Reflection
Growing up, I wasn’t sure that nursing was what was meant for me. Nursing was not one of the choices I had discussed with my grandparents, parents, families and friends. I remember that all I used to talk about was becoming a civil engineer and then, at some point, moving to Spain and applying to work alongside the engineers and architects who were constructing the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain. That was my plan, but like everyone says, plans always change. At some point during high school, I fell in love with nursing. I started thinking of choosing nursing as a career when my mom got sick, and all the companions she had were the nurses taking care of her during this time. Unfortunately, at this time of our lives, she is in Canada while the rest of us are still in the Philippines. Hearing all the great stories that the nurses had done to ensure my mom felt safe and cared for made me choose nursing.
After graduating from high school in June 2021, getting an offer of acceptance to a university for a nursing program was difficult. It was competitive, so when I got a letter of admission from Fleming College for their practical nursing program that starts in January 2022, I did not think twice about it. The exact time I saw the email was also the time I accepted the offer of admission; that day, I was filled with happiness because I was another step closer to reaching success. After graduating from the practical nursing program, I was waiting and waiting and thought I was not going to get admission from one of the universities I applied to continue my education to obtain my Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree (BScN). Still, at the last minute, I was ready just to let it go and try again to apply for the following Fall. I got an offer of admission to the BScN program here at Trent University. And looking back to before I started nursing school, I am glad I chose this pathway.
Nursing is a career that will be challenging but rewarding. It is striking to me how nursing blends science, human connection, and service. As per the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO): Therapeutic Nurse-Client Relationship (2006), “Client-centred Care: Nurses work with the client to ensure that all professional behaviours and actions meet the therapeutic needs of the client,” and choosing nursing as my profession, I knew it would have many demands because it is a line of work that calls for emotional intelligence, courage and a strong sense of duty focusing on the needs of the patient. Personal growth, the significant impact I make on patients’ lives and the role that nursing plays in forming the healthcare system are some of the main factors that come to me when I think back on my continuous journey in nursing. “In nursing, we are always learning something new every day” is a statement I often hear from nurses I work with who have been working for years. Some of them even worked as nurses before I was born. The statement is undoubtedly true because the healthcare industry constantly changes, with new methods, technology, and treatments appearing regularly. As nurses, we must be dedicated to adapting to the lifelong learning our career offers. Working as a nurse allows me to continuously push myself, learn new things, and improve my skills.
As stated in the CNO Practice Standards: Code of Conduct (2023), “Nurses provide safe and competent care,” and this is because nursing involves providing care for people, and a lot of time, it is during their most vulnerable times. Having the opportunity to impact someone’s health and well-being positively is a strong incentive for me and many other nurses. In line with the CNO Code of Conduct (2023), “Nurses provide inclusive and culturally safe care by practicing cultural humility,” and in nursing, it encompasses more than just curing a disease; it also entails attending to the physical, emotional, psychological, and perhaps spiritual needs of the patient through anything from physical care to emotional support. Every patient we get will be different, making every interaction with patients unique. Remembering when a patient or their family said, ‘Thank you for taking care of me/Thank you for taking care of our family member,’ I am reminded why I decided to become a nurse. As a nurse, you can listen to your patients, comfort them, and advocate.
If I had the chance to return to the day I decided to enter nursing school, I would not have changed my decision. In this profession, helping a patient get to a facility where their mental health will be managed, assisting a family with end-of-life care, helping a patient who comes to the doors of the department asking for help with alcohol detox, getting a patient ready for their surgery or enabling someone to manage a chronic condition are just a few of the life-changing experiences I get to experience. It gives me great pleasure to know that I have improved someone’s quality of life in some manner. Nursing is a vocation with profound meaning and purpose, not just a job. Nursing offers fulfillment, personal development, and a sense of belonging to something greater than oneself despite its high demands, rewards, and significant influence. The opportunities nursing gives me to improve people’s lives and influence the direction of healthcare never cease to excite me.