I worked as a certified nursing assistant II on an Intermediate Care Unit. There was a workplace culture of teamwork in the Intermediate Care Unit, where I acquired a foundation of hands-on experience providing direct patient care and exposure to acute nursing skills working with a diverse patient population. The experience of working in a hospital setting allowed me to develop a close working relationship with nurses and other clinical staff. These experiences have become the inspiration for my pursuit of becoming an acute care Nursing. Becoming part of the Intermediate Care Unit has prepared me for the reality of becoming a nurse, and the ability to accomplish my ambitions in healthcare. Currently, I am in the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University. After I graduate in August, my ambition is to continue on my journey toward becoming an acute care travel nurse. By becoming a travel nurse, I will be able to utilize the skills and talents that I have acquired where the greatest need exists throughout the United States. One day down, I hope to seize the opportunity to volunteer as part of the medical team aboard a Mercy Ship, an international charity that travels to the world to countries to provide humanitarian aid. In addition to providing free healthcare, health education, and palliative care for terminal patients, the medical teams aboard participate in other projects that include community development, education about mental health, and agricultural initiatives. Becoming a part of the medical team on these retrofitted cruise ships has become my ultimate career ambition.

After graduating from the University of Oregon, I participated in two 10-month AmeriCorps Programs. During my time in AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps, my eleven-person team worked on four projects with host organizations and additional projects throughout the Southern United States. Our first project was mentoring disadvantaged youth and restoration projects at Camp John I. Hay with the Boys & Girls Club of Central Mississippi. These restoration projects included trail clearing, maintenance of the camp and facilities, construction of a staircase, and reroofing one of the camp cabins. We traveled to Bay St. Louis on the Gulf Coast for our second project to help victims of Hurricane Katrina in a joint effort with Lutheran Episcopal Services in Mississippi/ Mission on the Bay. This area was where Hurricane Katrine made landfall before devastating New Orleans. My team would provide the labor for house restoration projects where homeowners had provided the building materials. Our third project was assisting the United Way of Jackson County with the preparation of basic tax returns for low-income families. Our final project was with Habitat for Humanity Goldsboro-Wayne. We worked alongside volunteers and the future homeowners of three Habitat houses putting in sweat equity to complete their first homes. During AmeriCorps Cape Cod, I participated in land and water stewardship service projects, disaster preparedness, and environmental education. I participated in two individual placements with the Army Corps of Engineers on the Cape Cod Canal and the Bourne Department of Natural Resources. My primary work with the Army Corps of Engineers was preservation projects around the Cape Cod Canal. Throughout my program, I helped with a restoration project of an American chestnut orchard. My project over the winter was to develop an interactive osprey display game for the Cape Cod Canal Visitor Center. During the spring and summer, my major project was the preservation of the endangered Piping Plover nesting grounds from human interference, foxes and other predators, and the incoming tide. I would erect beach fencing, plant seagrass, and place signage to protect this endangered bird population. My projects with the Bourne Department of Natural Resources involved aquaculture and shellfish propagation. I would help clean up the beaches and marinas, spread juvenile shellfish in the waterways, and restore salmon runs. During the winter, my responsibility was to clean the shellfish propagation tanks and equipment. In AmeriCorps Cape Cod, two days a week were dedicated to service projects working with environmental organizations. In addition to my individual placements, these organizations included other Department of Natural Resources, the Cape Cod Commission, the Mass Audubon Long Pasture Wildlife Sanctuary, and the Cape Cod National Seashore. One day a week, I worked at the main office in Barnstable with other members of AmeriCorps Cape Cod. We coordinated a volunteer day of service to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr Day and promoted environmental education in schools. My volunteer service through AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps allowed me to make a positive impact in the underserved communities of the Southern United States. AmeriCorps Cape Cod allowed me to perform environmental work and education to improve the community on Cape Cod. Part of my determination to become a travel nurse is to continue my previous work to improve the underserved communities throughout the United States. I aspire to make a positive impact on underserved countries throughout the world. One day, I hope to volunteer as a medical crew member aboard a Mercy Ship, an international charity that provides humanitarian aid to remote countries. Becoming a medical crew member aboard a Mercy Ship has become my ultimate career ambition.

My favorite all-time movie is Fury. This movie follows a new recruit to a US tank division in Nazi Germany in the end of the European Theater. He gets traumatized by the horrors of the war. Overtime he slowly gains the respect of the other members of the tank crew aboard the Fury. In the end, the new recruit is the only survivor as the Fury makes a last stand against a Waffen-SS battalion. This movie has become my favorite because I connected with the new recruit and the world of this movie. I enjoy war movies, but this movie had a realness to it that does not always happen with other movies. Typically, I can watch a war movie and the epicness can allow me to disconnect from the horror and violence. Fury shows this new recruit’s harsh coming of age against the backdrop of World War II. This movie had a realness that takes the watcher on a journey and you feel like the new recruit. You watch the violence, sacrifice, and humanity of the soldiers during World War II.

Growing up, healthcare was not what I foresaw as my career path in life. I decided to become a certified nursing assistant while I completed prerequisite courses for accelerated nursing programs. The impact of working in a hospital setting allowed me to develop a close working relationship with nurses and other clinical staff. On the Intermediate Care Unit, there was a workplace culture of teamwork where I acquired a foundation of hands-on experience of providing direct patient care and exposure to critical care nursing skills working with a diverse patient population. These experiences became the inspiration for my pursuit of working as a critical care nurse. Working in the Intermediate Care Unit prepared me for the reality of becoming a nurse and the ability to accomplish my ambitions in healthcare. I attend the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing on the Illinois State University campus. After I graduate in August, my ambition is to become a critical care travel nurse. Before I can embark as a traveler nurse, I will need to acquire one to two years of experience working in critical care at a hospital. Becoming a traveler nurse, I will be able to utilize my skills and talents that I have acquired where the greatest need exists throughout the United States. One day, I hope to volunteer as a medical crew member aboard a Mercy Ship, an international charity that provides humanitarian aid to remote countries. In addition to providing free healthcare, health education, and palliative care for terminal patients, the medical teams aboard participate in other projects that include community development, education about mental health, and agricultural initiatives. Embarking on an expedition as a medical crew member aboard a Mercy Ship has become my ultimate career ambition.

Growing up, healthcare was not what I foresaw as my career path in life. I decided to become a certified nursing assistant while I completed prerequisite courses for accelerated nursing programs. The impact of working in a hospital setting allowed me to develop a close working relationship with nurses and other clinical staff. On the Intermediate Care Unit, there was a workplace culture of teamwork where I acquired a foundation of hands-on experience of providing direct patient care and exposure to critical care nursing skills working with a diverse patient population. These experiences became the inspiration for my pursuit of working as a critical care nurse. Working in the Intermediate Care Unit prepared me for the reality of becoming a nurse and the ability to accomplish my ambitions in healthcare. I attend the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing on the Illinois State University campus. After I graduate in August, my ambition is to become a critical care travel nurse. Before I can embark as a traveler nurse, I will need to acquire one to two years of experience working in critical care at a hospital. Becoming a traveler nurse, I will be able to utilize my skills and talents that I have acquired where the greatest need exists throughout the United States. One day, I hope to volunteer as a medical crew member aboard a Mercy Ship, an international charity that provides humanitarian aid to remote countries. In addition to providing free healthcare, health education, and palliative care for terminal patients, the medical teams aboard participate in other projects that include community development, education about mental health, and agricultural initiatives. Embarking on an expedition as a medical crew member aboard a Mercy Ship has become my ultimate career ambition.

Growing up, healthcare was not what I foresaw as my career path in life. After watching my Aunt’s two-and-half-year battle with cancer, I was inspired to look into healthcare. The Oncology Nurses and other healthcare staff that took care of my Aunt while she was in the hospital had been kind and considerate. I determined that nurses are the lifeblood and foundation for the patient care within the healthcare system. My Aunt’s nurses become her strongest advocates and support system for her care and our family throughout her second battle with cancer. Nurses are the frontline leaders of the healthcare team providing direct patient care, education, and support for patients and families. My Aunt first battled with cancer was in her mid-twenties with breast cancer around the time I was born. She was in remission until the summer of 2015 with her diagnosis of stage 2 cervical cancer. There was hope that a radical hysterectomy would remove the cancerous tissue with some chemotherapy before her cancer had an opportunity to metastasize. During the radical hysterectomy, complications arose due to a bowel perforation from her colon being nicked, causing the surgery to be unsuccessful. Due to the extent of the scar tissue, a future surgical option was not considered, and her cervical cancer was discovered to have metastasized to other parts of her body. The next option was to begin an aggressive chemotherapy regimen. My Aunt was forced into early retirement from her position as an Assistant Manager at a store. Chemotherapy sapped all of my Aunt’s strength and energy. My mother and I would help with her care during the week to ease the burden of my cousin, who lived out of state. My cousin would make the three and half hour drive every weekend to take care of her mother. My Aunt tried her best to maintain some semblance of her previous life before the diagnosis of cancer. She was stubborn and would try to ambulate but often would fall. Typically, these were trips to take herself to the bathroom and she would become incontinent on the ground. Her embarrassment caused her to remain dirty until she was found by family or the in-home caretakers that were hired. She was constantly losing weight because of the chemotherapy causing her appetite to disappear. Two and a half years of fighting cancer for the second time, a failed radical hysterectomy, multiple rounds of chemotherapy, and constant misery, fear, and pain. My Aunt decided she was finished fighting and wanted to be placed on Hospice Care. Two weeks later, she died in her bed. I decided to become a certified nursing assistant while I completed prerequisite courses for accelerated nursing programs. The impact of working in a hospital setting allowed me to develop a close working relationship with nurses and other clinical staff. On the Intermediate Care Unit, there was a workplace culture of teamwork where I acquired a foundation of hands-on experience of providing direct patient care and exposure to critical care nursing skills working with a diverse patient population. These experiences became the inspiration for my pursuit of working as a critical care nurse. Working in the Intermediate Care Unit prepared me for the reality of becoming a nurse and the ability to accomplish my ambitions in healthcare. I attend the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing on the Illinois State University campus. After I graduate in August, my ambition is to continue on my journey towards becoming a critical care travel nurse. Before I can embark as a traveler nurse, I will need to acquire one to two years of experience working in critical care at a hospital. Becoming a traveler nurse, I will be able to utilize my skills and talents that I have acquired where the greatest need exists throughout the United States. One day, I hope to volunteer as a medical crew member aboard a Mercy Ship, an international charity that provides humanitarian aid to remote countries. In addition to providing free healthcare, health education, and palliative care for terminal patients, the medical teams aboard participate in other projects that include community development, education about mental health, and agricultural initiatives. Embarking on an expedition as a medical crew member aboard a Mercy Ship has become my ultimate career ambition.

Growing up, my Grandpa Jim and his advice have helped to shape me into the man that I am today. He died when I was six years old, but I still remember the wisdom he imparted to me during our fishing trips together. One of his favorite adages was: The top of one mountain is the bottom of the next, so keep climbing. While I watched the last vestiges of sunlight disappear on the horizon at Sequoia National Park, I decided that I wanted to pursue a life in healthcare and become a Nurse. Starting in Middle School, I wanted to become a Criminal Prosecution Lawyer. Midway through my first Bachelor Degree program at the University of Oregon, I decided to abandon the career trajectory of becoming a Criminal Prosecution Lawyer. While the profession has longevity, I could not see myself continuing to be a lawyer throughout my life. After abandoning this career trajectory, I felt lost in life and unsure of what to do in life. That adage gives me the courage and strength to continue moving onward and upward toward the next challenge. There have been times that I have contemplated abandoning my journey towards healthcare. I remind myself of my grandfather's words to give me the strength to overcome.

Currently, I am in the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University. After I graduate in August, my ambition is to continue on my journey toward becoming an acute care travel nurse. By becoming a travel nurse, I will be able to utilize the skills and talents that I have acquired where the greatest need exists throughout the United States. One day, I hope to seize the opportunity to volunteer as part of the medical team aboard a Mercy Ship, an international charity that travels to the world to countries to provide humanitarian aid. In addition to providing free healthcare, health education, and palliative care for terminal patients, the medical teams aboard participate in other projects that include community development, education about mental health, and agricultural initiatives. Becoming a part of the medical team on these retrofitted cruise ships has become my ultimate career ambition.

One summer during college, I was a door-to-door educational book salesman in the Crime Capital of Massachusetts. I am not the type of person, then or now, that answers the door when someone knocks or rings the doorbell. To this day, I could not tell you exactly why I thought this type of job was a good idea for me. Perhaps I was blinded by the opportunity of living outside of Oregon for the first time in my life and the mystery of where I would end up for the summer. Nevertheless, I ignored the multiple red flags because of the prospect that successful sellers have the opportunity to make upwards of five thousand dollars over a single summer and are rewarded with an invitation to a celebratory trip with other successful sellers. That summer ended up being full of hard work, life lessons, and self-discovery. Within 10 days of finishing Spring Term, I had driven halfway across the country to Nashville, Tennessee to receive a crash course week of training before arriving in Springfield, Massachusetts. My work week consisted of working twelve hours a day for six days. For twelve hours, I would travel neighborhood to neighborhood armed with a sixty-pound satchel filled with samples of the educational books I was peddling. After twelve hours, I would be picked up by the Team Leader. At night, we were allowed to take a formal hot water shower before eating dinner. Sundays were the only day we were allowed to talk with our family and friends from back home. Eventually, the day arrived for my flight back home. During the flight, I reflected on what had transpired throughout the last few months. That summer working as a door-to-door educational book salesman broke me down physically, emotionally, and physically.

Currently, I attend the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University. After I graduate in August, my ambition is to continue on my journey toward becoming an acute care travel nurse. By becoming a Traveler Nurse, I will be able to utilize the skills and talents that I have acquired where the greatest need exists throughout the United States. One day, I hope to seize the opportunity to volunteer as part of the medical team aboard a Mercy Ship, an international charity that travels to the world to countries to provide humanitarian aid. In addition to providing free healthcare, health education, and palliative care for terminal patients, the medical teams aboard participate in other projects that include community development, education about mental health, and agricultural initiatives. Becoming a part of the medical team on these retrofitted cruise ships has become my ultimate career ambition.

I worked as a certified nursing assistant II on an Intermediate Care Unit. There was a workplace culture of teamwork in the Intermediate Care Unit, where I acquired a foundation of hands-on experience providing direct patient care and exposure to acute nursing skills working with a diverse patient population. The experience of working in a hospital setting allowed me to develop a close working relationship with nurses and other clinical staff. These experiences have become the inspiration for my pursuit of becoming an acute care Nursing. Becoming part of the Intermediate Care Unit has prepared me for the reality of becoming a nurse, and the ability to accomplish my ambitions in healthcare. Currently, I am in the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University. After I graduate in August, my ambition is to continue on my journey toward becoming an acute care travel nurse. By becoming a travel nurse, I will be able to utilize the skills and talents that I have acquired where the greatest need exists throughout the United States. One day down, I hope to seize the opportunity to volunteer as part of the medical team aboard a Mercy Ship, an international charity that travels to the world to countries to provide humanitarian aid. In addition to providing free healthcare, health education, and palliative care for terminal patients, the medical teams aboard participate in other projects that include community development, education about mental health, and agricultural initiatives. Becoming a part of the medical team on these retrofitted cruise ships has become my ultimate career ambition.

Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. A day that will live in infamy. That day has had a greater influence on my life than any day that I have been alive. My maternal grandparents were second-generation Japanese Americans. After Pearl Harbor, my grandparents were placed in internment camps, while their older brothers were drafted by the United States to fight in the 422nd Battalion in the European Theater. When World War II ended, my grandparents and their families endured the systemic racism of the American people. To survive in this hostile environment, they fully adopted American culture, thereby abandoning their Japanese heritage. My mother grew up without learning the language, traditions, or culture of the Land of the Rising Sun. I am hapa haole. I believe this is from the forced Americanization of my mother because my entire generation is half Japanese. I believe that the only reason my mother is Japanese is because of racism. The Japanese and other Asians had to create a tight-knit community because they became pariahs of society. In our youth, my generation looked Asian but as we have grown up, we seem to look less Asian with each passing year. I get mistaken for Hispanic all the time, and I hate it. Not that being Hispanic is a bad thing, it just is not me or my story. I am a proud fourth-generation Japanese American. I feel that I have to prove myself with each new person and interaction. The searching look that people have when I tell them that I am Japanese. Them trying to see it, as if to disprove my lie. Being Japanese is important to me. One day, I hope to have the opportunity to visit Japan. I would like to learn Japanese before I depart for this trip.

I attend the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University. After I graduate in August, my ambition is to continue on my journey toward becoming an acute care travel nurse. By becoming a Traveler Nurse, I will be able to utilize the skills and talents that I have acquired where the greatest need exists throughout the United States. One day, I hope to seize the opportunity to volunteer as part of the medical team aboard a Mercy Ship, an international charity that travels to the world to countries to provide humanitarian aid. In addition to providing free healthcare, health education, and palliative care for terminal patients, the medical teams aboard participate in other projects that include community development, education about mental health, and agricultural initiatives. Becoming a part of the medical team on these retrofitted cruise ships has become my ultimate career ambition.

I attend the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University. After I graduate in August, my ambition is to continue on my journey toward becoming an acute care travel nurse. By becoming a Traveler Nurse, I will be able to utilize the skills and talents that I have acquired where the greatest need exists throughout the United States. One day, I hope to seize the opportunity to volunteer as part of the medical team aboard a Mercy Ship, an international charity that travels to the world to countries to provide humanitarian aid. In addition to providing free healthcare, health education, and palliative care for terminal patients, the medical teams aboard participate in other projects that include community development, education about mental health, and agricultural initiatives. Becoming a part of the medical team on these retrofitted cruise ships has become my ultimate career ambition.

After graduating from the University of Oregon, I participated in two 10-month AmeriCorps Programs. During my time in AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps, my eleven-person team worked on four projects throughout the Southern United States. During AmeriCorps Cape Cod, I participated in land and water stewardship service projects, disaster preparedness, and environmental education. I participated in two internships with the Army Corps of Engineers on the Cape Cod Canal and the Bourne Department of Natural Resources. I worked as a certified nursing assistant II on an Intermediate Care Unit. There was a workplace culture of teamwork in the Intermediate Care Unit, where I acquired a foundation of hands-on experience providing direct patient care and exposure to acute nursing skills working with a diverse patient population. Becoming part of the Intermediate Care Unit has prepared me for the reality of becoming a nurse, and the ability to accomplish my ambitions in healthcare. Currently, I am in the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University. After I graduate in August, my ambition is to become an acute care travel nurse. Becoming a traveler nurse, I will be able to utilize the skills and talents that I have acquired where the greatest need exists throughout the United States. One day, I hope to seize the opportunity to volunteer as aboard a Mercy Ship, an international charity that travels to the world to countries to provide humanitarian aid. In addition to providing free healthcare, health education, and palliative care for terminal patients, the medical teams aboard participate in other projects that include community development, education about mental health, and agricultural initiatives. Becoming a part of the medical team on these retrofitted cruise ships has become my ultimate career ambition.

