When I first came to this country, everything was new for me. I was trying to adjust to a different environment, system, and language. Around that same time, I became pregnant with my first child, and that experience changed my life. My first pregnancy was confusing because I did not speak English well. Even during labor, I did not fully understand what was happening. I remember pushing for a long time without really knowing what was going on. I had taken the epidural early because I was scared of the pain, but later I realized I did not fully understand my options. I wish someone had taken more time to explain things to me in a way I could truly understand. After my baby was born, she had to stay in the NICU for more than three months. That was one of the hardest times of my life. I was going back and forth between home and the hospital while still recovering. Even though there were translation services, I still felt confused at times because medical language can be difficult to understand. I did not always feel comfortable asking questions because I did not want to feel embarrassed. But what stayed with me the most was the way the nurses treated me. They showed me compassion, patience, and emotional support. Even when I did not fully understand everything, I could feel that they cared. They made me feel less alone during a very painful and uncertain time. That experience is what made me passionate about nursing. As I went through more pregnancies, I continued to learn. My last pregnancy was very difficult because I developed preeclampsia. During labor, my pain was intense, and at one point, there was an emergency. I remember hearing a code being called, and suddenly the room was filled with medical staff. I did not fully understand what was happening at that moment, but I could see how serious the situation was. The nurses and doctors acted quickly, doing everything they could to protect both me and my baby. That moment stayed with me. It showed me how important nurses are, not only in providing care, but in responding in critical situations and supporting patients through fear and uncertainty. Today, I work in healthcare as a CNA. I care for people who cannot take care of themselves, and I see every day how much they depend on others. This experience has taught me patience, compassion, and respect. It has also shown me that the way you treat people matters just as much as the care you give. In my nursing career, I want to focus on maternal and newborn care. I want to support mothers, especially those who feel lost, scared, or do not fully understand what is happening. I know what it feels like to be in that position. The impact I want to make is to improve communication and support for patients, especially those with language barriers. I want to take time to explain things clearly, in a way patients truly understand. I want to create a space where patients feel comfortable asking questions without fear. I also want to be present for families during difficult moments, just like the nurses who were there for me. I have lived the fear, the confusion, and the uncertainty, and that is exactly why I want to be the nurse who brings comfort, clarity, and hope to others. Nursing is not just something I want to do. It is something I know I am meant to do

When I first came to this country, everything was new for me. I was trying to adjust to a different environment, system, and language. I felt lost at times. Around that same period, I had my first child, and that experience changed my life completely. My baby stayed in the NICU for more than three months. It was one of the hardest times of my life. I was scared, overwhelmed, and trying to understand what was happening while also dealing with the language barrier. I didn’t always have the words to express how I felt, and that made everything even harder. What stayed with me most was the way the nurses treated me and my baby. They were patient with me. They took time to explain things and made sure I understood. They spoke to me with kindness, not judgment. Even though I was new in this country, they treated me like I mattered. Because of them, I didn’t feel completely alone during one of the most difficult moments of my life. I also remember looking around the NICU and seeing other babies. It was not just about my child anymore. I wanted all of them to be okay. That feeling stayed with me and changed how I see care and compassion. That experience is what inspired me to pursue nursing. Before that, I wanted to go to college and build a better future, but I didn’t really understand what nursing meant. After going through that moment, I realized that nursing is not just about tasks. It is about being there for people when they are at their lowest. Today, I work in healthcare as a CNA. I care for people who cannot take care of themselves and see how much they depend on others. This experience has taught me patience, compassion, and the importance of treating people with dignity. There are days when I feel tired and overwhelmed, but I continue because I know this is what I am meant to do. If I had the opportunity to create something to make the world a better place, I would create a support tool for families who have children in the hospital, especially in units like the NICU. It would not just translate words, but make medical information easier to understand. Even though hospitals provide translation services, medical language can still be confusing. I remember hearing explanations and still feeling lost. Sometimes, people are afraid to ask questions because they don’t want to feel embarrassed or sound like they don’t understand. But in those moments, understanding is exactly what we need the most. Even now, I still find myself doing research to better understand my daughter’s condition, and that showed me how difficult it can be for families to keep up. I would create something simple and interactive, like a guide or app that explains medical terms in everyday language. It could include visuals, simple explanations, and a space for families to write questions so they feel more involved in their child’s care. This would especially help immigrants or families who are not familiar with the healthcare system. It would help them feel more confident, less afraid, and more supported during a very difficult time. I have lived the fear, the uncertainty, and the feeling of being lost, and that is exactly why I want to be the nurse who brings comfort, clarity, and hope to others. Nursing is not just something I want to do. It is something I know I am meant to do.

