Right now I am in the process of studying for boards. I officially graduated Sunday from Mount Mercy with my BSN now I just have to get those next two letters, RN. I am at a coffee shop in Des Moines now. While looking for a file on my computer I stumbled upon a gem of an assignment. At the time none of us liked Call to Adventure and to this day my nursing school classmates and I still make fun of the Hero's Journey (its a special kind of language using terms like amulet, hero, and belly of the whale to name a few). We were required to write journals related to our personal call to nursing using this language so bear with me on the terms that you think are hokey in my post below, okay?
So why share this assignment now after four years have passed? Because it was a wonderful reminder of where I started as a complete baby nurse (knowing not a whole lot- and I still have a whole lot to learn) and what reinforces my philosophy as I get closer to "RN" now and for the rest of my career. I also think it is a testament of where I began on my journey and how many people on many paths have impacted me along the way and continue to support me.
Call
to Adventure
September
9,2009
Initial
Philosophy of Nursing
Choosing a career is a daunting task for
anyone, especially at the ripe age of seventeen. As a high school junior
quickly approaching her senior year, I became nervous every time anyone so much
as mentioned the word, “college.” The typical questions flew at me left and
right: “Where are you going?” “Do you know what you want to do with your life?”
I’m not sure about you but these are very daunting questions when the only
thing on your mind is who you are going to homecoming with and passing high
school classes while juggling part time job, cheer leading, drama club, and a
social life.
From
sophomore year on I knew I wanted to involve the medical or science world in my
future career. My brother, four years older than me, opened my eyes to a world
where microorganisms were fascinating and ultimately hooked me on being some
sort of science major. I became active in science club and saw myself enjoying
the world of test tubes and bacteria more than I thought possible. Tony, a
biology major at Loras College, continued to spark my interest in a science
related career.
From
the time I knew I was called to a career in science, I began to look for one
that allowed me to interact with patients on a personal level and aid them in
some way medically. I saw a version of myself in the future acting as a sort of
hero to people in medical need, though during my junior year I began to
question how I could help those
people. I settled upon sort of pre-medical program at an undetermined college
and would decide for sure what avenue I would take when I arrived at that
mountain.
As
I began my college hunt, I faced quite a few challenges. It seemed that
everywhere I looked at, they asked me what I wanted to major in, or I viewed an
aspect of one career that I loved but still couldn’t choose one that fit
perfectly. I spoke with my godmother, a nurse of twenty plus years, about my
predicament. She and I continued to speak about the many possibilities available
to me and the different routes I could take to get where I wanted to get. It
was not until she asked me how I wanted to help people and with what values I
wanted to create my career around that I seriously considered nursing as a
career.
I
began to pray daily about my calling to be a nurse. I knew from watching my
godmother Gail over the years that being a nurse was not easy. Furthermore, I
knew from talking with her, I knew that my personal values are very similar to
hers. I value honesty, hard work, and compassion. Gail and I talked about how I
could use my talents of compassion for others in a nursing career. She helped
me to understand, though it took a while to understand on my own through
discovering my path as a potential nursing hero, that nursing is more than
textbook knowledge. I drew on what I saw in her as a nurse as well as what I
wanted to do with my life.
I
continued to pray for several months about many things. A great obstacle I
faced was choosing a school that would fit my need to serve others as well as
have a remarkable nursing program. At this point I wasn’t one hundred percent
certain I wanted to pursue nursing as my career. I continued to pray, this time
to St. Bernadette (my mom and I’s patron saint) and the day I found my precious
amulet (St. Bernadette medal given to me by my best friend for Confirmation),
my prayers were answered. A good friend of mine invited me to visit Mount
Mercy. As I saw the campus from a nursing student’s perspective, and explored
my values of honesty and compassion, I saw how well these fit into a nursing
career.
My
mom asked me, “Why nursing, why Mount Mercy?” I had to tell her the truth, of
course. I see nurses and a career in nursing as a rewarding career both
inwardly and outwardly. She knew that service was a big part of my life and
after visiting Mount Mercy with me, she saw the way that service was
incorporated into an outstanding nursing program which reflected the way I saw
nursing. I explained to my mom, after much inner struggle, that I saw myself as
a nurse for two main reasons, also my philosophy of nursing: I wanted to help
people and provide a personal care that improved their situation medically.
After
I chose Mount Mercy, I called my godmother. She was a true herald to my quest.
She explained to me that she knew since I was little that I would become a
nurse. Gail explained to me that there are certain people that she can just
tell would make a good nurse. I promptly scolded her for not telling me
immediately to be a nurse, her response was, “you just needed to figure it out
yourself. I figure you will know more why YOU want to be a nurse that way. Not
why I think you would make an
excellent nurse.”
I
am so very thankful for my aunt and brother for steering me in the direction of
a nursing career. I truly believe that the threshold towards a nursing degree
will be long and full of shadows, but I know that I can draw from my search to
choose nursing in the first place to keep me going. Lastly, as my own hero, I
shall continue to pray that I remain in the career/direction I have chosen for
the right reasons, not just the recognition or the time I have put into my
training, but for the patients that I will help someday.