Famous or infamous, everyone wants to leave their mark on history. Legacy to me is my life story and the people that survive me are the storytellers. I hope to live a life full of unforgettable memories forged from heroic deeds with friends who always have my back from around the world. Currently, I am in the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University. After I graduate in August, my ambition is to continue on my journey towards becoming an acute care travel nurse. Becoming a traveler nurse, I will be able to utilize the skills and talents that I have acquired where the greatest need exists throughout the United States. One day, I hope to seize the opportunity to volunteer as part of the medical team aboard a Mercy Ship, an international charity that travels to the world to countries to provide humanitarian aid. In addition to providing free healthcare, health education, and palliative care for terminal patients, the medical teams aboard participate in other projects that include community development, education about mental health, and agricultural initiatives. Becoming a part of the medical team on these retrofitted cruise ships has become my ultimate career ambition.

Famous or infamous, everyone wants to leave their mark on history. Legacy to me is my life story and the people that survive me are the storytellers. I hope to live a life full of unforgettable memories forged from heroic deeds with friends who always have my back from around the world. Currently, I am in the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University. After I graduate in August, my ambition is to continue on my journey towards becoming an acute care travel nurse. Becoming a traveler nurse, I will be able to utilize the skills and talents that I have acquired where the greatest need exists throughout the United States. One day, I hope to seize the opportunity to volunteer as part of the medical team aboard a Mercy Ship, an international charity that travels to the world to countries to provide humanitarian aid. In addition to providing free healthcare, health education, and palliative care for terminal patients, the medical teams aboard participate in other projects that include community development, education about mental health, and agricultural initiatives. Becoming a part of the medical team on these retrofitted cruise ships has become my ultimate career ambition.

One summer during college, I was a door-to-door educational book salesman in the Crime Capital of Massachusetts. I am not the type of person, then or now, that answers the door when someone knocks or rings the doorbell. To this day, I could not tell you exactly why I thought this type of job was a good idea for me. Perhaps I was blinded by the opportunity of living outside of Oregon for the first time in my life and the mystery of where I would end up for the summer. Nevertheless, I ignored the multiple red flags because of the prospect that successful sellers have the opportunity to make upwards of five thousand dollars over a single summer and are rewarded with an invitation to a celebratory trip with other successful sellers. That summer ended up being full of hard work, life lessons, and self-discovery. Within 10 days of finishing Spring Term, I had driven halfway across the country to Nashville, Tennessee to receive a crash course week of training before arriving in Springfield, Massachusetts. My work week consisted of working twelve hours a day for six days. For twelve hours, I would travel neighborhood to neighborhood armed with a sixty-pound satchel filled with samples of the educational books I was peddling. After twelve hours, I would be picked up by the Team Leader. At night, we were allowed to take a formal hot water shower before eating dinner. Sundays were the only day we were allowed to talk with our family and friends from back home. Eventually, the day arrived for my flight back home. During the flight, I reflected on what had transpired throughout the last few months. That summer working as a door-to-door educational book salesman broke me down physically, emotionally, and physically.

I was a certified nursing assistant II on an Intermediate Care Unit. There was a workplace culture of teamwork in the Intermediate Care Unit, where I acquired a foundation of hands-on experience providing direct patient care and exposure to acute nursing skills working with a diverse patient population. The experience of working in a hospital setting for the last two years has allowed me to develop a close working relationship with nurses and other clinical staff. These experiences have become the inspiration for my pursuit of becoming an acute care nursing. Becoming part of the Intermediate Care Unit has prepared me for the reality of becoming a nurse, and the ability to accomplish my ambitions in healthcare. Currently, I am in the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University. After I graduate in August, my ambition is to continue on my journey towards becoming an acute care travel nurse. Becoming a traveler nurse, I will be able to utilize the skills and talents that I have acquired where the greatest need exists throughout the United States. One day, I hope to seize the opportunity to volunteer as part of the medical team aboard a Mercy Ship, an international charity that travels to the world to countries to provide humanitarian aid. In addition to providing free healthcare, health education, and palliative care for terminal patients, the medical teams aboard participate in other projects that include community development, education about mental health, and agricultural initiatives. Becoming a part of the medical team on these retrofitted cruise ships has become my ultimate career ambition.

Famous or infamous, everyone wants to leave their mark on history. Legacy to me is my life story and the people that survive me are the storytellers. I hope to live a life full of unforgettable memories forged from heroic deeds with friends who always have my back from around the world. Currently, I am in the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University. After I graduate in August, my ambition is to continue on my journey towards becoming an acute care travel nurse. Becoming a traveler nurse, I will be able to utilize the skills and talents that I have acquired where the greatest need exists throughout the United States. One day, I hope to seize the opportunity to volunteer as part of the medical team aboard a Mercy Ship, an international charity that travels to the world to countries to provide humanitarian aid. In addition to providing free healthcare, health education, and palliative care for terminal patients, the medical teams aboard participate in other projects that include community development, education about mental health, and agricultural initiatives. Becoming a part of the medical team on these retrofitted cruise ships has become my ultimate career ambition.

Growing up, my Grandpa Jim and his advice have helped to shape me into the man that I am today. He died when I was six years old, but I still remember the wisdom he imparted to me during our fishing trips together. One of his favorite adages was: The top of one mountain is the bottom of the next, so keep climbing. While I watched the last vestiges of sunlight disappear on the horizon at Sequoia National Park, I decided that I wanted to pursue a life in healthcare and become a Nurse. Starting in Middle School, I wanted to become a Criminal Prosecution Lawyer. Midway through my first Bachelor Degree program at the University of Oregon, I decided to abandon the career trajectory of becoming a Criminal Prosecution Lawyer. While the profession has longevity, I could not see myself continuing to be a lawyer throughout my life. After abandoning this career trajectory, I felt lost in life and unsure of what to do in life. That adage gives me the courage and strength to continue moving onward and upward toward the next challenge. There have been times that I have contemplated abandoning my journey towards healthcare. I remind myself of my grandfather's words to give me the strength to overcome.

Nurses are the lifeblood and create the foundation for patient care within the healthcare system. They assist patients to achieve their highest level of health and wellness, whether through a return to their baseline, an improvement, or assistance in an adjustment. They are the frontline leaders of the healthcare team providing direct patient care, education, and support for patients and families. The ability to provide direct patient care was the primary reason for my decision to pursue Nursing as a career path in healthcare. Every member of the care team is important, but Nurses form the backbone of the healthcare system. Healthcare is a field where continued education and innovation are necessary to provide the highest level of care for patients and the community. Every day, Nurses make a positive impact through their leadership in the lives of their patients and the community. By providing direct care, Nurses establish confidence within patients during their advancement towards health. Improvement of the health of a patient helps to establish trust in the abilities and knowledge of the Nurse and the healthcare team behind them. Nurses and other healthcare members help to create a culture of health within their community, creating a positive impact on the lives of their patients, friends, and families through exemplifying a culture of health. I worked as a certified nursing assistant II on an Intermediate Care Unit. There was a workplace culture of teamwork in the Intermediate Care Unit, where I acquired a foundation of hands-on experience providing direct patient care and exposure to Acute Nursing skills working with a diverse patient population. The experience of working in a hospital setting allowed me to develop a close working relationship with nurses and other clinical staff. These experiences have become the inspiration for my pursuit of becoming an acute care nursing. Becoming part of the Intermediate Care Unit has prepared me for the reality of becoming a nurse, and the ability to accomplish my ambitions in healthcare. I attend the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University. After I graduate in August, my ambition is to continue on my journey toward becoming an acute care travel nurse. By becoming a traveler nurse, I will be able to utilize the skills and talents that I have acquired where the greatest need exists throughout the United States. I hope to seize the opportunity to volunteer as part of the medical team aboard a Mercy Ship, an international charity that travels to the world to countries to provide humanitarian aid. In addition to providing free healthcare, health education, and palliative care for terminal patients, the medical teams aboard participate in other projects that include community development, education about mental health, and agricultural initiatives. Becoming a part of the medical team on these retrofitted cruise ships has become my ultimate career ambition.

Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. A day that will live in infamy. That day has had a greater influence on my life than any day that I have been alive. My maternal grandparents were second-generation Japanese Americans. After Pearl Harbor, my grandparents were placed in internment camps, while their older brothers were drafted by the United States to fight in the 422nd Battalion in the European Theater. When World War II ended, my grandparents and their families endured the systemic racism of the American people. To survive in this hostile environment, they fully adopted American culture, thereby abandoning their Japanese heritage. My mother grew up without learning the language, traditions, or culture of the Land of the Rising Sun. I am hapa haole. I believe this is from the forced Americanization of my mother because my entire generation is half Japanese. I believe that the only reason my mother is Japanese is because of racism. The Japanese and other Asians had to create a tight-knit community because they became pariahs of society. In our youth, my generation looked Asian but as we have grown up, we seem to look less Asian with each passing year. I get mistaken for Hispanic all the time, and I hate it. Not that being Hispanic is a bad thing, it just is not me or my story. I am a proud fourth-generation Japanese American. I feel that I have to prove myself with each new person and interaction. The searching look that people have when I tell them that I am Japanese. Them trying to see it, as if to disprove my lie. Being Japanese is important to me. One day in the future, I hope to have the opportunity to visit Japan. I would like to learn Japanese before I depart for this trip. This desire is probably from a fear of being labeled an American tourist. I embrace being Japanese American because it makes me different and unique. Affirmative action is on my side, despite my white-bread name. I understand the reason my grandparents decided to Americanize my mother’s generation after World War II. I become frustrated because I feel that I am only Asian by blood and have no Asian cultural identity. Despite my grandparents' efforts, my mother still experienced systemic racism growing up. My mother fears that I encounter systemic racism, but I am camouflaged by being ambiguously ethnic. I had believed that the majority of the racism towards Asians had all but died out. The recent uprising of violence towards Asian Americans in the past few weeks have unfortunately proved me wrong. The ghosts of the past have begun to haunt Asian Americans. The racism that has been dormant in the Caucasian Baby Boomers is being reawakened towards Asians. In about a month, I will leave the Pacific Northwest to begin Nursing School in the Midwest. I will never deny my Japanese and Asian heritage, even in the face of the current uprising of violence against Asian Americans. I attend the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing on the Illinois State University. After I graduate in August, my ambition is to continue on my journey towards becoming an acute care travel nurse. Before I can embark as a travel nurse, I will need to acquire one to two years of experience working in a critical care unit at a hospital. I believe that becoming a travel nurse is the strongest utilization of my future education with my talents and abilities from my previous leadership positions to achieve my ambitions in nursing.

1. I don't. 2. I want to be a Fireman/PoliceOfficer/Astronaut/Cowboy/Rancher/Farmer/Actor/RaceCarDriver/StuntMan/ScubaDiver/Archeologist/Explorer/ArmyMan/ToyMaker/Singer/Dancer/BugCatcher/LionTamer/Strongman/FireSwallower/HumanCannonball/Teacher/StarCatcher/Pilot/Vagabond/Sailor/BearWrestler/Detective/Superhero/Writer/Mechanic/Nurse/ConstructionWorker/Architect/Janitor/Chef/Environmentalist/Lawyer/ProfessionalCriminal/SwordsMaster/HotDogVendor/CabDriver/WorldTraveler/TechGenius/SharkExpert/RockClimber/Olympian/Blacksmith/Jedi/FashionDesigner/Researcher/Architect/Veterinarian/Accountant/Historian/Arborist/Engineer/RocketScientist/Interpreter/Translator/Bellhop/Alchemist/CopyBoy/BasketWeaver/Storyteller/Painter/SnakeOilSalesman/TattooArtist/Gardener/President when I grow up. 3. Narrowing down my choice to becoming a nurse.

In June of 1994, just before my eighth birthday, my parents announced that they were finally getting divorced. Shortly after my eleventh birthday, my parent’s divorce ended after three years with my father’s death in July of 1997. Those three years were a waking nightmare of living Hell at the hands of my father. Even over twenty years later, I am still haunted by the memories and scars of those war-torn years of my life. The court had designated my father as the residential parent because he was a stay-at-home dad. My father was a manipulative, controlling, abusive, alcoholic tyrant. He forced me to quit playing intramural sports and Cub Scouts. I became the pariah in my neighborhood. My father did not want my mother to have more opportunities to see me through my extracurricular activities. Additionally, my father would be belligerent in public and yell profanities and slurs toward my mother. My friends were not allowed to come to my house, and I was no longer welcome at their house. Our neighbors did not want their children to be around my father. Around this time, I developed a blood infection that caused my eyesight and overall health to deteriorate. My life was falling apart, and I contemplated suicide at the age of 10. While I was never officially diagnosed with a mental illness, I am certain that I was suffering from a form of depression. I have forgiven but not forgotten. Each day, I strived to forge forward with my life and leave my past behind me. I have made it my mission to explore the world to discover my purpose in life and overcome the darkness of my past. The journey throughout the years has been arduous at times to keep a positive attitude and mindset. I feel that part of my childhood was stolen from me and was forced to grow up faster than I should have. Finally, I stand on the precipice of the next chapter of my journey, I look forward to the adventures ahead for me in the Prairie State. I attend the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University. After I graduate in August, my ambition is to continue on my journey toward becoming an Acute Care Travel Nurse. One day down the road, I hope to seize the opportunity to volunteer as part of the medical team aboard a Mercy Ship, an international charity that travels to the world to countries to provide humanitarian aid. In addition to providing free healthcare, health education, and palliative care for terminal patients, the medical teams aboard participate in other projects that include community development, education about mental health, and agricultural initiatives. Becoming a part of the medical team on these retrofitted cruise ships has become my ultimate ambition. By helping others, I want to continue to heal my wounds and scars from those turbulent years.

In June of 1994, just before my eighth birthday, my parents announced that they were finally getting divorced. Shortly after my eleventh birthday, my parent’s divorce ended after three years with my father’s death in July of 1997. Those three years were a waking nightmare of living Hell at the hands of my father. Even over twenty years later, I am still haunted by the memories and scars of those war-torn years of my life. The court had designated my father as the residential parent because he was a stay-at-home dad. My father was a manipulative, controlling, abusive, alcoholic tyrant. He forced me to quit playing intramural sports and Cub Scouts. I became the pariah in my neighborhood. My father did not want my mother to have more opportunities to see me through my extracurricular activities. Additionally, my father would be belligerent in public and yell profanities and slurs toward my mother. My friends were not allowed to come to my house, and I was no longer welcome at their house. Our neighbors did not want their children to be around my father. Around this time, I developed a blood infection that caused my eyesight and overall health to deteriorate. My life was falling apart, and I contemplated suicide at the age of 10. While I was never officially diagnosed with a mental illness, I am certain that I was suffering from a form of depression. I have forgiven but not forgotten. Each day, I strived to forge forward with my life and leave my past behind me. I have made it my mission to explore the world to discover my purpose in life and overcome the darkness of my past. The journey throughout the years has been arduous at times to keep a positive attitude and mindset. I feel that part of my childhood was stolen from me and was forced to grow up faster than I should have. Finally, I stand on the precipice of the next chapter of my journey, I look forward to the adventures ahead for me in the Prairie State. I attend the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University. After I graduate in August, my ambition is to continue on my journey toward becoming an Acute Care Travel Nurse. One day down the road, I hope to seize the opportunity to volunteer as part of the medical team aboard a Mercy Ship, an international charity that travels to the world to countries to provide humanitarian aid. In addition to providing free healthcare, health education, and palliative care for terminal patients, the medical teams aboard participate in other projects that include community development, education about mental health, and agricultural initiatives. Becoming a part of the medical team on these retrofitted cruise ships has become my ultimate ambition. By helping others, I want to continue to heal my wounds and scars from those turbulent years.

I am in the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University. After I graduate in August, my ambition is to become an acute care nurse. After a few years of experience, I want to embark as an acute care travel nurse. Becoming a traveler nurse, I will be able to utilize the skills and talents that I have acquired where the greatest need exists throughout the United States. One day, I hope to seize the opportunity to volunteer as part of the medical team aboard a Mercy Ship, an international charity that travels to the world to countries to provide humanitarian aid. In addition to providing free healthcare, health education, and palliative care for terminal patients, the medical teams aboard participate in other projects that include community development, education about mental health, and agricultural initiatives. Embarking on an expedition as part of the medical team on these retrofitted cruise ships has become my ultimate career ambition.

Growing up, my Grandpa Jim and his advice have helped to shape me into the man that I am today. He died when I was six years old, but I still remember the wisdom he imparted to me during our fishing trips together. One of his favorite adages was: The top of one mountain is the bottom of the next, so keep climbing. The journey toward becoming a nurse has been arduous at times. My grandfather's adage has given me the courage and inspiration to continue moving onward and upward towards the next challenge. I am in the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University. After I graduate in August, my ambition is to continue on my journey towards the next mountain and become an acute care travel nurse. Becoming a traveler nurse, I will be able to utilize the skills and talents that I have acquired where the greatest need exists throughout the United States. One day, I hope to seize the opportunity to volunteer as part of the medical team aboard a Mercy Ship, an international charity that travels to the world to countries to provide humanitarian aid. In addition to providing free healthcare, health education, and palliative care for terminal patients, the medical teams aboard participate in other projects that include community development, education about mental health, and agricultural initiatives. Embarking on an expedition as part of the medical team on these retrofitted cruise ships has become my ultimate career ambition.

While I watched the last vestiges of sunlight disappear on the horizon at Sequoia National Park, I sat in quiet contemplation of my future. Taylor was one of those types of people that instantly became friends with everyone. He was full of laughter and love. Unfortunately, he was stricken with an unknown illness and was hospitalized about a month after I had started. When I walked into Taylor’s hospital room, he looked at me with vague familiarity in his eyes and open arms. During my visit, I listened to him regale his harrowing tales battling dragons and monsters, encounters with maidens and mermaids, and his other adventures from his delirium on the Intensive Care Unit. Taylor expressed his gratitude for my visit and offered unnecessary apologies for not remembering me. Before I left his hospital room, we talked about our futures. and that I was contemplating becoming a nurse. Taylor turned to look me in the eye and said, “Nurses have to have to truly care about and love people. You came to visit me. You have what it takes to become a great Nurse.” At the time, I just smiled and nodded my head. Little did I know, Taylor’s words would become the vindication for my decision to change the trajectory of my healthcare career toward becoming an acute care nurse. I am in the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University. After I graduate in August, my ambition is to continue on my journey towards becoming an acute care travel nurse. Becoming a traveler nurse, I will be able to utilize my skills and talents that I have acquired where the greatest need exists throughout the United States.

