Hello, my name is Paola Sierra. I am a first-generation, bilingual, Mexican-American student and a sister to an older brother and sister. I've always been very indecisive about everything in my life, but for some reason, I am now very decisive in being a nurse and don't have doubts about my intention to pursue this career. There are many reasons why I want to become a nurse. Many people focus on the selfless intentions that come with being a nurse when asked "Why did you enter the nursing field." I am not ashamed to state that I have personal motives along with altruistic ones. I am intrigued by the science behind nursing. All the medications and how everything works catches my attention. I think that nursing is a field where you are always learning and exercising your brain. I would enjoy being in an environment that consists of always being on your feet and gaining new knowledge every day. In addition, I'd love to help people get and feel better. I remember when my sister had a type of rash/infection on her inner thigh. I would take care of it by putting her antibiotic cream on, then placing the gauze pad on top, and taping it down on the edge. I felt good helping her, and it in some way sparked my desire to be a nurse. It might seem silly how helping her, with a task like that, pitched into my want for this career. Being a nurse will teach me on a different level how to take care of others. My sister has Down Syndrome, and knowing how to give someone the best care is crucial for me because I will take full care of her at some point in my life. I got inspired to pursue my passion in nursing by a customer who came to where I work. I work at a frozen yogurt/boba tea establishment. I was working, and a customer came in. He asked me, "Do you guys have a military discount?" I replied, "No... what did you do in the military?" He told me that he was a PA. I mentioned how I had wanted to be a PA before, like in middle school, and continued about how I started to plan on being a nurse. He said, "Be a nurse." He was very passionate about the nurses. He talked about them with the utmost respect. He told me that "nurses are the ones who run the hospital, specifically the floor", and that nursing is the path to take. Hearing someone, especially of higher rank, talk so brightly about nurses made me realize how appreciated and great they are. I frequently would see so many negative videos by nurses speaking on how "you shouldn't go into the field, and that you should enter the radiology field instead." I asked my cousins, who are all RNs, if they liked their job, just for their point of view. They all said they loved it and couldn't imagine doing anything else. I want to add to the group of nurses who are passionate about what they do. I want to excel in nursing and amplify the level of it. I plan on being the best nurse I can be.

Hi, my name is Paola Sierra. I am a first-generation, bilingual, Mexican-American student, and a sister to an older brother and sister. I like baking, trying new coffee recipes, and going into deep rabbit holes of random topics. My guilty pleasure is watching My Little Pony conspiracy theories. I love socializing and getting to meet new people. My love for that boosted my desire to become a registered nurse. In all honest, I did not always see myself wanting to be a nurse. I am ashamed of how I used to picture them as "maids." I realized that they were not maids or servants, but that they are the most caring and selfless people you could ever meet. Not everyone would willingly dedicate their entire career, life, and time to putting others before themselves, to try and make others happy in a time when they're at their lowest, to build a relationship with someone who could leave the world as quickly as they entered the hospital, nurses; the real superheroes of the world. I plan to make a positive impact on the world through my choice of career by helping people get better, specifically kids. I intend to work in pediatrics. I love to work with children. I admire their empathy and purity. I know that the patients in the hospital already don't want to be there, so I wish to make their stay easier and smoother. I will graduate high school with my associate's degree and plan to go to college directly after to get a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. I plan to learn, master, and amplify the practice of a nurse so that I can execute the job at the highest of levels. I will work as a nurse for a couple of years, to gain experience, and return to school to become a nurse practitioner. I have made it my main goal to obtain an NP license to then go on to give my medical advice to those who desperately need it and can't afford it, for free. I plan to go on mission trips and visit homeless shelters to take in and help those who need my medical counsel. I want them to know that I do see them. I can't make healthcare in America free, but I sure can make mine. I am ready to play my part in making society a better place for everyone and anyone.