Why Nursing?

When I was growing up, I never wanted to be a princess or a cowgirl or anything like that; I always told adults when they asked me the ‘what do you want to be when you grow up’ question that I wanted to help people. When the time came to start applying to university, nursing was something that really stood out to me. I love science and always have and being able to understand how the body works and why was something that really drew me to nursing. Honestly, I’ve always wanted to be a doctor, but I need to start somewhere and the idea of getting right into the medical field was so appealing that nursing seemed like the only logical option. So, here I am! I applied to about ten nursing programs all across Canada, but as soon as I took a step on Trent’s campus during my tour; I knew I had to go here. I love hiking, swimming, boating, and really everything that Trent really highlighted, accompanied by their stellar nursing program my mind was made up. Though I had never been to Peterborough before that day and didn’t know anyone within a couple hour drive from Trent, I didn’t care. This is where I needed to go.

Once I knew where I wanted to go, I decided to make a plan for myself. I wanted to get a nursing degree, but I still plan on applying to medical school or maybe completing my master in nursing one day and become an NP on day; but, who knows. Life has a funny way of working itself out, so for the time being I study and work hard and we will see what the future brings. Overall though, I just want to make a difference; I want to help those who would have otherwise fallen through the cracks. I have experienced this first hand too many times to count and I want to be the person that cares. My life has been anything but typical, but I have come to accept that my greatest challenges have given me unique perspectives and skills I would have not otherwise acquired. I went into my first year knowing emergency tracheostomy changes, how to use a naloxone kit, when to spot an overdose, how to talk someone down from crisis, and I could go on and on and on. These skills did not come from ease, though you can’t change the past, only utilize your acquired skills for your future.

My life has always been anything but typical. My future endeavours were solidified in grade 8 when I was 13. I am the oldest kid in my family with 2 brothers and my youngest sister. In 2018, my sister contracted a rare virus known as Enterovirus D-68 (EV-D68) causing acute flaccid myelitis. This is an extremely rare virus to contract, in 2018 my sister was one of the most severe cases out of only 68 children who contracted the virus that year in all of Canada. This virus resulted in my fully functioning sister to become a quadriplegic in 36 hours; 4 years later she is still fully wheelchair bound, though thankfully she has faced no cognitive deficits. This was the first time I realized I wanted to help others as healthcare workers have helped my family. With the help of the amazing medical staff, she was saved. When I was 14, I found my neighbour who had passes in his backyard after suffering from a heart attack. When I was 16, I lost my childhood best friend due to a drug overdose. When I was 17, my now ex-partner attempted to throw themselves from my car in a suicide attempt, which I pulled them back in the car and took them to a hospital. By the time I was 18, I lived through more than some people experience in a life time. Though, this only motivated me. I wanted to help all the people who had been let down in the past, to hopefully not let some other kid have to experience all I went through.

I am who I am today because of what I have been through. I do not share my experiences because I want pity, I share my experiences to show others that your past does not define your future. That you control your own fate. This is why I really can’t wait to see all that my nursing degree has to offer and to get my change to help others and make a difference!