Famous or infamous, everyone wants to leave their mark on history. Legacy to me is my life story and the people that survive me are the storytellers. I hope to live a life full of unforgettable memories forged from heroic deeds with friends who always have my back from around the world. I am in the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University. After I graduate in August, my ambition is to continue on my journey towards becoming an acute care travel nurse. Becoming a traveler nurse, I will be able to utilize the skills and talents that I have acquired where the greatest need exists throughout the United States. Every day, nurses make a positive impact through their leadership in the lives of their patients and the community. Nurses are the lifeblood and create the foundation for patient care within the healthcare system. They are the frontline leaders of the healthcare team providing direct patient care, education, and support for patients and families. The ability to provide direct patient care was the primary reason for my decision to pursue become becoming a nurse. Every member of the care team is important, but nurses form the backbone of the healthcare system. One day, I hope to seize the opportunity to volunteer as part of the medical team aboard a Mercy Ship, an international charity that travels to the world to countries to provide humanitarian aid. In addition to providing free healthcare, health education, and palliative care for terminal patients, the medical teams aboard participate in other projects that include community development, education about mental health, and agricultural initiatives. Embarking on an expedition as part of the medical team on these retrofitted cruise ships has become my ultimate career ambition.

I have believed in God my entire life. He has been the light in the darkness of my life, while I have been lost in the wilderness. He has guided my path towards becoming a true Christ Follower. I surrendered my life to God’s Will on February 10, 2019. I have placed my trust in God’s will and desire to go where He leads me to fulfill His plan for me. As I move forward in my life to become the Healing Hands of God, I want to become everything that I am called to be to live a true Christ life. I am in the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University. After I graduate in August, my ambition is to continue on my journey towards becoming an acute care travel nurse. Becoming a traveler nurse, I will be able to utilize my skills and talents that I have acquired where the greatest need exists throughout the United States. One day, I hope to seize the opportunity to volunteer as part of the medical team aboard a Mercy Ship, an international charity that travels to the world to countries to provide humanitarian aid. In addition to providing free healthcare, health education, and palliative care for terminal patients, the medical teams aboard participate in other projects that include community development, education about mental health, and agricultural initiatives. Becoming a part of the medical team on these retrofitted cruise ships has become my ultimate career ambition. I feel that this is God’s plan for my life. I continue to pray for His guidance along my path in life to become the Healing Hands of God.

I have believed in God my entire life. He has been the light in the darkness of my life, while I have been lost in the wilderness. He has guided my path towards becoming a true Christ Follower. I surrendered my life to God’s Will on February 10, 2019. I have placed my trust in God’s will and desire to go where He leads me to fulfill His plan for me. As I move forward in my life to become the Healing Hands of God, I want to become everything that I am called to be to live a true Christ life. I am in the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University. After I graduate in August, my ambition is to continue on my journey towards becoming an acute care travel nurse. Becoming a traveler nurse, I will be able to utilize my skills and talents that I have acquired where the greatest need exists throughout the United States. One day, I hope to seize the opportunity to volunteer as part of the medical team aboard a Mercy Ship, an international charity that travels to the world to countries to provide humanitarian aid. In addition to providing free healthcare, health education, and palliative care for terminal patients, the medical teams aboard participate in other projects that include community development, education about mental health, and agricultural initiatives. Becoming a part of the medical team on these retrofitted cruise ships has become my ultimate career ambition. I feel that this is God’s plan for my life. I continue to pray for His guidance along my path in life to become the Healing Hands of God.

About three years ago, I decided to pursue Nursing as my career path in healthcare. To prepare for this career path, I became a Certified Nursing Assistant. There are two levels of certification to become a Certified Nursing Assistant in the state of Oregon. In August 2019, I received my Certified Nursing Assistant I certification through Chemeketa Community College. My clinicals were held at Life Care Center in McMinnville, a skilled nursing and rehabilitation center. I became a Certified Nursing Assistant II in November 2019 through Salem Health, as part of my training to work on the Intermediate Care Unit. The scope of practice for Certified Nursing Assistant II includes acute care skills and other responsibilities associated with patient care within a hospital. There was a workplace culture of teamwork on the Intermediate Care Unit, where I acquired a foundation of hands-on experience providing direct patient care and exposure to Acute Nursing skills working with a diverse patient population. My work included providing direct patient care through observation of patient condition, recording patient vitals, and assisting with personal care needs of patients. I was responsible for proper documentation and reporting to clinical staff, adherence to patient care plans, and maintenance of patient safety protocols. In addition, I learned Acute Care Nursing skills through assisting Nurses with medical procedures including wound care and prevention, insertion and removal of certain indwelling devices, specimen collection, and preparation of patients for surgery. The impact of working in a hospital setting for the last three years allowed me to develop a close working relationship with Nurses and other clinical staff. Those experiences are the inspiration for my pursuit of Acute Care Nursing. Joining the Intermediate Care Unit prepared me for the reality of becoming a Nurse, and the ability to accomplish my ambitions in healthcare.

After graduating from the University of Oregon, I participated in two 10-month AmeriCorps Programs. During my time in AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps, my eleven-person team worked on four projects with host organizations and additional projects throughout the Southern United States. Our first team project was mentoring disadvantaged youth and restoration projects at Camp John I. Hay with the Boys & Girls Club of Central Mississippi. We traveled to Bay St. Louis on the Gulf Coast for our second project to help victims of Hurricane Katrina in a joint effort with Lutheran Episcopal Services in Mississippi/ Mission on the Bay. This area was where Hurricane Katrine made landfall before devastating New Orleans and these organizations had combined their resources to aid the Bay St. Louis area. Our third project was assisting United Way of Jackson County with the preparation of basic tax returns for low-income families. Our final project was with Habitat for Humanity Goldsboro-Wayne where we worked alongside volunteers and the future homeowners to build three Habitat houses. Outside of our four projects, we participated in community service projects throughout the Southern United States. During AmeriCorps Cape Cod, I participated in land and water stewardship service projects, disaster preparedness, and environmental education. I participated in two individual placements with the Army Corps of Engineers on the Cape Cod Canal and the Bourne Department of Natural Resources. My primary work with the Army Corps of Engineers were preservation projects around the Cape Cod Canal. Throughout my program, I helped with a restoration project of an American chestnut orchard. My project over the winter was to develop an interactive osprey display game for the Cape Cod Canal Visitor Center. During the spring and summer, my major project was the preservation of the endangered Piping Plover nesting grounds from human interference, foxes and other predators, and the incoming tide. I would erect beach fencing, plant seagrass, and place signage to protect this endangered bird population. My projects with the Bourne Department of Natural Resources involved aquaculture and shellfish propagation. I would help clean up the beaches and marinas, spread juvenile shellfish in the waterways, and restore salmon runs. During the winter, my responsibility was to clean the shellfish propagation tanks and equipment. In AmeriCorps Cape Cod, two days a week were dedicated to service projects working with environmental organizations. In addition to my individual placements, these organizations included other Department of Natural Resources, the Cape Cod Commission, the Mass Audubon Long Pasture Wildlife Sanctuary, and the Cape Cod National Seashore. One day a week, I worked at the main office in Barnstable to coordinate a volunteer day on of service to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr Day. My volunteer service through AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps allowed me to make a positive impact in the underserved communities of the Southern United States. AmeriCorps Cape Cod allowed me to perform environmental work and education to improve the community on Cape Cod. Part of my determination to become a travel nurse is to continue my previous work to improve the underserved communities throughout the United States. One day, I aspire to make a positive impact on underserved countries throughout the world. I hope to volunteer as a medical crew member aboard a Mercy Ship, an international charity that provides humanitarian aid to remote countries. In addition to providing free healthcare, health education, and palliative care for terminal patients, the crew members aboard participate in other projects that include community development, education about mental health, and agricultural initiatives. Becoming a medical crew member aboard a Mercy Ship has become my ultimate career ambition.

In June of 1994, just before my eighth birthday, my parents announced that they were finally getting divorced. Shortly after my eleventh birthday, my parent’s divorce ended after three years with my father’s death in July of 1997. Those three years were a waking nightmare of living Hell. Even over twenty years later, I am still haunted by the memories and scars of those war-torn years of my life. The court had designated my father as the residential parent because he was a stay-at-home dad. My father was a manipulative, controlling, abusive, alcoholic tyrant. He forced me to quit playing intramural sports, Cub Scouts, and became the reason I was a pariah in my neighborhood. My father did not want my mother to have more opportunities to see me through my extracurricular activities. Additionally, my father would be belligerent in public and yell profanities and slurs toward my mother. My friends were not allowed to come to my house, and I was no longer welcome at their house. Our neighbors did not want their children to be around my father. Around this time, I developed a blood infection that caused my eyesight and overall health to deteriorate. My life was falling apart, and I contemplated suicide at the age of 10. While I was never officially diagnosed with a mental illness, I am certain that I was suffering from a form of depression. I am in the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University. After I graduate in August, my ambition is to continue on my journey towards becoming an acute care nurse. One day, I hope to volunteer as a medical crew member aboard a Mercy Ship, an international charity that provides humanitarian aid to remote countries. In addition to providing free healthcare, health education, and palliative care for terminal patients, the crew members aboard participate in other projects that include community development, education about mental health, and agricultural initiatives. Joining an expedition aboard a Mercy Ship requires volunteering your time and money. Transportation, personal expenses, and monthly crew fees are at the expense of each volunteer crew member dependent on the length of their commitment and the volunteer’s country of residence. This allows the allocation of resources to be completely directed toward humanitarian projects and activities. Becoming a medical crew member aboard a Mercy Ship has become my ultimate career ambition. Through helping others, I will continue to heal my wounds and scars from those tumultuous years. While my story is tragic, I realize that there are people in the world that have it worse than me.

One summer during college, I was a door-to-door educational book salesman in the Crime Capital of Massachusetts. That summer ended up being full of hard work, life lessons, and self-discovery. Within 10 days of finishing Spring Term, I had driven halfway across the country to Nashville, Tennessee to receive a crash course week of training before arriving in Springfield, Massachusetts. My work week consisted of working twelve hours a day for six days. Every day of work, I would wake up at 6:30 am to race against the Japanese Exchange Student that I shared a room and the Team Leader to take a one-minute cold water rinse shower in the only bathroom, drive to get breakfast, and then be dropped off by the Team Leader at 8 am near my sales territory. Over the next twelve hours, I would travel neighborhood to neighborhood armed with a sixty-pound satchel filled with samples of the educational books I was peddling. After twelve hours, I would be picked up at 8 pm around the same location I was dropped off in the morning by the Team Leader. At night, we were allowed to take a formal hot water shower before eating dinner. We would check in with a different Team Leader before going to bed in order by 10 pm to repeat the series of events for another day. This pattern continued to be my life for the entirety of that summer. Eventually, the day arrived for my flight back to the Pacific Northwest. On the flight home, I reflected on what had transpired throughout the last few months. I did not overcome the challenge of becoming a successful door-to-door educational book salesman that summer. Instead, the experience humbled me. Despite my best efforts and strategies, I only faced failure after failure with each passing day. Except, I never gave in and let that summer defeat me. Perhaps I should have given up, but I saw that summer through until the bitter end. I continued to fight through the failure, negativity, and pain day after day. Through my refusal to give up, I developed an indomitable spirit of resilience, hard work, humility, and better self-awareness of my abilities. That summer working as a door-to-door educational book salesman broke me down physically, emotionally, and physically. I may have lost money on this endeavor, but what I gained in exchange made me into the man that I am today. I am in the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University. After I graduate, my ambition is to continue on my journey towards becoming an acute care travel nurse. Becoming a traveler nurse, I will be able to utilize my skills and talents that I have acquired where the greatest need exists throughout the United States. One day, I hope to seize the opportunity to volunteer as part of the medical team aboard a Mercy Ship, an international charity that travels to the world to countries to provide humanitarian aid. In addition to providing free healthcare, health education, and palliative care for terminal patients, the medical teams aboard participate in other projects that include community development, education about mental health, and agricultural initiatives. The lessons I learned during that summer could not come from a success story. We learn more from our mistakes and failures in life. Becoming an Acute Care Travel Nurse will be how I will become a success story with the life lessons, self-discovery, and indomitable spirit I learned while working as a door-to-door educational book salesman in the Crime Capital of Massachusetts.

In June of 1994, just before my eighth birthday, my parents announced that they were finally getting divorced. Shortly after my eleventh birthday, my parent’s divorce ended after three years with my father’s death in July of 1997. Those three years were a waking nightmare of living Hell at the hands of my father. Even over twenty years later, I am still haunted by the memories and scars of those war-torn years of my life. The court had designated my father as the residential parent because he was a stay-at-home dad. My father was a manipulative, controlling, abusive, alcoholic tyrant. He forced me to quit playing intramural sports, Cub Scouts, and became the reason I was a pariah in my neighborhood. Additionally, my father would be belligerent in public and yell profanities and slurs toward my mother. My friends were not allowed to come to my house, and I was no longer welcome at their house. I have forgiven but not forgotten. Each day, I strived to forge forward with my life and leave my past behind me. I have made it my mission to explore the world to discover my purpose in life and overcome the darkness of my past. The journey throughout the years has been arduous at times to keep a positive attitude and mindset. I feel that part of my childhood was stolen from me and was forced to grow up faster than I should. I attend the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing on the Illinois State University campus. After I graduate next summer, my ambition is to continue on my journey towards becoming an acute care travel nurse. One day, I hope to seize the opportunity to volunteer as part of the medical team aboard a Mercy Ship, an international charity that travels to the world to countries to provide humanitarian aid. Becoming a part of the medical team on these retrofitted cruise ships has become my ultimate ambition. Through helping others, I want to continue to heal my wounds and scars from those turbulent years.

In June of 1994, just before my eighth birthday, my parents announced that they were finally getting divorced. Shortly after my eleventh birthday, my parent’s divorce ended after three years with my father’s death in July of 1997. Those three years were a waking nightmare of living Hell at the hands of my father. Even over twenty years later, I am still haunted by the memories and scars of those war-torn years of my life. The court had designated my father as the residential parent because he was a stay-at-home dad. My father was a manipulative, controlling, abusive, alcoholic tyrant. He forced me to quit playing intramural sports, Cub Scouts, and became the reason I was a pariah in my neighborhood. My father did not want my mother to have more opportunities to see me through my extracurricular activities. Additionally, my father would be belligerent in public and yell profanities and slurs toward my mother. My friends were not allowed to come to my house, and I was no longer welcome at their house. Our neighbors did not want their children to be around my father. Around this time, I developed a blood infection that caused my eyesight and overall health to deteriorate. My life was falling apart, and I contemplated suicide at the age of 10. While I was never officially diagnosed with a mental illness, I am certain that I was suffering from a form of depression. I have forgiven but not forgotten. Each day, I strived to forge forward with my life and leave my past behind me. I have made it my mission to explore the world to discover my purpose in life and overcome the darkness of my past. The journey throughout the years has been arduous at times to keep a positive attitude and mindset. I feel that part of my childhood was stolen from me and was forced to grow up faster than I should. Finally, I stand on the precipice of the next chapter of my journey, I look forward to the adventures ahead for me in the Prairie State. After deciding to pursue nursing, I become a certified nursing assistant II in Oregon. In August 2019, I received my certified nursing assistant I certification through Chemeketa Community College. My clinicals were held at Life Care Center in McMinnville, a skilled nursing and rehabilitation center. I became a certified nursing assistant II in November 2019 through Salem Health, as part of my training to work on the Intermediate Care Unit. The scope of practice for certified nursing assistant II includes acute care skills and other responsibilities associated with patient care within a hospital. My work included observation of patient’s condition, recording vitals, and assisting with the personal care needs of patients. I was responsible for proper documentation and reporting to clinical staff, adherence to patient care plans, and maintenance of patient safety protocols. In addition, I assisted nurses with medical procedures including wound care and prevention, insertion and removal of certain indwelling devices, specimen collection, and preparation of patients for surgery. The impact of working in a hospital setting allowed me to develop a close working relationship with nurses and other clinical staff. On the Intermediate Care Unit, there was a workplace culture of teamwork where I acquired a foundation of hands-on experience of providing direct patient care and exposure to critical care nursing skills working with a diverse patient population. These experiences became the inspiration for my pursuit of working as a critical care nurse. Working in the Intermediate Care Unit prepared me for the reality of becoming a nurse and the ability to accomplish my ambitions in healthcare. I attend the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing on the Illinois State University campus. After I graduate next summer, my ambition is to continue on my journey towards becoming an acute care travel nurse. Before I can embark as a travel nurse, I will need to acquire one to two years of experience working in a critical care unit at a hospital. I believe that becoming a travel nurse is the strongest utilization of my future education with my talents and abilities from my previous leadership positions to achieve my ambitions in nursing. One day, I hope to seize the opportunity to volunteer as part of the medical team aboard a Mercy Ship, an international charity that travels to the world to countries to provide humanitarian aid. In addition to providing free healthcare, health education, and palliative care for terminal patients, the medical teams aboard participate in other projects that include community development, education about mental health, and agricultural initiatives. Joining an expedition as a member of the medical team upon a Mercy Ship means volunteering your time and money. This allows the allocation of resources to be completely directed toward humanitarian projects and activities. Becoming a part of the medical team on these retrofitted cruise ships has become my ultimate ambition. Through helping others, I want to continue to heal my wounds and scars from those turbulent years.

I attend the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University. After I graduate in 15 months, my ambition is to become a critical care travel nurse. Before I can embark as a travel nurse, I will need to acquire one to two years of experience working in a critical care unit at a hospital. I believe that becoming a travel nurse is the strongest utilization of my future education with my talents and abilities to achieve my ambitions in nursing. Traveler nurses operate as entrepreneurs of a small business. In the uncertainty of the future state of the world, the abilities of nurses and other healthcare professionals will be in greater demand. After deciding to pursue nursing, I become a certified nursing assistant II on the Intermediate Care Unit. In August 2019, I received my certified nursing assistant I certification through Chemeketa Community College. My clinicals were held at Life Care Center in McMinnville, a skilled nursing and rehabilitation center. I became a certified nursing assistant II in November 2019 through Salem Health, as part of my training to work on the Intermediate Care Unit. The scope of practice for certified nursing assistant II includes acute care skills and other responsibilities associated with patient care within a hospital. My work included observation of patient’s condition, recording vitals, and assisting with the personal care needs of patients. I was responsible for proper documentation and reporting to clinical staff, adherence to patient care plans, and maintenance of patient safety protocols. In addition, I assisted nurses with medical procedures including wound care and prevention, insertion and removal of certain indwelling devices, specimen collection, and preparation of patients for surgery. The impact of working in a hospital setting allowed me to develop a close working relationship with nurses and other clinical staff. On the Intermediate Care Unit, there was a workplace culture of teamwork where I acquired a foundation of hands-on experience of providing direct patient care and exposure to critical care nursing skills working with a diverse patient population. These experiences became the inspiration for my pursuit of working as a critical care nurse. Working in the Intermediate Care Unit prepared me for the reality of becoming a nurse and the ability to accomplish my ambitions in healthcare. One day, I hope to volunteer as a medical crew member aboard a Mercy Ship, an international charity that provides humanitarian aid to remote countries. In addition to providing free healthcare, health education, and palliative care for terminal patients, the crew members aboard participate in other projects that include community development, education about mental health, and agricultural initiatives. Joining an expedition aboard a Mercy Ship requires volunteering your time and money. Transportation, personal expenses, and monthly crew fees are at the expense of each volunteer crew member dependent on the length of their commitment and the volunteer’s country of residence. This allows the allocation of resources to be completely directed toward humanitarian projects and activities. Becoming a medical crew member aboard a Mercy Ship has become my ultimate career ambition.

