As the daughter of a psychiatric nurse, I learned firsthand the profound impact nurses can have on their patients and community. My mother worked in an outpatient treatment program in the medically underserved community of Beloit, WI. Growing up, some of my most significant memories involve visiting her patients. Some of them lived alone and valued socialization. I watched my mother not only supply the necessary medical care but also enrich her patients' lives by teaching them to cook, assisting with errands, taking them for outings, and donating school supplies to children in her patients' lives. She created a genuine connection with her patients that improved their quality of life. Her example cemented a hard work ethic and love for helping others in me. When I became an EMT, I loved providing medical care to my patients, but what fulfilled me the most was comforting patients during an extremely distressing time. I learned that connecting with my patients and remaining confident in my abilities soothed their fears. Over the past decade, I have made significant personal sacrifices putting my career aspirations aside to support my husband’s military career and provide care for my developmentally disabled son. During this time, I developed a lot of resilience and discovered the true value of compassionate medical providers. We met many caring nurse practitioners who advocated for, accommodated, and supported our journey. They continue to help us to this day. It is a great relief knowing that the most important person in your life is in caring hands. This has only added to my passion to further my ambitions in healthcare. A lifetime of interactions in the medical community has led me to the conclusion that nursing is the profession for me. I would love to further myself professionally, lead others, and help patients on their medical journeys. Nurses, especially, spend more time advocating for their patients. Not only do they treat their medical needs, but they also work to meet their patients' emotional and social needs more than any other medical profession. The compassion required of nurses is what I value the most. I am enrolled at the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, acquiring my Master's in Nursing degree. My long-term professional goal is to become an Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner and work in the Baltimore area. Like the mentally ill, geriatrics are often a neglected and underserved community that I have an affinity for. Lastly, my life experience as a mother, EMT, and military spouse has enhanced my compassion, patience, adaptability, and resilience. Despite outside stressors, I can remain calm under pressure and solve problems rationally and effectively. I believe I have what it takes to be a resilient and compassionate nurse, and I am more than excited to pursue this career.

As the daughter of a psychiatric nurse, I learned firsthand the profound impact nurses can have on their patients and community. My mother worked in an outpatient treatment program in the medically underserved community of Beloit, WI. Growing up, some of my most significant memories involve visiting her patients. Some of them lived alone and valued socialization. I watched my mother not only supply the necessary medical care but also enrich her patients' lives by teaching them to cook, assisting with errands, taking them for outings, and donating school supplies to children in her patients' lives. She created a genuine connection with her patients that improved their quality of life. Her example cemented a hard work ethic and love for helping others in me. When I became an EMT, I loved providing medical care to my patients, but what fulfilled me the most was comforting patients during an extremely distressing time. I learned that connecting with my patients and remaining confident in my abilities soothed their fears. Over the past decade, I have made significant personal sacrifices putting my career aspirations aside to support my husband’s military career and provide care for my developmentally disabled son. During this time, I developed a lot of resilience and discovered the true value of compassionate medical providers. We met many caring nurse practitioners who advocated for, accommodated, and supported our journey. They continue to help us to this day. It is a great relief knowing that the most important person in your life is in caring hands. This has only added to my passion to further my ambitions in healthcare. A lifetime of interactions in the medical community has led me to the conclusion that nursing is the profession for me. I would love to further myself professionally, lead others, and help patients on their medical journeys. Nurses, especially, spend more time advocating for their patients. Not only do they treat their medical needs, but they also work to meet their patients' emotional and social needs more than any other medical profession. The compassion required of nurses is what I value the most. I am enrolled at the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, acquiring my Master's in Nursing degree. My long-term professional goal is to become an Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner and work in the Baltimore area. Like the mentally ill, geriatrics are often a neglected and underserved community that I have an affinity for. Lastly, my life experience as a mother, EMT, and military spouse has enhanced my compassion, patience, adaptability, and resilience. Despite outside stressors, I can remain calm under pressure and solve problems rationally and effectively. I believe I have what it takes to be a resilient and compassionate nurse, and I am more than excited to pursue this career.

As the daughter of a psychiatric nurse, I learned firsthand the profound impact nurses can have on their patients and community. My mother worked in an outpatient treatment program in the medically underserved community of Beloit, WI. Growing up, some of my most significant memories involve visiting her patients. Some of them lived alone and valued socialization. I watched my mother not only supply the necessary medical care but also enrich her patients' lives by teaching them to cook, assisting with errands, taking them for outings, and donating school supplies to children in her patients' lives. She created a genuine connection with her patients that improved their quality of life. Her example cemented a hard work ethic and love for helping others in me. When I became an EMT, I loved providing medical care to my patients, but what fulfilled me the most was comforting patients during an extremely distressing time. I learned that connecting with my patients and remaining confident in my abilities soothed their fears. Over the past decade, I have made significant personal sacrifices putting my career aspirations aside to support my husband’s military career and provide care for my developmentally disabled son. During this time, I developed a lot of resilience and discovered the true value of compassionate medical providers. We met many caring nurse practitioners who advocated for, accommodated, and supported our journey. They continue to help us to this day. It is a great relief knowing that the most important person in your life is in caring hands. This has only added to my passion to further my ambitions in healthcare. A lifetime of interactions in the medical community has led me to the conclusion that nursing is the profession for me. I would love to further myself professionally, lead others, and help patients on their medical journeys. Nurses, especially, spend more time advocating for their patients. Not only do they treat their medical needs, but they also work to meet their patients' emotional and social needs more than any other medical profession. The compassion required of nurses is what I value the most. I am enrolled at the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, acquiring my Master's in Nursing degree. My long-term professional goal is to become an Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner and work in the Baltimore area. Like the mentally ill, geriatrics are often a neglected and underserved community that I have an affinity for. Lastly, my life experience as a mother, EMT, and military spouse has enhanced my compassion, patience, adaptability, and resilience. Despite outside stressors, I can remain calm under pressure and solve problems rationally and effectively. I believe I have what it takes to be a resilient and compassionate nurse, and I am more than excited to pursue this career.