Reflection
Before beginning my journey in the compressed nursing program, I completed a degree in sociology. When I first decided to pursue nursing I felt like my degree in sociology was not helpful and that it did not relate to health care or nursing at all. Looking back on this, I realize that sociology and nursing are quite closely related, as learning about sociology helps to promote social justice. Nursing involves helping people not only physically, but also understanding that patients come from many different cultures, religions, socioeconomic backgrounds, and have many other social factors affecting their health and life. A study in 2021 found that teachings about social justice are neglected in nursing schools around the world (Habibzadeh et al., 2021), and I feel lucky that I got to learn more about sociology and social justice during my first undergraduate degree. I am able to see now when reflecting that understanding these factors and of the way society functions, as well as its downfalls, has better prepared me to be a nurse and advocate for patients.
When I was just finishing my degree in sociology the Covid-19 pandemic began, and I was in shock at what was occurring in the world. I could not believe that so many people were dying at such a fast rate from this virus, but what also amazed me was the unrelenting efforts and bravery from health care professionals. When facing a new and deadly virus that nobody knew much about yet, health care workers sacrificed their own health and safety in order to care for others. I was extremely inspired by this, especially by the nurses who worked tirelessly on the front lines and put themselves in close-contact with sick patients every day. It seems that I was not the only one influenced to pursue nursing by the pandemic, as a study in 2021 on Chinese nursing students found that the pandemic actually had a positive influence on these students to continue to pursue nursing (Bai et al., 2021). I was still not entirely sure what I wanted to do as a career during the pandemic, but watching the response from health care workers made me start strongly considering a degree in nursing.
After discovering my interest in health care, I began to work in a variety of different health care settings over the next few years. I worked in a cardiology clinic, an optometrists’ office, a psychiatry clinic, and a pharmacy as an assistant. In most of these jobs I got to collaborate with nurses as part of my job and was continuously reinforced that this was what I wanted to do with my life. I found the transition from being a full-time student to working somewhat difficult, as I felt like I was on the right track but still somewhat lost. I started to think about taking pre-requisites to apply to nursing and continued to pursue this path while also working in health care jobs. I finally ended up applying to the compressed program and was thrilled when I got accepted.
After reflecting on the journey that has led me to this program, I can say that I am extremely grateful for my sociology degree as well as my experience in health care jobs. The pandemic was also a major turning point for me, as I realized that I wanted to dedicate my life to caring for others. I acknowledge that my transition from a student nurse to a working nurse may be stressful, as learning in placements and a classroom is much different than performing individually as a nurse in a clinical setting. A 2023 study found that despite emotional and physical exhaustion from the profession, many nurses still found their work meaningful, bringing them satisfaction in their career (Wah See et al., 2023). I hope that as I continue on in my journey as a nurse I will be able to also find meaning in the sadness, and positivity in challenging and difficult times.