After graduating from the University of Oregon, I participated in two 10-month AmeriCorps Programs. During my time in AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps, my eleven-person team worked on four projects with host organizations and additional projects throughout the Southern United States. During AmeriCorps Cape Cod, I participated in land and water stewardship service projects, disaster preparedness, and environmental education. I participated in two individual placements with the Army Corps of Engineers on the Cape Cod Canal and the Bourne Department of Natural Resources. My projects with the Bourne Department of Natural Resources involved aquaculture and shellfish propagation. I would help clean up the beaches and marinas, spread juvenile shellfish in the waterways, and restore salmon runs. During the winter, my responsibility was to clean the shellfish propagation tanks and equipment. In AmeriCorps Cape Cod, two days a week were dedicated to service projects working with environmental organizations. One day a week, I worked at the main office in Barnstable with other members of AmeriCorps Cape Cod. We coordinated a volunteer day of service to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr Day and promoted environmental education in schools. I have been accepted into the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University. After I graduate in 15 months, my ambition is to become a critical care travel nurse. Becoming a traveler nurse, I will be able to utilize my skills and talents that I have acquired where the greatest need exists throughout the United States. My volunteer service through AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps allowed me to make a positive impact in the underserved communities of the Southern United States. AmeriCorps Cape Cod allowed me to perform environmental work and education to improve the community on Cape Cod. I am determined to become a travel nurse to continue my work in underserved communities in the United States and aspire to make a positive impact in underserved countries throughout the world. One day, I hope to volunteer as a medical crew member aboard a Mercy Ship, an international charity that provides humanitarian aid to remote countries. In addition to providing free healthcare, health education, and palliative care for terminal patients, the crew members aboard participate in other projects that include community development, education about mental health, and agricultural initiatives. Becoming a medical crew member aboard a Mercy Ship has become my ultimate career ambition.

The outbreak and subsequent coronavirus pandemic of this previous year has solidified my ambitions to become a bedside nurse. Nurses are the lifeblood and foundation for the patient care within the healthcare system. They assist patients to achieve their highest level of health and wellness, whether through a return to their baseline, an improvement, or assistance in an adjustment. Nurses are the strongest advocates and support system for their patients during their recovery and progression toward a healthy life. The profession of nursing is constantly adapting to improve the health and wellness of the community. Every member of the care team is important, but nurses form the backbone of the healthcare system. The previous year has included working with patients that have tested positive for coronavirus. Starting in March, the state of Oregon went into lockdown. Every day that I arrived at work the protocol and procedures surrounding the coronavirus seem to change from one day to the next. Patients that were suspected of coronavirus were placed in the few negative pressure rooms within the hospital. These patient rooms have a closed ventilation system to remove the air in a process that protects exposure from airborne pathogens. Visitors were banned for the safety of all staff and patients. The shortage of personal protective equipment became a reality, and the measures to preserve our reserves were implemented. The coronavirus pandemic continues to threaten the world population, and my determination to continue on my trajectory toward becoming a bedside nurse remains steadfast. On the Intermediate Care Unit, there was a workplace culture of teamwork where I acquired a foundation of hands-on experience of providing direct patient care and exposure to critical care nursing skills working with a diverse patient population. These experiences became the inspiration for my pursuit of working as a critical care nurse. Working in the Intermediate Care Unit prepared me for the reality of becoming a nurse and the ability to accomplish my ambitions in healthcare. Nothing that may happen down the road can weaken my resolve to become a bedside nurse because I forged this path during the coronavirus pandemic. I have been accepted into the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University. After I graduate in 15 months, my ambition is to become a critical care travel nurse. Becoming a traveler nurse, I will be able to utilize my skills and talents that I have acquired where the greatest need exists throughout the United States. My volunteer service through AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps allowed me to make a positive impact in the underserved communities of the Southern United States. AmeriCorps Cape Cod allowed me to perform environmental work and education to improve the community on Cape Cod. I am determined to become a travel nurse to continue my work in underserved communities in the United States and aspire to make a positive impact in underserved countries throughout the world. One day, I hope to volunteer as a medical crew member aboard a Mercy Ship, an international charity that provides humanitarian aid to remote countries. In addition to providing free healthcare, health education, and palliative care for terminal patients, the crew members aboard participate in other projects that include community development, education about mental health, and agricultural initiatives. Becoming a medical crew member aboard a Mercy Ship has become my ultimate career ambition. My hope is that the coronavirus pandemic will be under control or eliminated when the day comes to realize my dreams and ambitions in nursing.

I have been accepted into the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University. After I graduate in 15 months, my ambition is to continue on my journey towards becoming an acute care travel nurse. My experiences as a certified nursing assistant II on the Intermediate Care Unit influenced my decision to pursue a career as a critical care nurse. There was a workplace culture of teamwork in the Intermediate Care Unit, where I have acquired a foundation of hands-on experience providing direct patient care and exposure to critical care nursing skills working with a diverse patient population. The experience of working in a hospital setting for the last three years has allowed me to develop a close working relationship with nurses and other clinical staff. Joining the Intermediate Care Unit prepared me for the reality of becoming a Nurse, and the ability to accomplish my ambitions in healthcare. Before I can embark as a traveler nurse, I will need to acquire one to two years of experience in Acute Care after graduating from my Nursing Program. Becoming a traveler nurse, I will be able to utilize my skills and talents that I have acquired where the greatest need exists throughout the United States. Healthcare is a field where continued education and innovation are necessary to provide the highest level of care for patients and the community. Every day, nurses make a positive impact through their leadership in the lives of their patients and the community. nurses are the lifeblood and create the foundation for patient care within the healthcare system. They assist patients to achieve their highest level of health and wellness, whether through a return to their baseline, an improvement, or assistance in an adjustment. They are the frontline leaders of the healthcare team providing direct patient care, education, and support for patients and families. The ability to provide direct patient care was the primary reason for my decision to pursue nursing as my career path in healthcare. Every member of the care team is important, but nurses form the backbone of the healthcare system. One day, I hope to volunteer as part of the medical team aboard a Mercy Ship, an international charity that travels to the world to countries to provide humanitarian aid. In addition to providing free healthcare, health education, and palliative care for terminal patients, the medical teams aboard participate in other projects that include community development, education about mental health, and agricultural initiatives. Embarking on an expedition as part of the medical team on these retrofitted cruise ships has become my ultimate career ambition.

One summer during college, I was a door-to-door educational book salesman in the Crime Capital of Massachusetts. To this day, I could not tell you exactly why I thought this type of job was a good idea for me. Perhaps I was blinded by the opportunity of living outside of Oregon for the first time in my life and the mystery of where I would end up for the summer. Nevertheless, I ignored the multiple red flags because of the prospect that successful sellers have the opportunity to make upwards of five thousand dollars over a single summer and are rewarded with an invitation to a celebratory trip with other successful sellers. That summer ended up being full of hard work, life lessons, and self-discovery. Within 10 days of finishing Spring Term, I had driven halfway across the country to Nashville, Tennessee to receive a crash course week of training before arriving in Springfield, Massachusetts. My work week consisted of working twelve hours a day for six days. Every day of work, I would wake up at 6:30 am to race against the Japanese Exchange Student that I shared a room and the Team Leader to take a one-minute cold water rinse shower in the only bathroom, drive to get breakfast, and then be dropped off by the Team Leader at 8 am near my sales territory for the day. Over the next twelve hours, I would travel neighborhood to neighborhood armed with a sixty-pound satchel filled with samples of the educational books I was peddling. After twelve hours, I would be picked up at 8 pm around the same location I was dropped off in the morning by the Team Leader. At night, we were allowed to take a formal hot water shower before eating dinner. We would check in with a different Team Leader before going to bed in order by 10 pm to repeat the series of events for another day. The exception to this pattern was Sundays when we would meet up with the other members from our region in Oregon for additional training and commendation for the success stories. Sundays were the only day we were allowed to talk with our family and friends from back home. We were forbidden to talk with anyone other than Team Leaders on the phone during the workweek. This pattern continued to be my life for the entirety of that summer. Eventually, the day arrived for my flight back to the Pacific Northwest. On the flight home, I reflected on what had transpired throughout the last few months. I did not overcome the challenge of becoming a successful door-to-door educational book salesman that summer. Instead, the experience humbled me. Despite my best efforts and strategies, I only faced failure after failure with each passing day. Except, I never gave in and let that summer defeat me. Perhaps I should have given up, but I saw that summer through until the bitter end. I continued to fight through the failure, negativity, and pain day after day. Through my refusal to give up, I developed an indomitable spirit of resilience, hard work, humility, and better self-awareness of my abilities. That summer working as a door-to-door educational book salesman broke me down physically, emotionally, and physically. I may have lost money on this endeavor, but what I gained in exchange made me into the man that I am today. I have been accepted into the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University. After I graduate, my ambition is to become a critical care nurse. One day, I hope to seize the opportunity to volunteer as part of the medical team aboard a Mercy Ship, an international charity that travels to the world to countries to provide humanitarian aid. In addition to providing free healthcare, health education, and palliative care for terminal patients, the medical teams aboard participate in other projects that include community development, education about mental health, and agricultural initiatives. The lessons I learned during that summer could not come from a success story. We learn more from our mistakes and failures in life. Becoming a critical care travel nurse will be how I will become a success story with the life lessons, self-discovery, and indomitable spirit I learned while working as a door-to-door educational book salesman in the Crime Capital of Massachusetts.

People can affect the quality of living in their communities by becoming involved. Through these efforts, improvements to crime rates, pollution, and infrastructure are possible. These efforts will help the present generation, ensuring a better future for generations to come. Community projects, changes to local laws and regulations, and environmental efforts affect the quality of life within the community. The end goal of these efforts is the preservation of the community for future generations. People do have the ability to affect the national and global community through their actions. Through my career aspirations, I hope to make a positive impact in these larger communities to improve the world for future generations. After graduating from the University of Oregon, I participated in two 10-month AmeriCorps Programs. During my time in AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps, my eleven-person team worked on four projects with host organizations and additional projects throughout the Southern United States. During AmeriCorps Cape Cod, I participated in land and water stewardship service projects, disaster preparedness, and environmental education. I participated in two individual placements with the Army Corps of Engineers on the Cape Cod Canal and the Bourne Department of Natural Resources. My projects with the Bourne Department of Natural Resources involved aquaculture and shellfish propagation. I would help clean up the beaches and marinas, spread juvenile shellfish in the waterways, and restore salmon runs. During the winter, my responsibility was to clean the shellfish propagation tanks and equipment. In AmeriCorps Cape Cod, two days a week were dedicated to service projects working with environmental organizations. One day a week, I worked at the main office in Barnstable with other members of AmeriCorps Cape Cod. We coordinated a volunteer day of service to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr Day and promoted environmental education in schools. I have been accepted into the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University. After I graduate in 15 months, my ambition is to become a critical care travel nurse. Becoming a traveler nurse, I will be able to utilize my skills and talents that I have acquired where the greatest need exists throughout the United States. My volunteer service through AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps allowed me to make a positive impact in the underserved communities of the Southern United States. AmeriCorps Cape Cod allowed me to perform environmental work and education to improve the community on Cape Cod. I am determined to become a travel nurse to continue my work in underserved communities in the United States and aspire to make a positive impact in underserved countries throughout the world. One day, I hope to volunteer as a medical crew member aboard a Mercy Ship, an international charity that provides humanitarian aid to remote countries. In addition to providing free healthcare, health education, and palliative care for terminal patients, the crew members aboard participate in other projects that include community development, education about mental health, and agricultural initiatives. Becoming a medical crew member aboard a Mercy Ship has become my ultimate career ambition. I want to develop the groundwork of helping the present generation to help create a better future for the future generations.

I have been accepted into the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University. After I graduate in 15 months, my ambition is to continue on my journey towards becoming an acute care travel nurse. My experiences as a certified nursing assistant II on the Intermediate Care Unit influenced my decision to pursue a career as a critical care nurse. There was a workplace culture of teamwork in the Intermediate Care Unit, where I have acquired a foundation of hands-on experience providing direct patient care and exposure to critical care nursing skills working with a diverse patient population. The experience of working in a hospital setting for the last three years has allowed me to develop a close working relationship with nurses and other clinical staff. Joining the Intermediate Care Unit prepared me for the reality of becoming a Nurse, and the ability to accomplish my ambitions in healthcare. Before I can embark as a traveler nurse, I will need to acquire one to two years of experience in Acute Care after graduating from my Nursing Program. Becoming a traveler nurse, I will be able to utilize my skills and talents that I have acquired where the greatest need exists throughout the United States. Healthcare is a field where continued education and innovation are necessary to provide the highest level of care for patients and the community. Every day, nurses make a positive impact through their leadership in the lives of their patients and the community. nurses are the lifeblood and create the foundation for patient care within the healthcare system. They assist patients to achieve their highest level of health and wellness, whether through a return to their baseline, an improvement, or assistance in an adjustment. They are the frontline leaders of the healthcare team providing direct patient care, education, and support for patients and families. The ability to provide direct patient care was the primary reason for my decision to pursue nursing as my career path in healthcare. Every member of the care team is important, but nurses form the backbone of the healthcare system. One day, I hope to volunteer as part of the medical team aboard a Mercy Ship, an international charity that travels to the world to countries to provide humanitarian aid. In addition to providing free healthcare, health education, and palliative care for terminal patients, the medical teams aboard participate in other projects that include community development, education about mental health, and agricultural initiatives. Embarking on an expedition as part of the medical team on these retrofitted cruise ships has become my ultimate career ambition.

Growing up, healthcare was not what I foresaw as my career path in life. After watching my Aunt’s two-and-half-year battle with cancer, I was inspired to look into healthcare. The Oncology Nurses and other healthcare staff that took care of my Aunt while she was in the hospital had been kind and considerate. I determined that nurses are the lifeblood and foundation for the patient care within the healthcare system. My Aunt’s nurses become her strongest advocates and support system for her care and our family throughout her second battle with cancer. Nurses are the frontline leaders of the healthcare team providing direct patient care, education, and support for patients and families. My Aunt first battled with cancer was in her mid-twenties with breast cancer around the time I was born. She was in remission until the summer of 2015 with her diagnosis of stage 2 cervical cancer. There was hope that a radical hysterectomy would remove the cancerous tissue with some chemotherapy before her cancer had an opportunity to metastasize. During the radical hysterectomy, complications arose due to a bowel perforation from her colon being nicked, causing the surgery to be unsuccessful. Due to the extent of the scar tissue, a future surgical option was not considered, and her cervical cancer was discovered to have metastasized to other parts of her body. The next option was to begin an aggressive chemotherapy regimen. My Aunt was forced into early retirement from her position as an Assistant Manager at a store. Chemotherapy sapped all of my Aunt’s strength and energy. My mother and I would help with her care during the week to ease the burden of my cousin, who lived out of state. My cousin would make the three and half hour drive every weekend to take care of her mother. My Aunt tried her best to maintain some semblance of her previous life before the diagnosis of cancer. She was stubborn and would try to ambulate but often would fall. Typically, these were trips to take herself to the bathroom and she would become incontinent on the ground. Her embarrassment caused her to remain dirty until she was found by family or the in-home caretakers that were hired. She was constantly losing weight because of the chemotherapy causing her appetite to disappear. Two and a half years of fighting cancer for the second time, a failed radical hysterectomy, multiple rounds of chemotherapy, and constant misery, fear, and pain. My Aunt decided she was finished fighting and wanted to be placed on Hospice Care. Two weeks later, she died in her bed. I decided to become a certified nursing assistant while I completed prerequisite courses for accelerated nursing programs. The impact of working in a hospital setting for the last three years allowed me to develop a close working relationship with nurses and other clinical staff. On the Intermediate Care Unit, there was a workplace culture of teamwork where I acquired a foundation of hands-on experience of providing direct patient care and exposure to critical care nursing skills working with a diverse patient population. These experiences became the inspiration for my pursuit of working as a critical care nurse. Working in the Intermediate Care Unit prepared me for the reality of becoming a nurse and the ability to accomplish my ambitions in healthcare. I have been accepted into the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing on the Illinois State University campus. After I graduate in 15 months, my ambition is to continue on my journey towards becoming a critical care travel nurse. Before I can embark as a traveler nurse, I will need to acquire one to two years of experience working in critical care at a hospital. Becoming a traveler nurse, I will be able to utilize my skills and talents that I have acquired where the greatest need exists throughout the United States. One day, I hope to volunteer as a medical crew member aboard a Mercy Ship, an international charity that provides humanitarian aid to remote countries. In addition to providing free healthcare, health education, and palliative care for terminal patients, the medical teams aboard participate in other projects that include community development, education about mental health, and agricultural initiatives. Embarking on an expedition as a medical crew member aboard a Mercy Ship has become my ultimate career ambition.

My favorite all-time movie is Fury. This movie follows a recruit to a US tank division in Nazi Germany during the end of the European Theater. He gets traumatized by the horrors of the war. Over time he slowly gains the respect of the other members of the tank crew aboard the Fury. In the end, the recruit is the only survivor as the Fury makes a last stand against a Waffen-SS battalion. This movie has become my favorite because I connected with the recruit and the world of this movie. I enjoy war movies, but this movie had a realness to it that does not always happen with other movies. Typically, I can watch a war movie and the epicness can allow me to disconnect from the horror and violence. Fury shows this recruit’s harsh coming of age against the backdrop of World War II. This movie had a realness that takes the watcher on a journey and you feel like the recruit. You watch the violence, sacrifice, and humanity of the soldiers during World War II.

