Throughout my adult life, I have known the value of a quality education. I have never lost sight of my dream: to become the finest nurse I possibly can. In order to bring my plans to fruition, I hope to be accepted to your School of Nursing because I am especially attracted to the breadth and autonomy of your curriculum. Applying to the University of XXXX's School of Nursing was a natural and logical choice.
I am increaingly convinced that becoming a CRNA is exactly where I can do the greatest good. I see Nurse Anesthesia as the most challenging and elite branch of nursing, and I am eager to contribute to an increase in minority representation in this area, becoming a role model for other Women of Color, demonstrating that hard work and perseverance, irrespective of the so-called odds can bring great rewards.
Having the opportunity to observe and become involved with general and regional anesthesia practice in the context of pain management, and critical care - I have had the opportunity to lear many critically important aspects of peri-operative anesthesia consultation work. I have found that I have an enormous amount of passion for this area, along with clinical pharmacology, and the professional challenges that I have enjoyed and hope to continue to enjoy in these areas. I get a tremendous personal and professional satisfaction from tipping the scales in the favor of the patient in delicate situations, using my skills, education and passion for teamwork to save a life. Coupled with this is my desire to make my patients as comfortable as possible, if not completely bring about the cessation of pain. I love the intensity of the ICU working environment. What many call the pressures of the job, I find truly invigorating, the need for accuracy, speed and well-developed observational skills.
I deliberately sought out nursing experiences outside the US. Working in New Zealand as a nurse as well as a nurse for Carnival Cruise Line, I have enjoyed interacting effectively with people of many backgrounds, creeds, and cultures, bonding with so many diverse patients, learning to appreciate our differences as part of the rich tapestry of life. In this way, I look forward to intense interactions with other members of the student body in your program, the opportunities for group assignments, teamwork, and group projects.
After becoming a CRNA, and gaining extensive experience in peri-operative anesthesia and regional anesthesia as a CRNA, I intend to continue to focus on pain management in the context of critical care.
Earning my BSN was one of the proudest moments of my life, and was one of the hardest won, illustrating my sheer will and resolve. Working two jobs to support myself through school, recovering from the setback of suffering a car accident and thereby had to repeat my first semester. Things have stabilized at home, however, since these trying times, and I am now fully ready to immerse myself in full time study with all of my heart and energy.
My humble beginnings as a patient care/monitor technician convinced me that nursing was the ideal environment for my career, and my confidence increased with every patient to which I attended. As a nurse in New Zealand and on Carnival Cruise Line, I worked hard to developed and refine my interpersonal and observational skills, and clinical acumen. Now in Seattle, I have worked my way from the ER to the ICU, and have been left wanting to give more of myself as I have shadowed and quizzed numerous nurse anesthesiologists.
Overcoming time management and sleep-related issues was an obstacle that I overcame through sheer determination, going to school full-time and working full-time. I was able to free up critical study time, thereby optimizing my academic performance while continuing my immersion in practical clinical situations.
I left home at 18, leaving behind a fatherless home and a mother that was virtually incapable of reaching out. Working full-time and going to school left me little time for extracurricular activities or volunteer work, but I never gave up on my dream of becoming a nurse, overcoming countless obstacles so as to arrive at this point. I thank you for considering my application. No other school has impressed me more, not just your amazing faculty, diverse student body and challenging curriculum, but the numerous resources of your larger academic and cultural community.