When I first came to this country, everything was new for me. I was trying to adjust to a different environment, system, and language. I felt lost at times. Around that same period, I had my first child, and that experience changed my life completely. My baby stayed in the NICU for more than three months. It was one of the hardest times of my life. I was scared, overwhelmed, and trying to understand what was happening while also dealing with the language barrier. I didn’t always have the words to express how I felt, and that made everything even harder. What stayed with me most was the way the nurses treated me and my baby. They were patient with me. They took time to explain things and made sure I understood. They spoke to me with kindness, not judgment. Even though I was new in this country, they treated me like I mattered. Because of them, I didn’t feel completely alone during one of the most difficult moments of my life. I also remember looking around the NICU and seeing other babies. It was not just about my child anymore. I wanted all of them to be okay. That feeling stayed with me and changed how I see care and compassion. That experience is what made me choose nursing. Before that, I wanted to go to college and build a better future, but I didn’t really understand what nursing meant. After going through that moment, I realized that nursing is not just about tasks. It is about being there for people when they are at their lowest. After leaving the hospital, the journey did not end. My daughter needed ongoing care, and there were times we struggled financially trying to keep up with her treatment. It was stressful, and sometimes I did not know how we would manage. But those moments made me stronger and reminded me why I could not give up. Today, I work in healthcare as a CNA. I care for people who cannot take care of themselves and see how much they depend on others. Some feel frustrated, some feel forgotten, and some just need respect. This experience has taught me patience and compassion. It has also shown me that how you treat people matters just as much as the care you give. There are days when I feel tired and overwhelmed, but I still choose to stay. I stay because I know this is bigger than me. I want to grow, learn more, and do more for the people I care for. As a nurse, I want to contribute to my community by being that person for others, just like those nurses were for me. I want to support patients and their families, especially those who feel lost, scared, or alone. I want to take the time to listen, explain, and treat people with dignity. I also want to show others in my community that no matter where you come from or what you go through, you can still move forward and build something meaningful. I have lived the fear, the uncertainty, and the feeling of being lost, and that is exactly why I want to be the nurse who brings comfort, clarity, and hope to others. Nursing is not just something I want to do. It is something I know I am meant to do.