Becoming involved with community projects, work to change local laws and regulations, and environmental efforts can affect the quality of life within the community. The end goal of these efforts is the preservation of the community for future generations. People do have the ability to affect the national and global community through their actions. Through my career aspirations, I hope to make a positive impact in these larger communities. After graduating from the University of Oregon, I participated in two 10-month AmeriCorps Programs. During my time in AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps, my eleven-person team worked on four projects with host organizations and additional projects throughout the Southern United States. Our first team project was mentoring disadvantaged youth and restoration projects at Camp John I. Hay with the Boys & Girls Club of Central Mississippi. We traveled to Bay St. Louis on the Gulf Coast for our second project to help victims of Hurricane Katrina in a joint effort with Lutheran Episcopal Services in Mississippi/Mission on the Bay. This area was where Hurricane Katrine made landfall before devastating New Orleans. Our third project was assisting United Way of Jackson County with the preparation of basic tax returns for low-income families. Our final project was with Habitat for Humanity Goldsboro-Wayne. We worked alongside the future homeowners of three houses putting in sweat equity to build their first homes. During AmeriCorps Cape Cod, I participated in land and water stewardship service projects, disaster preparedness, and environmental education. I participated in two internships with the Army Corps of Engineers on the Cape Cod Canal and the Bourne Department of Natural Resources. My work with the Army Corps of Engineers included preservation projects of the Cape Cod National Seashore. Throughout the program, I helped with an American Chestnut Orchard Restoration Project. My project over the winter was to develop an interactive osprey display game for the Cape Cod Canal Visitor Center. During the Spring and Summer, my major project was the preservation of the endangered Piping Plover nesting from human trampling, foxes and other predators, and the incoming tide. My projects with the Bourne Department of Natural Resources involved aquaculture and shellfish propagation. We would clean up the beaches and marinas, spread juvenile shellfish in the waterways, and restore salmon runs. During the winter, my responsibility was to clean the shellfish propagation tanks and equipment. Two days a week were dedicated to service projects working with environmental organizations throughout Cape Cod. I worked one day a week at the main office with other members of AmeriCorps Cape Cod. We coordinate a volunteer day of service to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr Day and promote environmental education in schools. In order to prepare for this career path, I became a Certified Nursing Assistant. There are two levels of certification to become a Certified Nursing Assistant in the state of Oregon. In August 2019, I received my Certified Nursing Assistant I certification through Chemeketa Community College. My clinicals were held at Life Care Center in McMinnville, a skilled nursing and rehabilitation center. I became a Certified Nursing Assistant II in November 2019 through Salem Health, as part of my training to work on the Intermediate Care Unit. The scope of practice for Certified Nursing Assistant II includes acute care skills and other responsibilities associated with patient care within a hospital. There was a workplace culture of teamwork on the Intermediate Care Unit, where I acquired a foundation of hands-on experience providing direct patient care and exposure to Acute Nursing skills working with a diverse patient population. My work included providing direct patient care through observation of patient condition, recording patient vitals, and assisting with personal care needs of patients. I was responsible for proper documentation and reporting to clinical staff, adherence to patient care plans, and maintenance of patient safety protocols. In addition, I learned Acute Care Nursing skills through assisting Nurses with medical procedures including wound care and prevention, insertion and removal of certain indwelling devices, specimen collection, and preparation of patients for surgery. The impact of working in a hospital setting for the last three years allowed me to develop a close working relationship with Nurses and other clinical staff. Those experiences are the inspiration for my pursuit of Acute Care Nursing. Joining the Intermediate Care Unit prepared me for the reality of becoming a Nurse, and the ability to accomplish my ambitions in healthcare. I have been accepted into the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University. After I graduate in 15 months, my ambition is to continue on my journey towards becoming an Acute Care Travel Nurse. Becoming a Traveler Nurse, I will be able to utilize my skills and talents that I have acquired where the greatest need exists throughout the United States. One day down the road, I hope to seize the opportunity to volunteer as part of the medical team aboard a Mercy Ship, an international charity that travels to the world to countries to provide humanitarian aid. In addition to providing free healthcare, health education, and palliative care for terminal patients, the medical teams aboard participate in other projects that include community development, education about mental health, and agricultural initiatives. Becoming a part of the medical team on these retrofitted cruise ships has become my ultimate career ambition.

While I watched the last vestiges of sunlight disappear on the horizon at Sequoia National Park, I decided that I wanted to become a Nurse. I have been accepted into the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University. After I graduate in 15 months, my ambition is to become an Acute Care Travel Nurse. My experiences as a Certified Nursing Assistant II on the Intermediate Care Unit influenced my decision to pursue a career as an Acute Care Nursing. There was a workplace culture of teamwork in the Intermediate Care Unit, where I have acquired a foundation of hands-on experience providing direct patient care and exposure to Acute Nursing skills working with a diverse patient population. The experience of working in a hospital setting for the last three years has allowed me to develop a close working relationship with nurses and other clinical staff. Joining the Intermediate Care Unit prepared me for the reality of becoming a Nurse, and the ability to accomplish my ambitions in healthcare. \ Before I can embark as a Traveler Nurse, I will need to acquire one to two years of experience in Acute Care after graduating from my Nursing Program. Becoming a Traveler Nurse, I will be able to utilize my skills and talents that I have acquired where the greatest need exists throughout the United States. Healthcare is a field where continued education and innovation are necessary to provide the highest level of care for patients and the community. Every day, nurses make a positive impact through their leadership in the lives of their patients and the community. Nurses are the lifeblood and create the foundation for patient care within the healthcare system. They assist patients to achieve their highest level of health and wellness, whether through a return to their baseline, an improvement, or assistance in an adjustment. They are the frontline leaders of the healthcare team providing direct patient care, education, and support for patients and families. The ability to provide direct patient care was the primary reason for my decision to pursue Nursing as my career path in healthcare. Every member of the care team is important, but nurses form the backbone of the healthcare system. One day, I hope to seize the opportunity to volunteer as part of the medical team aboard a Mercy Ship, an international charity that travels to the world to countries to provide humanitarian aid. In addition to providing free healthcare, health education, and palliative care for terminal patients, the medical teams aboard participate in other projects that include community development, education about mental health, and agricultural initiatives. Joining an expedition as a member of the medical team upon a Mercy Ship means volunteering your time and money. This allows the allocation of resources to be completely directed toward humanitarian projects and activities. Embarking on an expedition as part of the medical team on these retrofitted cruise ships has become my ultimate career ambition.

Growing up, my Grandpa Jim and his advice have helped to shape me into the man that I am today. He died when I was six years old, but I still remember the wisdom he imparted to me during our fishing trips together. One of his favorite adages was: The top of one mountain is the bottom of the next, so keep climbing. As I stand on the precipice of the next chapter of my journey, I look forward to tackling the next mountain ahead for me in the Prairie State. I have been accepted into the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University. After I graduate in 15 months, my ambition is to continue on my journey towards the next mountain and become an Acute Care Travel Nurse. My Grandpa Jim had always told me: Do something you love, and you will never work a day in your life. My experiences as a Certified Nursing Assistant II on the Intermediate Care Unit influenced my decision to pursue a career as an Acute Care Nursing. There was a workplace culture of teamwork in the Intermediate Care Unit, where I have acquired a foundation of hands-on experience providing direct patient care and exposure to Acute Nursing skills working with a diverse patient population. The experience of working in a hospital setting for the last three years has allowed me to develop a close working relationship with nurses and other clinical staff. Joining the Intermediate Care Unit prepared me for the reality of becoming a Nurse, and the ability to accomplish my ambitions in healthcare. Before I can embark as a Traveler Nurse, I will need to acquire one to two years of experience in Acute Care after graduating from my Nursing Program. Becoming a Traveler Nurse, I will be able to utilize my skills and talents that I have acquired where the greatest need exists throughout the United States. One day, I hope to seize the opportunity to volunteer as part of the medical team aboard a Mercy Ship, an international charity that travels to the world to countries to provide humanitarian aid. In addition to providing free healthcare, health education, and palliative care for terminal patients, the medical teams aboard participate in other projects that include community development, education about mental health, and agricultural initiatives. Becoming a member of the medical team upon a Mercy Ship means volunteering your time and money. This allows the allocation of resources to be completely directed toward humanitarian projects and activities. Embarking on an expedition as part of the medical team on these retrofitted cruise ships has become my ultimate career ambition.

Just be smart and safe. within our society, distracted driving should no longer be a problem. The effects of distracted driving can have dire consequences on the individual and the community. The financial burden of being ticketed for distracted driving is the best-case scenario. When someone gets behind the wheel and does not pay attention to the road, they are endangering not only their own lives but the lives of every pedestrian, passenger, and driver they encounter on the road. If a collision does occur, there can be serious injuries, destruction of property, and can result in death. I could not imagine the guilt of causing serious harm to another person as the result of my distracted driving or dealing with survivor remorse. Distracted driving is likely the most preventable problem within our society. The reason that I take distracted driving seriously is when I was in High School, one of my friends was in a head-on collision with a distracted driver. The other driver drove into oncoming traffic, sideswiping a car before colliding with my friend’s car. My friend spent weeks in the hospital on the Neurotrauma Care Unit. He was unconscious for days, having sustained a concussion and several broken bones. His broken ribs caused every breath or movement to be excruciating. My friend's legs were placed in traction to promote the healing of his broken bones in his legs. After being discharged from the hospital, he went through physical therapy. This happened near the end of our Senior Year of High School. My friend had aspirations and dreams of joining the Navy, which would allow him to study Engineering after his terms of service. His future, dreams, and aspirations were destroyed by one careless driver that got behind the wheel looking at their cellphone. Unfortunately, I have lost touch with this friend over the years, but this story has stayed with me. His story is the reason that I have committed to keep my eyes on the road and not on my cellphone while drive. My experiences as a Certified Nursing Assistant II on the Intermediate Care Unit influenced my decision to pursue a career as an Acute Care Nursing. There was a workplace culture of teamwork in the Intermediate Care Unit, where I have acquired a foundation of hands-on experience providing direct patient care and exposure to Acute Nursing skills working with a diverse patient population. The experience of working in a hospital setting for the last three years has allowed me to develop a close working relationship with nurses and other clinical staff. Joining the Intermediate Care Unit prepared me for the reality of becoming a Nurse, and the ability to accomplish my ambitions in healthcare. Before I can embark as a Traveler Nurse, I will need to acquire one to two years of experience in Acute Care after graduating from my Nursing Program. Becoming a Traveler Nurse, I will be able to utilize my skills and talents that I have acquired where the greatest need exists throughout the United States. One day, I hope to seize the opportunity to volunteer as part of the medical team aboard a Mercy Ship, an international charity that travels to the world to countries to provide humanitarian aid. In addition to providing free healthcare, health education, and palliative care for terminal patients, the medical teams aboard participate in other projects that include community development, education about mental health, and agricultural initiatives. Embarking on an expedition as part of the medical team on these retrofitted cruise ships has become my ultimate career ambition.

While I watched the last vestiges of sunlight disappear on the horizon at Sequoia National Park, I decided that I wanted to Nursing as my career path in life. As I stand on the precipice of the next chapter of my journey, I look forward to the adventures ahead for me in the Prairie State. I have been accepted into the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University. After I graduate in 15 months, my ambition is to continue on my journey towards becoming an Acute Care Travel Nurse. Before I can embark as a Traveler Nurse, I will need to acquire one to two years of experience of Acute Care after graduating from my Nursing Program. Becoming a Traveler Nurse, I will be able to utilize my skills and talents that I have acquired where the greatest need exists throughout the United States. Essentially, Traveler Nurses operate as a small entrepreneurial business. In order to prepare for this career path, I became a Certified Nursing Assistant. There are two levels of certification to become a Certified Nursing Assistant in the state of Oregon. In August 2019, I received my Certified Nursing Assistant I certification through Chemeketa Community College. My clinicals were held at Life Care Center in McMinnville, a skilled nursing and rehabilitation center. I became a Certified Nursing Assistant II in November 2019 through Salem Health, as part of my training to work on the Intermediate Care Unit. The scope of practice for Certified Nursing Assistant II includes acute care skills and other responsibilities associated with patient care within a hospital. There was a workplace culture of teamwork on the Intermediate Care Unit, where I acquired a foundation of hands-on experience providing direct patient care and exposure to Acute Nursing skills working with a diverse patient population. My work included providing direct patient care through observation of patient condition, recording patient vitals, and assisting with personal care needs of patients. I was responsible for proper documentation and reporting to clinical staff, adherence to patient care plans, and maintenance of patient safety protocols. In addition, I learned Acute Care Nursing skills though assisting Nurses with medical procedures including wound care and prevention, insertion and removal of certain indwelling devices, specimen collection, and preparation of patients for surgery. The impact of working in a hospital setting for the last three years allowed me to develop a close working relationship with Nurses and other clinical staff. Those experiences are the inspiration for my pursuit of Acute Care Nursing. Joining the Intermediate Care Unit prepared me for the reality of becoming a Nurse, and the ability to accomplish my ambitions in healthcare. One day, I hope to seize the opportunity to volunteer as part of the medical team aboard a Mercy Ship, an international charity that travels to the world to countries to provide humanitarian aid. In addition to providing free healthcare, health education, and palliative care for terminal patients, the medical teams aboard participate in other projects that include community development, education about mental health, and agricultural initiatives. Joining an expedition as a member of the medical team upon a Mercy Ship means volunteering your time and money. This allows the allocation of resources to be completely directed toward humanitarian projects and activities. Embarking on an expedition as part of the medical team on these retrofitted cruise ships has become my ultimate career ambition.

The destruction of plant and animal ecosystems around the world has direct consequences for our future. This is a global crisis because the entire world is one ecosystem that the human race is destroying. People believe that something happening somewhere else in the world has no effect on them, but they are dead wrong. The worst part is Animals and plants throughout the world are collateral damage to the destruction that we are wrecking on the environment. Human created climate change is destroying the balance of the world ecosystem. Last September, the Oregon Sky in the Willamette Valley was an eerie orange as wildfires ravaged the forests of my home state, destroying the habitats of countless animals. The California wildfires have increased in severity and frequency throughout the years. The entire West Coast seemed to be ablaze last summer. The devastation of the Black Summer of Australian Outback brushfires destroyed much of the vegetation throughout Australia. Some believe that animals have become extinct or at risk of extinction from the destruction. Climate change is a natural phenomenon, but we are forcing these changes at an expedient, non-uniform rate and the variations to the world environment. Avarice has made humans egocentric towards the environment and willfully ignorant of climate change. This is a global problem because the entire world is one ecosystem. Wildfires are not the only threat to animal habitats throughout the world. The deforestation of the Amazon Rainforest has displaced animal species. The products produced from the lumber are fueling the growing amount of greenhouse gases, increasing the global temperature. We are destabilizing the habitats of animals in the Amazon Rainforest. Arctic animals are losing their habitats as the ice caps disintegrate into the increasingly warmer and rising oceans. Animal behaviors are being altered such as decreased hibernation periods and mass migrations toward the poles. When I was in AmeriCorps Cape Cod, I saw firsthand people’s disregard for animal habitats. One of my projects with the Army Corps of Engineers on the Cape Cod Canal was the protection of the endangered Piping Plover nesting grounds. These birds build nests in the sand and seagrass. We would erect beach fencing to sanction off parts of the beaches to protect their nests from humans trampling, foxes and other predators, and the incoming tide. Residents were upset that only a small part of the beach was prohibited and would dismantle and remove the beach fencing. I hope that the current administration will get us back on track to preserving the environment. Educational efforts to inform and teach children at a young age about the importance of preservation and the destabilization of the environment will hopefully create a generation that grows up to respect and fight for the improvement of the environment. I am hopeful that we may have a shift in our perception of our world. Earth is not a disposable commodity and people need to come to the realization that the devastation to one part of the world has a global effect.

After graduating from college, I participated in two 10-month AmeriCorps Programs. In AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps, my eleven-person team worked on four projects with host organizations and additional projects throughout the Southern United States. Our first team project was mentoring disadvantaged youth and restoration projects at Camp John I. Hay with the Boys & Girls Club of Central Mississippi. The next project was on the Gulf Coast to help victims of Hurricane Katrina in a joint effort with Lutheran Episcopal Services in Mississippi/Mission on the Bay. Our third project was assisting United Way of Jackson County with the preparation of basic tax returns for low-income families. Our final project was with Habitat for Humanity Goldsboro-Wayne. We worked alongside the future homeowners of three houses putting in sweat equity. During AmeriCorps Cape Cod, I participated in land and water stewardship service projects, disaster preparedness, and environmental education. I participated in two internships with the Army Corps of Engineers on the Cape Cod Canal and the Bourne Department of Natural Resources. My work with the Army Corps of Engineers included preservation projects of the Cape Cod National Seashore. Throughout the program, I helped with an American Chestnut Orchard Restoration Project. My project over the winter was to develop an interactive osprey display game for the Cape Cod Canal Visitor Center. During the Spring and Summer, my major project was the preservation of the endangered Piping Plover nesting from human trampling, foxes and other predators, and the incoming tide. My projects with the Bourne Department of Natural Resources involved aquaculture and shellfish propagation. We would clean up the beaches and marinas, spread juvenile shellfish in the waterways, and restore salmon runs. During the winter, my responsibility was to clean the shellfish propagation tanks and equipment. Two days a week were dedicated to service projects working with environmental organizations throughout Cape Cod. I worked one day a week at the main office with other members of AmeriCorps Cape Cod. We coordinate a volunteer day of service to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr Day and promote environmental education in schools. My experiences as a Certified Nursing Assistant II on the Intermediate Care Unit influenced my decision to pursue a career as a Nurse. There is a workplace culture of teamwork in the Intermediate Care Unit, where I have acquired a foundation of hands-on experience providing direct patient care and exposure to Acute Nursing skills working with a diverse patient population. The experience of working in a hospital setting for the last three years has allowed me to develop a close working relationship with nurses and other clinical staff. Joining the Intermediate Care Unit prepared me for the reality of becoming a Nurse, and the ability to accomplish my ambitions in healthcare. I have been accepted into the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University. After I graduate in 15 months, my ambition is to become a Traveler Nurse, where I can utilize my skills and talents that I have acquired where the greatest need exists throughout the United States. One day, I hope to seize the opportunity to volunteer as part of the medical team aboard a Mercy Ship, an international charity that travels to the world to countries to provide humanitarian aid. In addition to providing free healthcare, health education, and palliative care for terminal patients, the medical teams aboard participate in other projects that include community development, education about mental health, and agricultural initiatives. Becoming a part of the medical team on these retrofitted cruise ships has become my ultimate career ambition.

While I watched the last vestiges of sunlight disappear on the horizon at Sequoia National Park, I decided that I wanted to become a Nurse. As I stand on the precipice of the next chapter of my journey, I look forward to the adventures ahead for me in the Prairie State. I have been accepted into the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University. After I graduate in 15 months, my ambition is to continue on my journey towards becoming an Acute Care Travel Nurse. I decided to become a Certified Nursing Assistant while I completed prerequisite courses for Accelerated Nursing Programs. In the state of Oregon, there are two levels of certification for Certified Nursing Assistant. In August 2019, I received my Certified Nursing Assistant 1 certification through Chemeketa Community College. My clinicals were held at Life Care Center in McMinnville, a skilled nursing and rehabilitation center. I became a Certified Nursing Assistant 2 in November 2019 through Salem Health, as part of my training to work on the Intermediate Care Unit. The scope of practice for Certified Nursing Assistant II includes acute care skills and other responsibilities associated with patient care within a hospital. There was a workplace culture of teamwork on the Intermediate Care Unit, where I acquired a foundation of hands-on experience providing direct patient care and exposure to Acute Nursing skills working with a diverse patient population. My work included providing direct patient care through observation of patient condition, recording patient vitals, and assisting with personal care needs of patients. I was responsible for proper documentation and reporting to clinical staff, adherence to patient care plans, and maintenance of patient safety protocols. In addition, I learned Acute Care Nursing skills through assisting Nurses with medical procedures including wound care and prevention, insertion and removal of certain indwelling devices, specimen collection, and preparation of patients for surgery. The impact of working in a hospital setting allowed me to develop a close working relationship with Nurses and other clinical staff. Those experiences are the inspiration for my pursuit of Acute Care Nursing. Joining the Intermediate Care Unit prepared me for the reality of becoming a Nurse, and the ability to accomplish my ambitions in healthcare. Before I can embark as a Traveler Nurse, I will need to acquire one to two years of experience in Acute Care after graduating from my Nursing Program. Becoming a Traveler Nurse, I will be able to utilize my skills and talents that I have acquired where the greatest need exists throughout the United States. This past year has included working with patients on the Intermediate Care Unit that have contracted the coronavirus COVID-19. Despite the coronavirus pandemic continuing to threaten the world population, my commitment to has become stronger to continue on my trajectory toward becoming an Acute Care Travel Nurse. Healthcare is a field where continued education and innovation are necessary to provide the highest level of care for patients and the community. Every day, nurses make a positive impact through their leadership in the lives of their patients and the community. Nurses are the lifeblood and create the foundation for patient care within the healthcare system. They assist patients to achieve their highest level of health and wellness, whether through a return to their baseline, an improvement, or assistance in an adjustment. They are the frontline leaders of the healthcare team providing direct patient care, education, and support for patients and families. The ability to provide direct patient care was the primary reason for my decision to pursue Nursing as my career path in healthcare. Every member of the care team is important, but nurses form the backbone of the healthcare system. One day, I hope to seize the opportunity to volunteer as part of the medical team aboard a Mercy Ship, an international charity that travels to the world to countries to provide humanitarian aid. In addition to providing free healthcare, health education, and palliative care for terminal patients, the medical teams aboard participate in other projects that include community development, education about mental health, and agricultural initiatives. Joining an expedition as a member of the medical team upon a Mercy Ship means volunteering your time and money. This allows the allocation of resources to be completely directed toward humanitarian projects and activities. Embarking on an expedition as part of the medical team on these retrofitted cruise ships has become my ultimate career ambition.

