hey, here is my "personal statement" for school

decided to apply for a masters degree in nursing w/ family nurse practitioner.

here is the first draft of my personal statement:

 How I became the "Accidental Nurse"

After a seven year stent in the US Army, becoming a Radiology Technician and a Certified Respiratory Therapist, my main goal in life was to go to college—I had no idea how that would look, what I would study, how it would impact my life for years to come.

I was accepted into a BSN program and began a three year, year round, full time program and graduated as I now fondly refer to myself as the “Accidental Nurse”.  I had very little idea of nursing as profession, even after schooling.  I understood the theory, I understood lots of practical assessment and skill related information.  But, I really didn’t understand how I would take those skills and apply them to a daily practice.

Because I had invested seven years in the military, I was attracted to returning to the military as an officer in the nursing corp of the US AirForce.  I completed a four year tour in the AF and was utilized as the military had needs, four years in labor, delivery and newborn care, as the military has a very young population and quite fertile.  Again, I mastered the skills and readily performed efficiently and was a productive member of the nursing corp. 

However, after a four year tour, I was not anywhere close to merging my own nursing theory, my own concepts of health, wellness, compassion or helpfulness with practice.  As I followed my spouse on an adventure of 20 or so years of geographical locations across the nation and across the pond, I slowly developed a deep set yearning to deal with clients, patients, beneficiaries, HUMANS, with a sense of addressing immediate needs and anticipating, educating, facilitating their care to address their overall wellness, their whole person-mind/body/soul, assist them with taking any modes of control of their health that they could. 

Throughout my job history and the progression of my work, I have been able to meet my patients in their realm, and assist them to a higher level of wellness.  Weather that was working within a HMO type of customer service environment, having them learn to navigate the healthcare system for an improved outcome, or work within the system to utilize services, make the best of their primary care, or manage themselves with specialty care.  Working in community care to assist in coordinating care as a case manager, became one of the closest positions I’ve had, assessing clients with their initial needs, and then assisting them to develop and become owners of their own health.

Throughout this process of working in different staff nursing positions, managerial positions and within the insurance industry as a utilization manager and case manager, I have finally moved from the fortuitous nurse to the nurse with a core statement and the understanding of self and client to pursue a higher education to improve my practice.  The experience throughout different modes of the healthcare environment, the difference in geographical and socio-economic areas, has broadened my understanding of different clients, different needs, different understanding of the system, of their health, of their ability to improve their own health.

Because of the growth of my own and the maturity of my nursing practice, the opportunity to pursue a higher degree, Masters in Nursing, would be ideal to take all the moving pieces of my experience, my strong desire to assist patients/clients into their own health, wellness to achieve their optimum selves.

I am sure that this program would be a great match for the school and me, as I am eager to participate fully with the curriculum for the enrichment of my practice and for the enhancement of the school.