time finding competent care during my time of need. Had I not had the support of my father, I might not have made it this far. My experience has inspired me to pursue a career as a Family Nurse Practioner. More often than not, patients experiencing depression and anxiety go to their primary healthcare provider for help and not a psychiatrist. My goal is to positively impact my patients struggling with mental health who have no idea where to start. I want to be the anchor for my patients when they have nowhere else to turn.

Whether or not we want to admit it, money rules this world. As such, it has become increasingly important to manage finances from a very young age. The most important personal finance lesson that I have learned is to take care of my credit! I am very fortunate to have had a father who set me up for success at a young age. He put my name on two of his credit cards when I was only 14 years old to begin earning credit well before it was of any use to me. The opportunities of having good credit at such a young age have been very empowering for me. The most exciting thing to come from having great credit at the age of 21 was the ability to get a car loan without having a cosigner. This brought me a great sense of independence and hope for the future. Once I am a nurse, I know I will have no trouble securing a mortgage for a house, and I will be able to upgrade my car any time I want to or need to. All in all, the greatest personal finance lesson that is important to me is the upkeep and the necessity of having a great credit score. Having a great credit score has allowed me a sense of independence that most people my age do not have yet. Of course, I have a lot of it to thank my father for, but I have also been very diligent about keeping my credit score high and paying off my bills in a timely fashion.

To begin, I have been working in an Emergency Room as an ED Technician for about two and a half years. I live in a small town, a small town that has a large amount of recovering addicts. Halfway houses surround the area, and recovery homes, etc. In addition, the Emergency Room is what I call a "catch-all" for any and every problem the community does not want to deal with. I consider a substantial percentage of the patients I encounter and take care of to be underserved. Even though the community is supposed to be a safe area for those addicted to alcohol and drugs, more often than not, they are instead dropped off at the front door of the Emergency Room. These people are often homeless, mentally unstable, and quite frequently, they are very intoxicated. Before I go any further, I must tell you more about my background. I am the product of being raised by a single father and traumatized by a mother addicted to alcohol, pills, and anything else she could get her hands on. So, when I first began my journey of working in the Emergency Room, anytime I'd encounter the underserved addicts in the community- I'd feel sick and disgusted and even a certain amount of disdain. The Emergency Room is no place for the homeless, patients going through a psychiatric crisis, or even those so intoxicated they don't know up from down. However, there is no place for them other than the ER. Until we get them calm enough to be accepted by a facility that is supposed to specialize in these sorts of issues. I continued for a long while being angry at these patients, feeling they were wasting my time when I should be dedicating my expertise to those having a real medical emergency such as a heart attack. A healthcare provider will not last very long with the sort of attitude I carried around with me, and I was beginning to feel the effects of burn-out and compassion fatigue after only a year of working in healthcare. It is true when someone tells you that you cannot take care of others unless you first care for yourself. So, that's exactly what I did; I knew if I didn't take care of myself, I'd quit my journey towards being a Nurse Practioner before I could even get started. I did extensive therapy, attending sessions twice a week for 6 months. I had to heal my childhood trauma and let go of my hatred. This, in turn, made me a much better healthcare provider, and it gave me the strength to have compassion for the underserved patients in my community. My coworkers often call me the "crazy whisperer" because, more often than not, I can calm down any of the addicts or psychiatric patients that wander into the ER. Taking care of myself allowed me to empathize with these patients instead of being angry with them. Now, I love my job.

Longevity seems to be a universal human interest. As a human race, our ultimate goal has always been to survive. Natural Selection used to play a massive role in who would live and reproduce, but now with modern medicine, the playing field has leveled. Now we want to slow the aging process or mask the aging process through cosmetic procedures. The facts are clear; life expectancy has increased substantially. Even though it has grown, this does not mean that the quality of life is always better Working in the emergency room, I often see 80-90-year-olds who walk and can take care of themselves. I have also seen others in the same age group who are obese, incontinent, and seem to have little quality of life. It is clear that individuals age differently, but perhaps with the right scientific minds, we could better prevent the unfortunate deterioration that a lot of people experience. I have been interested in the aging process since high-school. In my advanced placement biology class, I learned that all cells have telomeres and that the shortening of the telomeres plays a significant role in aging. All cells divide, and each time the cell divides, the telomeres shorten. With this knowledge, slowing down the aging process seemed very attainable, but there was not a lot of research showing how to prevent the shortening of telomeres. There are plenty of supplements on the market claiming to preserve telomeres, but many of them seem too good to be true. Data now suggest that the real key to keeping our telomeres from shortening as quickly is to live a healthy lifestyle. As an aspiring physician, I intend to advance human longevity by involving my self in further research as well as passing on the knowledge I gain in my journey to my patients to help them live a long and healthy life. Ultimately, I am passionate about researching this subject because I believe this area of science has the potential to end a lot of human suffering. More in-depth research on telomeres show that obesity, smoking, stress, and living a sedentary lifestyle lead to increased shortening of them. In contrast, restricting caloric intake, eating more antioxidants, exercising, and actively trying to reduce stress can slow the rate at which telomeres shorten (Shammas). Genetics also plays a massive role in the length of telomeres. Most people are aware that women have a longer life expectancy, but they are not aware that this may be because women have longer telomeres (Aviv). There are other ways to potentially increased longevity. One area that shows promise is stem cell therapy. Stem cell's role is to help the body repair a significant injury; for example, stem cells injected into an injured knee. Interestingly, there is the possibility that stem cells may assist the heart in repairing after it suffers a Myocardial Infarction or commonly known as a heart attack (Harvard). The research of increasing longevity in humans is going to prove to be a significant chapter in human history. After all, throughout the existence of our species, the ultimate goal has been to survive. Now, it appears the goal is to live forever. While that may be unattainable now, increasing our life expectancy through stem cell therapy or better preservation of telomeres is certainly within reach. Ending human disease and suffering is a worthy goal, and it is one that I am eager to contribute to. Aviv, A., Kark, J., & Susser, E. (2015, May). Telomeres, atherosclerosis, and human longevity: A causal hypothesis. Retrieved June 23, 2020, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4381978/ Shammas, M. (2011, January). Telomeres, lifestyle, cancer, and aging. Retrieved June 22, 2020, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3370421/ Harvard. (2013, March). Repairing the heart with stem cells. Retrieved June 23, 2020, from https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/repairing-the-heart-with-stem-cells