In June of 1994, just before my eighth birthday, my parents announced that they were finally getting divorced. Shortly after my eleventh birthday, my parent’s divorce ended after three years with my father’s death in July of 1997. Those three years were a waking nightmare of living Hell at the hands of my father. Even over twenty years later, I am still haunted by the memories and scars of those war-torn years of my life. The court had designated my father as the residential parent because he was a stay-at-home dad. My father was a manipulative, controlling, abusive, alcoholic tyrant. He forced me to quit playing intramural sports, Cub Scouts, and became the reason I was a pariah in my neighborhood. My father did not want my mother to have more opportunities to see me through my extracurricular activities. Additionally, my father would be belligerent in public and yell profanities and slurs toward my mother. My friends were not allowed to come to my house, and I was no longer welcome at their house. Our neighbors did not want their children to be around my father. Around this time, I developed a blood infection that caused my eyesight and overall health to deteriorate. My life was falling apart, and I contemplated suicide at the age of 10. While I was never officially diagnosed with a mental illness, I am certain that I was suffering from a form of depression. I have forgiven but not forgotten. Each day, I strived to forge forward with my life and leave my past behind me. I have made it my mission to explore the world to discover my purpose in life and overcome the darkness of my past. The journey throughout the years has been arduous at times to keep a positive attitude and mindset. I feel that part of my childhood was stolen from me and was forced to grow up faster than I should. Finally, I stand on the precipice of the next chapter of my journey, I look forward to the adventures ahead for me in the Prairie State. I have been accepted into the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University beginning in Summer 2021. After I graduate in 15 months, my ambition is to continue on my journey towards becoming an Acute Care Travel Nurse. One day down the road, I hope to seize the opportunity to volunteer as part of the medical team aboard a Mercy Ship, an international charity that travels to the world to countries to provide humanitarian aid. In addition to providing free healthcare, health education, and palliative care for terminal patients, the medical teams aboard participate in other projects that include community development, education about mental health, and agricultural initiatives. Becoming a part of the medical team on these retrofitted cruise ships has become my ultimate ambition. Through helping others, I want to continue to heal my wounds and scars from those turbulent years.

In June of 1994, just before my eighth birthday, my parents announced that they were finally getting divorced. Shortly after my eleventh birthday, my parent’s divorce ended after three years with my father’s death in July of 1997. Those three years were a waking nightmare of living Hell at the hands of my father. Even over twenty years later, I am still haunted by the memories and scars of those war-torn years of my life. The court had designated my father as the residential parent because he was a stay-at-home dad. My father was a manipulative, controlling, abusive, alcoholic tyrant. He forced me to quit playing intramural sports, Cub Scouts, and became the reason I was a pariah in my neighborhood. My father did not want my mother to have more opportunities to see me through my extracurricular activities. Additionally, my father would be belligerent in public and yell profanities and slurs toward my mother. My friends were not allowed to come to my house, and I was no longer welcome at their house. Our neighbors did not want their children to be around my father. Around this time, I developed a blood infection that caused my eyesight and overall health to deteriorate. My life was falling apart, and I contemplated suicide at the age of 10. While I was never officially diagnosed with a mental illness, I am certain that I was suffering from a form of depression. I have forgiven but not forgotten. Each day, I strived to forge forward with my life and leave my past behind me. I have made it my mission to explore the world to discover my purpose in life and overcome the darkness of my past. The journey throughout the years has been arduous at times to keep a positive attitude and mindset. I feel that part of my childhood was stolen from me and was forced to grow up faster than I should. Finally, I stand on the precipice of the next chapter of my journey, I look forward to the adventures ahead for me in the Prairie State. I have been accepted into the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University beginning in Summer 2021. After I graduate in 15 months, my ambition is to continue on my journey towards becoming an Acute Care Travel Nurse. One day down the road, I hope to seize the opportunity to volunteer as part of the medical team aboard a Mercy Ship, an international charity that travels to the world to countries to provide humanitarian aid. In addition to providing free healthcare, health education, and palliative care for terminal patients, the medical teams aboard participate in other projects that include community development, education about mental health, and agricultural initiatives. Becoming a part of the medical team on these retrofitted cruise ships has become my ultimate ambition. Through helping others, I want to continue to heal my wounds and scars from those turbulent years.

Growing up, my Grandpa Jim and his advice have helped to shape me into the man that I am today. He died when I was six years old, but I still remember the wisdom he imparted to me during our fishing trips together. One of his favorite adages was: The top of one mountain is the bottom of the next, so keep climbing. While I watched the last vestiges of sunlight disappear on the horizon at Sequoia National Park, that piece of advice was at the forefront of my mind as I decided that I wanted to pursue a life in healthcare and become a Nurse. Growing up, healthcare was not what I foresaw as the trajectory of my career path in life. A few years ago, I started taking prerequisite courses to enter into a career in healthcare. The journey has been arduous at times, but that adage has given me the courage and inspiration to continue moving onward and upward towards the next challenge. As I stand on the precipice of the next chapter of my journey, I look forward to tackling the next mountain ahead for me in the Prairie State. I have been accepted into the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University. After I graduate in 15 months, my ambition is to continue on my journey towards the next mountain and become an Acute Care Travel Nurse. My Grandpa Jim had always told me: Do something you love, and you will never work a day in your life. Currently, I work as a Certified Nursing Assistant II on the Intermediate Care Unit. Since my first day, I feel that I have finally found my calling in life. There is a workplace culture of teamwork in the Intermediate Care Unit, where I have acquired a foundation of hands-on experience providing direct patient care and exposure to Acute Nursing skills working with a diverse patient population. The experience of working in a hospital setting for the last three years has allowed me to develop a close working relationship with nurses and other clinical staff. These experiences have become an inspiration for my pursuit of becoming an Acute Care Nursing. Becoming part of the Intermediate Care Unit has prepared me for the reality of becoming a nurse, and the ability to accomplish my ambitions in healthcare. Before I can embark as a Traveler Nurse, I will need to acquire one to two years of experience in Acute Care after graduating from my Nursing Program. Becoming a Traveler Nurse, I will be able to utilize my skills and talents that I have acquired where the greatest need exists throughout the United States. One day down the road, I hope to seize the opportunity to volunteer as part of the medical team aboard a Mercy Ship, an international charity that travels to the world to countries to provide humanitarian aid. In addition to providing free healthcare, health education, and palliative care for terminal patients, the medical teams aboard participate in other projects that include community development, education about mental health, and agricultural initiatives. Becoming a member of the medical team upon a Mercy Ship means volunteering your time and money. This allows the allocation of resources to be completely directed toward humanitarian projects and activities. Embarking on an expedition as part of the medical team on these retrofitted cruise ships has become my ultimate career ambition.

In June of 1994, just before my eighth birthday, my parents announced that they were finally getting divorced. Shortly after my eleventh birthday, my parent’s divorce ended after three years with my father’s death in July of 1997. Those three years were a waking nightmare of living Hell at the hands of my father. Even over twenty years later, I am still haunted by the memories and scars of those war-torn years of my life. The court had designated my father as the residential parent because he was a stay-at-home dad. My father was a manipulative, controlling, abusive, alcoholic tyrant. He forced me to quit playing intramural sports, Cub Scouts, and became the reason I was a pariah in my neighborhood. My father did not want my mother to have more opportunities to see me through my extracurricular activities. Additionally, my father would be belligerent in public and yell profanities and slurs toward my mother. My friends were not allowed to come to my house, and I was no longer welcome at their house. Our neighbors did not want their children to be around my father. Around this time, I developed a blood infection that caused my eyesight and overall health to deteriorate. My life was falling apart, and I contemplated suicide at the age of 10. While I was never officially diagnosed with a mental illness, I am certain that I was suffering from a form of depression. I have forgiven but not forgotten. Each day, I strived to forge forward with my life and leave my past behind me. I have made it my mission to explore the world to discover my purpose in life and overcome the darkness of my past. The journey throughout the years has been arduous at times to keep a positive attitude and mindset. I feel that part of my childhood was stolen from me and was forced to grow up faster than I should. Finally, I stand on the precipice of the next chapter of my journey, I look forward to the adventures ahead for me in the Prairie State. I have been accepted into the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing on the Illinois State University campus. After I graduate in 15 months, my ambition is to continue on my journey towards becoming an Acute Care Travel Nurse. One day, I hope to seize the opportunity to volunteer as part of the medical team aboard a Mercy Ship, an international charity that travels to the world to countries to provide humanitarian aid. In addition to providing free healthcare, health education, and palliative care for terminal patients, the medical teams aboard participate in other projects that include community development, education about mental health, and agricultural initiatives. Joining an expedition as a member of the medical team upon a Mercy Ship means volunteering your time and money. This allows the allocation of resources to be completely directed toward humanitarian projects and activities. Becoming a part of the medical team on these retrofitted cruise ships has become my ultimate ambition. Through helping others, I want to continue to heal my wounds and scars from those turbulent years.

While I watched the last vestiges of sunlight disappear on the horizon at Sequoia National Park, I sat in quiet contemplation of my future. My visit to his hospital room on Inpatient Rehabilitation before this trip and the words he said before I had left played in my head again. Words that he would not even remember having spoken to me but would change the trajectory of my life. A few months before this trip, I had started working as a Patient Transport Assistant at Salem Health. One of my new coworkers was named Taylor. He was one of those types of people that instantly became friends with everyone. Taylor was full of laughter and love. Unfortunately, he was stricken with an unknown illness and was hospitalized about a month after I had started. He spent several weeks on the Intensive Care Unit until he was transferred to Oregon Health & Science University, where they had a Neurological Intensive Care Unit. Taylor was transferred back to Salem Health to undergo rehabilitation when his condition improved. I had been planning this trip to California to contemplate my career trajectory. I wanted to visit Taylor before I left because he was supposed to be discharged while I would be out of town. Nobody in the Transport Department understood why I wanted to visit Taylor. We had only worked together for about a month before he got sick. They told me that Taylor was not able to even remember his best friend, so why would he remember me? At the time, I was not certain why I wanted to visit him. however, I knew it was important to me. When I walked into Taylor’s hospital room, he looked at me with vague familiarity in his eyes and open arms. During my visit, I listened to him regale his harrowing tales battling dragons and monsters, encounters with maidens and mermaids, and his other adventures from his delirium on the Intensive Care Unit. Taylor expressed his gratitude for my visit and offered unnecessary apologies for not remembering me. I reminded him that we had not worked together for long before he was hospitalized, and that people were confused about my eagerness to visit him. Before I left his hospital room, we talked about our futures. Taylor relayed to me his plan of care and I mentioned that I was leaving on a trip to figure out my life. That I was contemplating changing the trajectory of my healthcare path towards becoming a Nurse. Taylor turned to look me in the eye and said, “Nurses have to have to truly care about and love people. You came to visit me. You have what it takes to become a great Nurse.” At the time, I just smiled and nodded my head. Little did I know, Taylor’s words would become the vindication for my decision to change the trajectory of my healthcare career toward becoming an Acute Care Nurse. I have been accepted into the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University. After I graduate in 15 months, my ambition is to continue on my journey towards becoming an Acute Care Travel Nurse. Before I can embark as a Traveler Nurse, I will need to acquire one to two years of experience in Acute Care after graduating from my Nursing Program. Becoming a Traveler Nurse, I will be able to utilize my skills and talents that I have acquired where the greatest need exists throughout the United States.

While I watched the last vestiges of sunlight disappear on the horizon at Sequoia National Park, I decided that I wanted to Nursing as my career path in life. As I stand on the precipice of the next chapter of my journey, I look forward to the adventures ahead for me in the Prairie State. I have been accepted into the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University. After I graduate in 15 months, my ambition is to continue on my journey towards becoming an Acute Care Travel Nurse. Before I can embark as a Traveler Nurse, I will need to acquire one to two years of experience of Acute Care after graduating from my Nursing Program. Becoming a Traveler Nurse, I will be able to utilize my skills and talents that I have acquired where the greatest need exists throughout the United States. Essentially, Traveler Nurses operate as a small entrepreneurial business. In order to prepare for this career path, I became a Certified Nursing Assistant. There are two levels of certification to become a Certified Nursing Assistant in the state of Oregon. In August 2019, I received my Certified Nursing Assistant I certification through Chemeketa Community College. My clinicals were held at Life Care Center in McMinnville, a skilled nursing and rehabilitation center. I became a Certified Nursing Assistant II in November 2019 through Salem Health, as part of my training to work on the Intermediate Care Unit. The scope of practice for Certified Nursing Assistant II includes acute care skills and other responsibilities associated with patient care within a hospital. There was a workplace culture of teamwork on the Intermediate Care Unit, where I acquired a foundation of hands-on experience providing direct patient care and exposure to Acute Nursing skills working with a diverse patient population. My work included providing direct patient care through observation of patient condition, recording patient vitals, and assisting with personal care needs of patients. I was responsible for proper documentation and reporting to clinical staff, adherence to patient care plans, and maintenance of patient safety protocols. In addition, I learned Acute Care Nursing skills though assisting Nurses with medical procedures including wound care and prevention, insertion and removal of certain indwelling devices, specimen collection, and preparation of patients for surgery. The impact of working in a hospital setting for the last three years allowed me to develop a close working relationship with Nurses and other clinical staff. Those experiences are the inspiration for my pursuit of Acute Care Nursing. Joining the Intermediate Care Unit prepared me for the reality of becoming a Nurse, and the ability to accomplish my ambitions in healthcare. One day down the road, I hope to seize the opportunity to volunteer as part of the medical team aboard a Mercy Ship, an international charity that travels to the world to countries to provide humanitarian aid. In addition to providing free healthcare, health education, and palliative care for terminal patients, the medical teams aboard participate in other projects that include community development, education about mental health, and agricultural initiatives. Joining an expedition as a member of the medical team upon a Mercy Ship means volunteering your time and money. This allows the allocation of resources to be completely directed toward humanitarian projects and activities. Embarking on an expedition as part of the medical team on these retrofitted cruise ships has become my ultimate career ambition.

The court had designated my father as the residential parent because he was a stay-at-home parent. My father was a manipulative, controlling, abusive, alcoholic tyrant. He forced me to quit playing intramural sports, Cub Scouts, and became the reason I was a pariah in my neighborhood. My father did not want my mother to have more opportunities to see me through my extracurricular activities. Additionally, my father would be belligerent in public and yell profanities and slurs toward my mother. My friends were not allowed to come to my house, and I was no longer welcome at their house. Our neighbors did not want their children to be around my father. Around this time, I developed a blood infection that caused my eyesight and overall health to deteriorate. My life was falling apart, and I contemplated suicide at the age of 10. While I was never officially diagnosed with a mental illness, I am certain that I was suffering from a form of depression. I have forgiven but not forgotten. Each day, I strived to forge forward with my life and leave my past behind me. I have made it my mission to explore the world to discover my purpose in life and overcome the darkness of my past. The journey throughout the years has been arduous at times to keep a positive attitude and mindset. I feel that part of my childhood was stolen from me and was forced to grow up faster than I should. Finally, I stand on the precipice of the next chapter of my journey, I look forward to the adventures ahead for me in the Prairie State. I have been accepted into the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University. After I graduate in 15 months, my ambition is to continue on my journey towards becoming an Acute Care Travel Nurse. One day down the road, I hope to seize the opportunity to volunteer as part of the medical team aboard a Mercy Ship, an international charity that travels to the world to countries to provide humanitarian aid. In addition to providing free healthcare, health education, and palliative care for terminal patients, the medical teams aboard participate in other projects that include community development, education about mental health, and agricultural initiatives. Becoming a part of the medical team on these retrofitted cruise ships has become my ultimate ambition. Through helping others, I want to continue to heal my wounds and scars from those turbulent years.

Balance is the most important principle to maintain a healthy lifestyle through finding the correct diet, exercise regiment, and sleep cycle for yourself. Currently, I work as a Certified Nursing Assistant II on an Intermediate Care Unit on Night Shift. Avoiding an unhealthy diet while working nights can be a struggle. I maintain a proper diet utilizing preplanned meals to avoid unhealthy options and ensure proper nutritional balance is maintained. While I have a gym membership, my preference is to get exercise from participating in sports to promote my physical health when the weather permits. I like to play Ultimate Frisbee, rock climb and boulder, go hiking on trails, swim, and ride my bike. During the winter, I frequent the gym after getting off work to weight train, get cardiovascular exercise, and attend yoga classes. My normal circadian sleep cycle is disrupted by having to sleep during the daylight and work throughout the night. While going to the gym can be difficult after working a twelve-hour shift, I tend to get deeper and more sustained sleep between shifts. The most important factor for me to maintain a healthy lifestyle is my ambition to become an Acute Care Nurse. Nurses assist patients to achieve their highest level of health and wellness, whether through a return to their baseline, an improvement, or assistance in an adjustment. They are the frontline leaders of the healthcare team providing direct patient care, education, and support for patients and families. I want to lead my patients by example to improve their overall health through maintaining a healthy lifestyle myself. Nurses and other healthcare members help to create a culture of health within their community, creating a positive impact on the lives of their patients, friends, and families. Every member of the care team is important, but nurses form the backbone of the healthcare system. I have been accepted into the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University. After I graduate in 15 months, my ambition is to become an Acute Care Travel Nurse. One day, I hope to seize the opportunity to volunteer as part of the medical team aboard a Mercy Ship, an international charity that travels to the world to countries to provide humanitarian aid. In addition to providing free healthcare, health education, and palliative care for terminal patients, the medical teams aboard a Mercy Ship participate in other projects that include community development, education about mental health, and agricultural initiatives. Embarking on an expedition as part of the medical team on these floating hospitals has become my ultimate career ambition in life.

