Hey all! For my first nursing class I had t write a paper and present it for my class. I chose to do it on what inspired me to become a nurse instead of finding some random story for the assignment. Well you see I don't so well in front of big crowds and my presentation did not go well. I wasn't able to get my real story across because I was too nervous so I thought I would share it with all of you. I hope you like it. What inspires you? Do you have a career that started from an inspiration? Feel free to share with me below I would love to hear about it!
A Nurse'sStory Mystory for wanting to become a nurse is probably a bit different than othernursing majors. I started out as an English major, my real passionbeing Creative Writing, which isn’t a major at the University of SouthernMaine; it is only a minor. What does Creative Writing have to do with nursing,you might ask?
In7th grade, I picked up my first Lurlene McDaniel book, SixMonths to Live, which was about a girl who was diagnosedwith leukemia. I had heard the term "leukemia" once before, in 5th grade,when I moved to Saco and started at Saco Middle schoolafter the year had already started. There was one open desk that happened tobelong to a boy named Garnet. I had never met him and never would. I sat at hisdesk, and all I knew is that he was really sick. One day, the teachers told usthat he died, losing his battle with leukemia. I had no idea what leukemia reallywas at that point, but I knew it was bad. I didn’t know Garnet, but Istill hurt along with the schoolat the news. I wish I had met the boy with leukemia. That boy's desk Ialways sat in will always be with me. AfterI read Six Months to Live and learned more about leukemia andunderstood what it was, I began researching a ton. I still have a huge folderfilled with printed information from when I was researching. I was reallyinterested in learning about leukemia and understanding what it is, what itdoes, and how to treat it. I even began writing my own story about leukemia,which started my love of Creative Writing. I continued reading the rest of theseries following Six Months to Live and went on to read everybook by Lurlene McDaniel ever since (she has written around 50-100+ books). Ihave learned about various medical conditions and other tragedies that childrenand teens can face. I was always learning when I read one of her books, and,while I loved writing my own stories, I was equally interested in the medicalpart. Sheinspired me to want to help. If I wasn’t such a wimp, I would be a donorfor a bone marrow transplant by now. When I first began reading her books, Ibegan saving money to donate to cancer research. Unfortunately, life events gotin the way, and I didn’t end up getting to use the money for that, but Ihope to someday be able to have enough money to donate a good amount. Whenstores have drives for cancer or illnesses, I always donate to them. Also,for a long time, I wanted to donate my hair to Locks of Love. I had a hairdye incident along the way, so I had to wait for the dye to grow out of myhair. About a year ago, my hair was finally long enough to donate, and I cutoff my long hair and sent it to Locks of Love. I have always wanted to help inany way that I could. Iwas an English major for two years before deciding to change to nursing. I didnot like being an English major. Writing essay papers and trying to figure outwhat it was each teacher was looking for was not my thing. I only liked theCreative Writing aspect and wanted to write my own stories. Creative Writingand English are very different. I also knew that once I graduated, Iwould not be able to get a job. I didn’t want to be a teacher, and I’mpicky about my writing, so I knew I needed a change. Idecided to go with my next interest and make it a career. I knew I wasinterested in Pediatric Oncology and always wanted to be involved. I would haveeven volunteered at a hospital if I didn’t have to work while being inschool since I was 15. I decided nursing would be the best path for a great,rewarding career, where I could help people and, hopefully, work with childrenwith cancer or other chronic illnesses. I can even still write on the side andwill probably get some great stories when I’m a nurse. The most important thingis: I really want to help and have wanted to since I picked up SixMonths to Live. WhenI tell people I want to work with pediatric oncology, their response issomething like, “Wow, how are you going to do that? That would beheartbreaking.” Yes, it will be heartbreaking, but I want to make a differencein those children’s lives. I want to help them and try to make their lives better,whether their life ends up being short or long. I will have hope that everyonewill go into remission and get better, but I also know that won’t alwayshappen. I have a great deal of strength, and I want to share that with thesechildren that are struggling and maybe losing hope. I want to make sure theyhold onto hope and fight with everything they have to live, and I believe Ihave the heart and strength to help them. Imay have started with the passion of reading and writing to get to the careerchoice of nursing, but I am just as passionate about becoming a nurse andhelping people.