When I first came to this country, everything was new for me. I was trying to adjust to a different environment, system, and language. Around that time, I had my first child, and that experience changed my life. My baby stayed in the NICU for more than three months. It was one of the hardest times of my life. I was scared, confused, and trying to understand what was happening while dealing with the language barrier. What stayed with me most was the way the nurses treated me and my baby. They were patient, explained things clearly, and made sure I understood. They showed kindness and support in a way I had never experienced before. Even though I was new in this country, they treated me like family. Because of them, I felt less alone during one of the most difficult moments of my life. During that time, it was not only about my baby. When I looked around, I saw many other babies in the NICU. I didn’t just want my baby to get better, I wanted all of them to be healed too. That moment changed how I see care and compassion. When I was pregnant with my second child, I went through a very stressful time. People were saying negative things to me, making me feel like something would be wrong with my baby. It affected me deeply and brought fear and depression. But I remember one nurse who took the time to sit with me and speak with kindness. She encouraged me and helped me regain my strength. When my baby was born healthy, that moment stayed with me. It showed me that nurses do more than provide medical care. They give hope. After leaving the hospital, the journey did not end. My daughter needed ongoing care, and there were times we faced financial challenges trying to keep up with her treatment. Those moments were stressful, but they made me stronger and reminded me why I chose this path. Before these experiences, I had thought about becoming a nurse, but I didn’t fully understand what it meant. After everything I went through, I began to understand the reality of nursing. It takes strength, patience, and heart. Through what I have seen and lived, I now know this is not just something I want, it is something I am meant to do. Today, I work in healthcare as a CNA. I care for people who cannot take care of themselves and see how much they depend on others. In many ways, they are like children. They need patience, respect, and dignity. This has taught me that true care is not just about tasks, but about how you treat people. Working as a CNA is not easy. There are days I feel tired and overwhelmed, but I chose to stay because I want to help people in a deeper way. My experience is also why I want to pursue pediatric nursing. I know what it feels like to be a parent in that situation, scared and hoping your child will get better. When my baby was in the NICU, I didn’t just want my child to be healed, I wanted all the babies to be okay. That feeling stayed with me. I want to be the nurse who cares for the child and supports the family during those difficult moments. I want to help children grow and have a chance to thrive. Nursing is not just something I want to do. It is something I know I am meant to do.

When I first came to this country, everything was new for me. I was trying to adjust to a different environment, system, and language. Around that time, I had my first child, and that experience changed my life. My baby stayed in the NICU for more than three months. It was one of the most difficult times of my life. I was trying to understand what was happening while dealing with fear and uncertainty. What made a lasting impact on me was the way the nurses treated me. They were patient, took their time to explain things, and made sure I understood. They showed kindness and support in a way that surprised me. They treated me, even as a stranger, like family. Because of them, I felt less alone during one of the hardest moments of my life. Before that experience, I had already thought about becoming a nurse. I wanted to go to college and earn a degree, but I didn’t fully understand what nursing really meant. It was just an idea in my mind. After going through the NICU experience and later working in a nursing home, I began to understand the reality of nursing. It takes strength, patience, and heart. It is not for everyone. Through what I have seen and experienced, I now understand that this is not just something I want, it is something I am meant to do. After that, I stepped into healthcare and started working. I became a QMAP, then a CNA, and now I work in a nursing home. Back home, we don’t really have nursing homes, so seeing this environment opened my eyes. I saw how many people need care, including elderly residents and even younger patients who cannot take care of themselves. That really touched me and gave me a sense of purpose. Working as a CNA is not easy. There are days when I feel tired and overwhelmed, and I could have chosen to walk away. But I chose to stay. I chose to keep going because I want to do more and help people in a deeper way. This experience has helped me understand what nursing really looks like in real life. As a Christian, I’ve heard the verse, “treat others the way you would like to be treated,” but I didn’t truly understand it until I started working in this environment. When I look at the people I care for, I see myself in them. I ask myself, if I were in their place, how would I want to be treated? That question changed me. It made me more patient, more careful with how I speak, and more aware of how I treat others. My journey has not been easy. I am raising four children while working and continuing my education. There are many challenges, but I keep going because I know why I started. To me, human touch in patient care means treating people as human beings, not just patients. It is about showing kindness, respect, and understanding, especially when someone is at their most vulnerable. Working as a CNA, I see every day how important this is. Many of the residents I care for cannot do things for themselves anymore. Some feel frustrated, embarrassed, or lonely. In those moments, it is not just about completing tasks. It is about how you treat them. The way you speak to them, the patience you show, and the respect you give can make a big difference. I have learned that small actions matter. Taking a few extra minutes to listen, speaking gently, or simply being present can bring comfort. When I care for patients, I remind myself that this could be me one day or someone I love. My personal experience also taught me the importance of human touch. When my baby was in the NICU, I saw the difference it made when nurses cared not only for the patient but also for the family. For me, being a nurse is not just about doing the job. It is about making people feel seen, safe, and cared for. Nursing is not just something I want to do. It is something I am meant to be.