In June of 1994, just before my eighth birthday, my parents announced that they were finally getting divorced. Shortly after my eleventh birthday, my parent’s divorce ended after three years with my father’s death in July of 1997. Those three years were a waking nightmare of living Hell at the hands of my father. Even over twenty years later, I am still haunted by the memories and scars of those war-torn years of my life. The court had designated my father as the residential parent because he was a stay-at-home dad. My father was a manipulative, controlling, abusive, alcoholic tyrant. He forced me to quit playing intramural sports, Cub Scouts, and became the reason I was a pariah in my neighborhood. My father did not want my mother to have more opportunities to see me through my extracurricular activities. Additionally, my father would be belligerent in public and yell profanities and slurs toward my mother. My friends were not allowed to come to my house, and I was no longer welcome at their house. Our neighbors did not want their children to be around my father. Around this time, I developed a blood infection that caused my eyesight and overall health to deteriorate. My life was falling apart, and I contemplated suicide at the age of 10. While I was never officially diagnosed with a mental illness, I am certain that I was suffering from a form of depression. I have forgiven but not forgotten. Each day, I strived to forge forward with my life and leave my past behind me. I have made it my mission to explore the world to discover my purpose in life and overcome the darkness of my past. The journey throughout the years has been arduous at times to keep a positive attitude and mindset. I feel that part of my childhood was stolen from me and was forced to grow up faster than I should. Finally, I stand on the precipice of the next chapter of my journey, I look forward to the adventures ahead for me in the Prairie State. I have been accepted into the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University. After I graduate in 15 months, my ambition is to continue on my journey towards becoming an Acute Care Travel Nurse. One day down the road, I hope to seize the opportunity to volunteer as part of the medical team aboard a Mercy Ship, an international charity that travels to the world to countries to provide humanitarian aid. In addition to providing free healthcare, health education, and palliative care for terminal patients, the medical teams aboard participate in other projects that include community development, education about mental health, and agricultural initiatives. Becoming a part of the medical team on these retrofitted cruise ships has become my ultimate ambition. Through helping others, I want to continue to heal my wounds and scars from those turbulent years.

While I watched the last vestiges of sunlight disappear on the horizon at Sequoia National Park, I decided that I wanted to become a Nurse. Growing up, healthcare was not what I foresaw as the trajectory of my career path in life. After watching my Aunt’s two-and-half year fight with Cervical Cancer, I decided that I wanted to become an Acute Care Nurse. The Oncology Nurses and other healthcare staff that took care of my Aunt while she was in the hospital had been kind and considerate. I determined that Nurses are the lifeblood and foundation for patient care within the healthcare system. My Aunt’s Nurses become her strongest advocates and support system for her care and our family throughout her second battle with Cancer. They are the frontline leaders of the healthcare team providing direct patient care, education, and support for patients and families. My Aunt first battled with Cancer was in her mid-twenties with Breast Cancer. She had been in remission until the Summer of 2015 with her diagnosis of Stage 2 Cervical Cancer. There was hope that a radical hysterectomy would completely remove her cancerous tissue. During surgery, complications arose due to her bowels being nicked causing her radical hysterectomy to be unsuccessful. Due to the extent of the scar tissue, a future surgical option was not considered, and her Cervical Cancer metastasized throughout her body. The next option was to begin a chemotherapy regimen. My Aunt decided to retire early from her position as an Assistant Manager at a store for medical reasons. Chemotherapy sapped all of my Aunt’s strength and energy. My mother and I would help with her care during the week to ease the burden of my cousin, who lived out of state. My cousin would make the three and half hour drive every weekend to take care of her mother. My Aunt tried her best to maintain some semblance of her previous life before the diagnosis of Cancer. She would try to ambulate but fell many times, typically on trips to take herself to the bathroom. She would become incontinent when she fell, and her embarrassment caused her to remain dirty until she was found. She was constantly losing weight, that she could not afford to lose in the first place. Her lab results were always middle of the road, neither bad nor promising. After two and a half years of fighting Cancer for the second time, the failure of the radical hysterectomy surgery, undergoing rounds of chemotherapy, and the constant misery of pain, my Aunt decided she was through fighting and wanted to be placed on Hospice Care. Two weeks later, she died in her bed. Shortly after her funeral service, I departed for my trip to Sequoia National Park to deal with my grief and contemplate my life. Currently, I work as a Certified Nursing Assistant II on the Intermediate Care Unit. There is a workplace culture of teamwork in the Intermediate Care Unit, where I have acquired a foundation of hands-on experience providing direct patient care and exposure to Acute Nursing skills working with a diverse patient population. The experience of working in a hospital setting for the last two years has allowed me to develop a close working relationship with nurses and other clinical staff. These experiences are the inspiration for my pursuit of a career as an Acute Care Nursing. Joining the Intermediate Care Unit has prepared me for the reality of becoming a nurse, and the ability to accomplish my ambitions in healthcare. I have been accepted into the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University beginning in Summer 2021. After I graduate in 15 months, my ambition is to continue on my journey towards becoming an Acute Care Travel Nurse. Before I can embark as a Traveler Nurse, I will need to acquire one to two years of experience in Acute Care after graduating from my Nursing Program. Becoming a Traveler Nurse, I will be able to utilize my skills and talents that I have acquired where the greatest need exists throughout the United States. One day down the road, I hope to seize the opportunity to volunteer as part of the medical team aboard a Mercy Ship, an international charity that travels to the world to countries to provide humanitarian aid. In addition to providing free healthcare, health education, and palliative care for terminal patients, the medical teams aboard participate in other projects that include community development, education about mental health, and agricultural initiatives. Joining an expedition as a member of the medical team upon a Mercy Ship means volunteering your time and money. This allows the allocation of resources to be completely directed toward humanitarian projects and activities. Embarking on an expedition as part of the medical team on these retrofitted cruise ships has become my ultimate career ambition.

Famous or infamous, everyone wants to leave their mark on history. Legacy to me is my life story and the people that survive me are the storytellers. I hope to live a life full of unforgettable memories forged from heroic deeds with friends who always have my back from around the world. After graduating from college, I participated in two 10-month AmeriCorps Programs. During my time in AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps, my eleven-person team worked on four projects with host organizations and additional projects throughout the Southern United States. Our first team project was mentoring disadvantaged youth and restoration projects at Camp John I. Hay with the Boys & Girls Club of Central Mississippi. We traveled to Bay St. Louis on the Gulf Coast for our second project to help victims of Hurricane Katrina in a joint effort with Lutheran Episcopal Services in Mississippi/Mission on the Bay. This area was where Hurricane Katrine made landfall before devastating New Orleans. Our third project was assisting United Way of Jackson County with the preparation of basic tax returns for low-income families. Our final project was with Habitat for Humanity Goldsboro-Wayne. We worked alongside the future homeowners of three houses putting in sweat equity to build their first homes. Outside of our four primary projects, we participated in community service projects. During AmeriCorps Cape Cod, I participated in land and water stewardship service projects, disaster preparedness, and environmental education. I participated in two internships with the Army Corps of Engineers on the Cape Cod Canal and the Bourne Department of Natural Resources. My work with the Army Corps of Engineers included preservation projects of the Cape Cod National Seashore. Throughout the program, I helped with an American Chestnut Orchard Restoration Project. My project over the winter was to develop an interactive osprey display game for the Cape Cod Canal Visitor Center. During the Spring and Summer, my major project was the preservation of the endangered Piping Plover nesting from human trampling, foxes and other predators, and the incoming tide. My projects with the Bourne Department of Natural Resources involved aquaculture and shellfish propagation. We would clean up the beaches and marinas, spread juvenile shellfish in the waterways, and restore salmon runs. During the winter, my responsibility was to clean the shellfish propagation tanks and equipment. Two days a week were dedicated to service projects working with environmental organizations throughout Cape Cod. I worked one day a week at the main office with other members of AmeriCorps Cape Cod. We coordinate a volunteer day of service to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr Day and promote environmental education in schools. Currently, I work as a Certified Nursing Assistant II on the Intermediate Care Unit. There is a workplace culture of teamwork in the Intermediate Care Unit, where I have acquired a foundation of hands-on experience providing direct patient care and exposure to Acute Nursing skills working with a diverse patient population. The experience of working in a hospital setting for the last two years has allowed me to develop a close working relationship with nurses and other clinical staff. These experiences have become the inspiration for my pursuit of becoming an Acute Care Nursing. Becoming part of the Intermediate Care Unit has prepared me for the reality of becoming a nurse, and the ability to accomplish my ambitions in healthcare. As I stand on the precipice of the next chapter of my life story, I look forward to the adventures ahead for me in the Prairie State. I have been accepted into the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University. After I graduate in 15 months, my ambition is to continue on my journey towards becoming an Acute Care Travel Nurse. Becoming a Traveler Nurse, I will be able to utilize my skills and talents that I have acquired where the greatest need exists throughout the United States. One day down the road, I hope to seize the opportunity to volunteer as part of the medical team aboard a Mercy Ship, an international charity that travels to the world to countries to provide humanitarian aid. In addition to providing free healthcare, health education, and palliative care for terminal patients, the medical teams aboard participate in other projects that include community development, education about mental health, and agricultural initiatives. Becoming a part of the medical team on these retrofitted cruise ships has become my ultimate career ambition.

I have believed in God my entire life. He has been the light in the darkness of my life, while I have been lost in the wilderness. He has guided my path towards becoming a true Christ Follower. For several years, I felt have struggled in my faith. While I still believed in God, I was not actively practicing my faith. Then, God gave me a friend and fellow Brother in Christ, Scott. He challenged me to deepen my faith and strengthen my commitment to live a life guided by Christ. I came to want a deeper relationship with my Lord and Savior. I surrendered my life to God’s Will on February 10, 2019. I have placed my trust in God’s will and desire to go where He leads me to fulfill His plan for me. I have been freed of the chains of darkness and resentment drowning me in a Sea of Darkness and Sorrow. I had held onto anger and resentment from my childhood. I pray for God’s strength and help to move forward in my life, freed of my Darkness and filled with His love. As I move forward in my life to become the Healing Hands of God, I want to become everything that I am called to be to live a true Christ life. I have been accepted into the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University. After I graduate in 15 months, my ambition is to continue on my journey towards becoming an Acute Care Travel Nurse. Becoming a Traveler Nurse, I will be able to utilize my skills and talents that I have acquired where the greatest need exists throughout the United States. One day down the road, I hope to seize the opportunity to volunteer as part of the medical team aboard a Mercy Ship, an international charity that travels to the world to countries to provide humanitarian aid. In addition to providing free healthcare, health education, and palliative care for terminal patients, the medical teams aboard participate in other projects that include community development, education about mental health, and agricultural initiatives. Becoming a part of the medical team on these retrofitted cruise ships has become my ultimate career ambition. I feel that this is God’s plan for my life. I continue to pray for His guidance along my path in life to become the Healing Hands of God.

When I was growing up, the world seemed to be a safer place. Perhaps, I was just naïve of the dangers. We did not lock our doors, neighbors kept an eye out for suspicious activity, and the local park was safe to play at without supervision. I was able to run around the neighborhood with my friends until the streetlamps started to come on. Now that I have reached adulthood, the world seems more complicated and dangerous these days. People can affect the quality of living in their communities by becoming involved. Through these efforts, improvements to crime rates, pollution, and infrastructure are possible. While people often focus on national politics, they overlook the potential to make real changes to their lives on the local level. Community projects, changes to local laws and regulations, and environmental efforts affect the quality of life within the community. This is where people’s voices can be heard and respected, instead of the din of the national voice. The end goal of these efforts is the preservation of the community for future generations. People do have the ability to affect the national and global community through their actions. Through my career aspirations, I hope to make a positive impact in these larger communities. After graduating from college, I participated in two 10-month AmeriCorps Programs. During my time in AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps, I worked part of an eleven-person team, working on four projects lasting two months with host organizations and additional projects throughout the communities of the Southern United States. My team mentored and tutored disadvantaged youth after school and through weekend summer camps at Camp John I. Hay through the Boys & Girls Club of Central Mississippi for our first project. During the day, we participated in the restoration of hiking trails, beautification of the lake, and repairs to the cabins. Our second project was on the Gulf Coast in Bay St Louis, helping victims of Hurricane Katrina with restorations of their homes in a joint effort with Lutheran Episcopal Services in Mississippi/Mission on the Bay. This area was where Hurricane Katrine made landfall before devastating New Orleans. Homeowners provided the building materials, and we provided the labor to make repairs to their homes. Our third project was assisting United Way of Jackson County with the preparation of basic tax returns for low-income families. Our final project was with Habitat for Humanity Goldsboro-Wayne. We worked alongside the future homeowners of three houses putting in sweat equity to build their first homes. Outside of our four primary projects, we participated in community service projects within the communities we were living in. Some projects that I participated in included removal of invasive species, working at food banks, interior and exterior painting, helping with a community mural, and beach cleanups. During AmeriCorps Cape Cod, I participated in land and water stewardship service projects, disaster preparedness, and environmental education. I participated in two internships with the Army Corps of Engineers on the Cape Cod Canal and the Bourne Department of Natural Resources. My work with the Army Corps of Engineers included preservation projects of the Cape Cod National Seashore. I assisted the park rangers during the program with an American Chestnut Orchard Restoration Project. The American Chestnut Trees population in the Northeast was ravaged by the tree blight of the 1900s. The trees in this orchard had been crossbred with Chinese Chestnut Trees that have an immunity to the tree blight because the pathogenic fungus is native to East and Southeast Asia. My project over the winter was to develop an interactive osprey display game for the Cape Cod Canal Visitor Center. During the Spring and Summer, my major project was the protection of the endangered Piping Plover nesting grounds. These endangered birds build nests in the sand and seagrass. We would erect beach fencing to sanction off parts of the beaches to protect their nests from humans trampling, foxes and other predators, and the incoming tide. The replanting of beach grass and beach fencing had the additional benefit of preventing beach erosion from the tide and wind. While working with the Bourne Department of Natural Resources, my projects were focused on aquaculture and shellfish propagation. We would clean up the beaches and marinas, spread juvenile shellfish in the waterways, and restore salmon runs. During the winter, my responsibility was to clean the shellfish propagation tanks and equipment. Two days a week were dedicated to service projects working with environmental organizations throughout Cape Cod. These projects included invasive species removal, hiking trail restoration, shellfish propagation, and working in community gardens. I worked one day a week at the main office with other members of AmeriCorps Cape Cod as part of a team to coordinate a volunteer service day to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr Day and promote environmental education in schools. As I stand on the precipice of the next chapter of my life story, I look forward to the adventures ahead for me in the Prairie State. I have been accepted into the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University. After I graduate in 15 months, my ambition is to continue on my journey towards becoming an Acute Care Travel Nurse. Becoming a Traveler Nurse, I will be able to utilize my skills and talents that I have acquired where the greatest need exists throughout the United States. One day down the road, I hope to seize the opportunity to volunteer as part of the medical team aboard a Mercy Ship, an international charity that travels to the world to countries to provide humanitarian aid. In addition to providing free healthcare, health education, and palliative care for terminal patients, the medical teams aboard participate in other projects that include community development, education about mental health, and agricultural initiatives. Becoming a part of the medical team on these retrofitted cruise ships has become my ultimate career ambition.

In June of 1994, just before my eighth birthday, my parents announced that they were finally getting divorced. Shortly after my eleventh birthday, my parent’s divorce ended after three years with my father’s death in July of 1997. Those three years were a waking nightmare of living Hell. Even over twenty years later, I am still haunted by the memories and scars of those war-torn years of my life. The court had designated my father as the residential parent because he was a stay-at-home dad. My father was a manipulative, controlling, abusive, alcoholic tyrant. He forced me to quit playing intramural sports, Cub Scouts, and became the reason I was a pariah in my neighborhood. My friends were not allowed to come to my house, and I was no longer welcome at their house. Around this time, I developed a blood infection that caused my eyesight and health to deteriorate. My life was falling apart, and I contemplated suicide at the age of 10. While I was never officially diagnosed, I am certain that I was suffering from depression. I have been accepted into the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University beginning in Summer 2021. After I graduate in 15 months, my ambition is to continue on my journey towards becoming an Acute Care Travel Nurse. One day down the road, I hope to seize the opportunity to volunteer as part of the medical team aboard a Mercy Ship, an international charity that travels to the world to countries to provide humanitarian aid. In addition to providing free healthcare, health education, and palliative care for terminal patients, the medical teams aboard participate in other projects that include community development, education about mental health, and agricultural initiatives. Becoming a part of the medical team on these retrofitted cruise ships has become my ultimate ambition. Through helping others, I will continue to heal my wounds and scars from those tumultuous years. While my story is tragic, I realize that there are people in the world that have it worse than me.

Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. A day that will live in infamy. That day has had a greater influence on my life than any day that I have been alive. My maternal grandparents were second-generation Japanese Americans. After Pearl Harbor, my grandparents were placed in internment camps, while their older brothers were drafted by the United States to fight in the 422nd Battalion in the European Theater. When World War II ended, my grandparents and their families endured the systemic racism of the American people. To survive in this hostile environment, they fully adopted American culture, thereby abandoning their Japanese heritage. My mother grew up without learning the language, traditions, or culture of the Land of the Rising Sun. I am hapa haole. I believe this is from the forced Americanization of my mother because my entire generation is half Japanese. I believe that the only reason my mother is Japanese is because of racism. The Japanese and other Asians had to create a tight-knit community because they became pariahs of society. In our youth, my generation looked Asian but as we have grown up, we seem to look less Asian with each passing year. I get mistaken for Hispanic all the time, and I hate it. Not that being Hispanic is a bad thing, it just is not me or my story. I am a proud fourth-generation Japanese American. I feel that I have to prove myself with each new person and interaction. The searching look that people have when I tell them that I am Japanese. Them trying to see it, as if to disprove my lie. Being Japanese is important to me. One day in the future, I hope to have the opportunity to visit Japan. I would like to learn Japanese before I depart for this trip. This desire is probably from a fear of being labeled an American tourist. I embrace being Japanese American because it makes me different and unique. Affirmative action is on my side, despite my white bread name. I understand the reason my grandparents decided to Americanize my mother’s generation after World War II. I become frustrated because I feel that I am only Asian by blood and have no Asian cultural identity. Despite my grandparents' efforts, my mother still experienced systemic racism growing up. My mother fears that I encounter systemic racism, but I am camouflaged by being ambiguously ethnic. I had believed that the majority of the racism towards Asians had all but died out. The recent uprising of violence towards Asian Americans in the past few weeks have unfortunately proved me wrong. The ghosts of the past have begun to haunt Asian Americans. The racism that has been dormant in the Caucasian Baby Boomers is being reawakened towards Asians. In about a month, I will leave the Pacific Northwest to begin Nursing School in the Midwest. I will never deny my Japanese and Asian heritage, even in the face of the current uprising of violence towards Asian Americans.

While I watched the last vestiges of sunlight disappear on the horizon at Sequoia National Park, I decided that I wanted to become a Nurse. As I stand on the precipice of the next chapter of my journey, I look forward to the adventures ahead for me in the Prairie State. I have been accepted into the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University beginning in Summer 2021. After I graduate in 15 months, my ambition is to continue on my journey towards becoming an Acute Care Travel Nurse. Before I can embark as a Traveler Nurse, I will need to acquire one to two years of experience in Acute Care after graduating from my Nursing Program. Becoming a Traveler Nurse, I will be able to utilize my skills and talents that I have acquired where the greatest need exists throughout the United States. Currently, I work as a Certified Nursing Assistant II on the Intermediate Care Unit. There is a workplace culture of teamwork in the Intermediate Care Unit, where I have acquired a foundation of hands-on experience providing direct patient care and exposure to Acute Nursing skills working with a diverse patient population. The experience of working in a hospital setting for the last two years has allowed me to develop a close working relationship with nurses and other clinical staff. These experiences have become the inspiration for my pursuit of becoming an Acute Care Nursing. Becoming part of the Intermediate Care Unit has prepared me for the reality of becoming a nurse, and the ability to accomplish my ambitions in healthcare. One day down the road, I hope to seize the opportunity to volunteer as part of the medical team aboard a Mercy Ship, an international charity that travels to the world to countries to provide humanitarian aid. In addition to providing free healthcare, health education, and palliative care for terminal patients, the medical teams aboard participate in other projects that include community development, education about mental health, and agricultural initiatives. Joining an expedition as a member of the medical team upon a Mercy Ship means volunteering your time and money. This allows the allocation of resources to be completely directed toward humanitarian projects and activities. Embarking on an expedition as part of the medical team on these retrofitted cruise ships has become my ultimate career ambition.

In AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps, I worked part of an eleven-person team, Delta 4 aka Delta Fource, working on four projects with organizations and additional projects throughout the communities of the Southern United States. We mentored and tutored disadvantaged youth at the Boys & Girls Club of Central Mississippi, helped victims of Hurricane Katrina with restorations of their homes in a joint effort with Lutheran Episcopal Services in Mississippi/Mission on the Bay, assisted at United Way with low-income families to file their basic tax returns, and worked with homeowners to build their first house through Habitat for Humanity Goldsboro-Wayne.

Animals throughout the world are collateral damage to the destruction that we are wrecking on the environment and our effect on climate change. Last September, the Oregon Sky in the Willamette Valley was an eerie orange as wildfires ravaged the forests of my home state, destroying the habitats of countless animals. The California wildfires have increased in severity and frequency throughout the years. The entire West Coast seemed to be ablaze last summer. The devastation of the Black Summer of Australian Outback brushfires destroyed much of the vegetation throughout Australia. Some believe that animals have become extinct or at risk of extinction from the destruction. Climate change is a natural phenomenon, but we are forcing these changes at an expedient, non-uniform rate and the variations to the world environment. Avarice has made humans egocentric towards the environment and willfully ignorant of climate change. Wildfires are not the only threat to animal habitats throughout the world. The deforestation of the Amazon Rainforest has displaced animal species. The products produced from the lumber are fueling the growing amount of greenhouse gases, increasing the global temperature. We are destabilizing the habitats of animals in the Amazon Rainforest. Arctic animals are losing their habitats as the ice caps disintegrate into the increasingly warmer and rising oceans. Animal behaviors are being altered such as decreased hibernation periods and mass migrations toward the poles. When I was in AmeriCorps Cape Cod, I saw firsthand people’s disregard for animal habitats. One of my projects with the Army Corps of Engineers on the Cape Cod Canal was the protection of the endangered Piping Plover nesting grounds. These birds build nests in the sand and seagrass. We would erect beach fencing to sanction off parts of the beaches to protect their nests from humans trampling, foxes and other predators, and the incoming tide. Residents were upset that only a small part of the beach was prohibited and would dismantle and remove the beach fencing. I hope that the current administration will get us back on track to preserving the environment. Educational efforts to inform and teach children at a young age about the importance of preservation and the destabilization of the environment will hopefully create a generation that grows up to respect and fight for the improvement of the environment. I am hopeful that we may have a shift in our perception of our world. Earth is not a disposable commodity.

While I watched the last vestiges of sunlight disappear on the horizon at Sequoia National Park, I decided that I wanted to become a Nurse. As I stand on the precipice of the next chapter of my journey, I look forward to the adventures ahead for me in the Prairie State. I have been accepted into the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University beginning in Summer 2021. After I graduate in 15 months, my ambition is to continue on my journey towards becoming an Acute Care Travel Nurse. Currently, I work as a Certified Nursing Assistant II on the Intermediate Care Unit. There is a workplace culture of teamwork in the Intermediate Care Unit, where I have acquired a foundation of hands-on experience providing direct patient care and exposure to Acute Nursing skills working with a diverse patient population. The experience of working in a hospital setting for the last two years has allowed me to develop a close working relationship with nurses and other clinical staff. These experiences have become the inspiration for my pursuit of becoming an Acute Care Nursing. Becoming part of the Intermediate Care Unit has prepared me for the reality of becoming a nurse, and the ability to accomplish my ambitions in healthcare. Before I can embark as a Traveler Nurse, I will need to acquire one to two years of experience in Acute Care after graduating from my Nursing Program. Becoming a Traveler Nurse, I will be able to utilize my skills and talents that I have acquired where the greatest need exists throughout the United States. This past year has included patients on the Intermediate Care Unit that have contracted the coronavirus COVID-19. Despite the coronavirus pandemic continuing to threaten the world population, I still want to continue on my trajectory to become an Acute Care Travel Nurse. One day down the road, I hope to seize the opportunity to volunteer as part of the medical team aboard a Mercy Ship, an international charity that travels to the world to countries to provide humanitarian aid. In addition to providing free healthcare, health education, and palliative care for terminal patients, the medical teams aboard participate in other projects that include community development, education about mental health, and agricultural initiatives. Becoming a part of the medical team on these retrofitted cruise ships has become my ultimate ambition. You have to pay your way In order to join an expedition as a member of the medical team upon a Mercy Ship. This allows the allocation of resources to be completely directed toward humanitarian projects and activities. Therefore, I will need to eliminate the financial debt from attending Illinois State University before I can consider attempting to embark on this adventure in volunteerism. My ultimate ambition is to forge my journey in healthcare by combining my interest in traveling the world with my passion to make a difference in the lives of my patients.

One summer during college, I was a door-to-door educational book salesman in the Crime Capital of Massachusetts. I am not the type of person, then or now, that answers the door when someone knocks or rings the doorbell. To this day, I could not tell you exactly why I thought this type of job was a good idea for me. Perhaps I was blinded with the opportunity of living outside of Oregon for the first time in my life, and the mystery of where I would end up for the summer. Nevertheless, I ignored the multiple red flags because of the prospect that successful sellers have the opportunity to make upwards of five thousand dollars over a single summer and are rewarded with an invitation to a celebratory trip with other successful sellers. That summer ended up being full of hard work, life lessons, and self-discovery. Within 10 days of finishing Spring Term, I had driven halfway across the country to Nashville, Tennessee to receive a crash course week of training before arriving in Springfield, Massachusetts. My work week consisted of working twelve hours a day for six days. Every day of work, I would wake up at 6:30 am to race against the Japanese Exchange Student that I shared a room and the Team Leader to take a one-minute cold water rinse shower in the only bathroom, drive to get breakfast, and then be dropped off by the Team Leader at 8 am near my sales territory for the day. Over the next twelve hours, I would travel neighborhood to neighborhood armed with a sixty-pound satchel filled with samples of the educational books I was peddling. After twelve hours, I would be picked up at 8 pm around the same location I was dropped off in the morning by the Team Leader. At night, we were allowed to take a formal hot water shower before eating dinner. We would check in with a different Team Leader before going to bed in order by 10 pm to repeat the series of events for another day. The exception to this pattern was Sundays when we would meet up with the other members from our region in Oregon for additional training and commendation for the success stories. Sundays were the only day we were allowed to talk with our family and friends from back home. We were forbidden to talk with anyone other than Team Leaders on the phone during the workweek. This pattern continued to be my life for the entirety of that summer. Eventually, the day arrived for my flight back to the Pacific Northwest. On the flight home, I reflected on what had transpired throughout the last few months. I did not overcome the challenge of becoming a successful door-to-door educational book salesman that summer. Instead, the experience humbled me. Despite my best efforts and strategies, I only faced failure after failure with each passing day. Except, I never gave in and let that summer defeat me. Perhaps I should have given up, but I saw that summer through until the bitter end. I continued to fight through the failure, negativity, and pain day after day. Through my refusal to give up, I developed an indomitable spirit of resilience, hard work, humility, and better self-awareness of my abilities. That summer working as a door-to-door educational book salesman broke me down physically, emotionally, and physically. I may have lost money on this endeavor, but what I gained in exchange made me into the man that I am today. As I stand on the precipice of the next challenge in my life, I know that every day will be a fight against the impossible. I have been accepted into the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University beginning in Summer 2021. For the past year, I have worked as a Certified Nursing Assistant II on an Intermediate Care Unit. After I graduate, my ambition is to continue on my journey towards becoming an Acute Care Travel Nurse. Before I can embark as a Travel Nurse, I will need to acquire one to two years of experience in Acute Care. Becoming a Travel Nurse, I will be able to utilize my skills and talents where the need is the greatest throughout the United States. One day, I hope to seize the opportunity to volunteer as part of the medical team aboard a Mercy Ship, floating hospitals that travel to countries that have little or no access to proper medical care. The lessons I learned during that summer could not come from a success story. We learn more from our mistakes and failures in life. Becoming an Acute Care Travel Nurse will be how I will become a success story with the life lessons, self-discovery, and indomitable spirit I learned while working as a door-to-door educational book salesman in the Crime Capital of Massachusetts.

Two years ago, I decided to adjust the trajectory of my healthcare career. I had been taking prerequisites courses to become a Radiation Technologist with aspirations of entering a Radiation Therapy Program. During this time, I had been working as a Patient Transport Assistant, and my experiences working interdepartmentally throughout the hospital became contributing factors in my determination to pursue a career in bedside nursing. Currently, I work as a Certified Nursing Assistant II on the Intermediate Care Unit. I am confident that joining the healthcare on the Intermediate Care Unit has prepared me for the reality of becoming a nurse, and the ability to accomplish my ambitions in healthcare. There is a workplace culture of teamwork on the Intermediate Care Unit, where I have acquired hands on experience of direct patient care and exposure to acute nursing skills working with a diverse patient population. The outbreak and subsequent coronavirus pandemic of this previous year has solidified my ambitions to become a bedside nurse. Nurses are the lifeblood and create the foundation for patient care within the healthcare system. They assist patients to achieve their highest level of health and wellness, whether through a return to their baseline, an improvement, or assistance in an adjustment. They are the frontline of the healthcare team providing direct patient care, education, and support for patients and families. The ability to provide direct patient care was the primary reason for my decision to change the trajectory of my career path in healthcare toward nursing. Every member of the care team is important, but nurses form the backbone of the healthcare system. The previous year has included working with patients that have tested positive for coronavirus. Starting in March, the state of Oregon went into lockdown. Every day that I arrived at work the protocol and procedures surrounding the coronavirus seem to change from one day to the next. Patients that were suspected of coronavirus were placed in the few negative pressure rooms within the hospital. These patient rooms have a closed ventilation system to remove the air in a process that protects exposure from airborne pathogens. Visitors were banned for the safety of all staff and patients. The shortage of personal protective equipment became a reality, and the measures to preserve our reserves were implemented. The coronavirus pandemic continues to threaten the world population, and my determination to continue on my trajectory toward becoming a bedside nurse remains steadfast. Working as part of the healthcare team on the Intermediate Care Unit during the coronavirus pandemic has deepened and strengthened my ambition to enter the field of nursing. As I stand at the precipice of my journey, I know that my decision to change the trajectory of my healthcare career has been vindicated. Nothing that may happen down the road can weaken my resolve to become a bedside nurse because I forged this path during the coronavirus pandemic. Recently, I have been accepted into the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University beginning in Summer 2021. After I graduate, my ambition is to continue on my journey and become an Acute Care Travel Nurse. Through becoming a Travel Nurse, I will be able to utilize my skills and talents where the need is the greatest throughout the United States. One day, I hope to seize the opportunity to volunteer as part of the medical team aboard a Mercy Ship, floating hospitals that travel to countries that have little or no access to proper medical care. My ultimate dream is to combine my love of travel with my passion to make a difference in the lives of my patients. My hope is that the coronavirus pandemic will be under control or eliminated when the day comes to realize my dreams and ambitions in nursing.

Two years ago, I decided to adjust the trajectory of my healthcare career. I had been taking prerequisites courses to become a Radiation Technologist with aspirations of entering a Radiation Therapy Program. During this time, I had been working as a Patient Transport Assistant, and my experiences working interdepartmentally throughout the hospital became contributing factors in my determination to pursue a career in bedside nursing. Currently, I work as a Certified Nursing Assistant II on the Intermediate Care Unit. I am confident that joining the healthcare on the Intermediate Care Unit has prepared me for the reality of becoming a nurse, and the ability to accomplish my ambitions in healthcare. There is a workplace culture of teamwork on the Intermediate Care Unit, where I have acquired hands on experience of direct patient care and exposure to acute nursing skills working with a diverse patient population. The outbreak and subsequent coronavirus pandemic of this previous year has solidified my ambitions to become a bedside nurse. Nurses are the lifeblood and create the foundation for patient care within the healthcare system. They assist patients to achieve their highest level of health and wellness, whether through a return to their baseline, an improvement, or assistance in an adjustment. They are the frontline of the healthcare team providing direct patient care, education, and support for patients and families. The ability to provide direct patient care was the primary reason for my decision to change the trajectory of my career path in healthcare toward nursing. Every member of the care team is important, but nurses form the backbone of the healthcare system. The previous year has included working with patients that have tested positive for coronavirus. Starting in March, the state of Oregon went into lockdown. Every day that I arrived at work the protocol and procedures surrounding the coronavirus seem to change from one day to the next. Patients that were suspected of coronavirus were placed in the few negative pressure rooms within the hospital. These patient rooms have a closed ventilation system to remove the air in a process that protects exposure from airborne pathogens. Visitors were banned for the safety of all staff and patients. The shortage of personal protective equipment became a reality, and the measures to preserve our reserves were implemented. The coronavirus pandemic continues to threaten the world population, and my determination to continue on my trajectory toward becoming a bedside nurse remains steadfast. Working as part of the healthcare team on the Intermediate Care Unit during the coronavirus pandemic has deepened and strengthened my ambition to enter the field of nursing. As I stand at the precipice of my journey, I know that my decision to change the trajectory of my healthcare career has been vindicated. Nothing that may happen down the road can weaken my resolve to become a bedside nurse because I forged this path during the coronavirus pandemic. Recently, I have been accepted into the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University beginning in Summer 2021. After I graduate, my ambition is to continue on my journey and become an Acute Care Travel Nurse. Through becoming a Travel Nurse, I will be able to utilize my skills and talents where the need is the greatest throughout the United States. One day, I hope to seize the opportunity to volunteer as part of the medical team aboard a Mercy Ship, floating hospitals that travel to countries that have little or no access to proper medical care. My ultimate dream is to combine my love of travel with my passion to make a difference in the lives of my patients. My hope is that the coronavirus pandemic will be under control or eliminated when the day comes to realize my dreams and ambitions in nursing.

Two years ago, I decided that I wanted to pursue becoming a nurse. During this time, I had been working as a Patient Transport Assistant, and my experiences working interdepartmentally throughout the hospital allowed me to experience working in a healthcare setting and develop an outside perspective to understand a patient’s journey towards recovery. Currently, I work as a Certified Nursing Assistant II on the Intermediate Care Unit. This experience has prepared me for the reality of becoming a nurse, and the ability to accomplish my ambitions in healthcare. Nurses are the lifeblood and create the foundation for patient care within the healthcare system. They assist patients to achieve their highest level of health and wellness, whether through a return to their baseline, an improvement, or assistance in an adjustment. They are the frontline leaders of the healthcare team providing direct patient care, education, and support for patients and families. The ability to provide direct patient care was the primary reason for my decision to change the trajectory of my career path in healthcare toward nursing. Every member of the care team is important, but nurses form the backbone of the healthcare system. Nurses have the ability to create a positive impact in the lives of patients, friends and families, and the community through creating a culture of health. Becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant II position on the Intermediate Care Unit allowed me to develop a close working relationship with nurses and other clinical staff. There is a workplace culture of teamwork, where I have acquired hands on experience of direct patient care and exposure to acute nursing skills working with a diverse patient population. As the coronavirus pandemic continues to threaten the world population, I still want to continue on my trajectory to become a nurse. As I stand at the precipice of beginning the next step towards becoming a nurse, I am confident that I have discovered my calling in life as I continued toward a career in nursing amid the coronavirus pandemic. I have been accepted into the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University beginning in Summer 2021. After I graduate, my ambition is to continue on my journey towards becoming an Acute Care Travel Nurse. Before I can become a Travel Nurse, I will need to acquire one to two years of experience in critical care. Then, I will be able to utilize my skills and talents where the need is the greatest throughout the United States. One day, I hope to seize the opportunity to volunteer as part of the medical team aboard a Mercy Ship, floating hospitals that travel to countries that have little or no access to proper medical care. My ultimate dream is to combine my love of travel with my passion to make a difference in the lives in my patients.

Two years ago, I decided to adjust the trajectory of my healthcare career. I had been taking prerequisite courses to become a Radiation Technologist with aspirations of entering a Radiation Therapy program. During this time, I had been working as a Patient Transport Assistant at the major hospital in my area. The experience and knowledge working interdepartmentally throughout the hospital became a contributing factor in my determination to change my trajectory toward nursing. Taking advantage of the Career Exploration Program within the hospital, I was given the opportunity to shadow nurses on the Cardiovascular Care Unit, Intensive Care Unit, and the Emergency Department. These nurses taught me invaluable lessons about a nurse’s responsibility, compassion, and dedication to patient care. Currently, I work at Salem Health as a Certified Nursing Assistant II on the Intermediate Care Unit. The culture of teamwork working alongside acute care nurses has prepared me for the reality of becoming a nurse, and the ability to accomplish my ambitions in healthcare. While the education that we are able to receive in a classroom is important, knowledge from experience can have had a greater impact on our lives. Education creates the foundation to build our knowledge from experience upon. Without gaining relevant experience working in a hospital, I would have continued on my career path toward Imaging. Personally, I have greater pleasure providing direct patient care, a lesson that I have learned from my work within Transport and working as a Certified Nursing Assistant II on the Intermediate Care Unit where I encounter a diverse patient population. Therefore, education has had a major impact on my life. Education in the classroom combined with knowledge from real world experience becomes our greatest teacher. Recently, I have been accepted into the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at the Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University beginning in Summer 2021. After I graduate, my ambition is to continue on my journey towards becoming an acute care travel nurse, after gaining one to two years of hands-on experience. Through becoming a travel nurse, I will be able to utilize my skills and talents where the need is the greatest throughout the United States. One day, I hope to seize the opportunity to volunteer as part of the medical team aboard a Mercy Ship, floating hospitals that travel to countries that have little or no access to proper medical care. My ultimate ambition is to combine my education and knowledge to make a difference in the lives of my patients.