Reflection

Nursing- Champlain College – Saint Lambert. (2024, October 4). Champlain College – Saint Lambert. https://champlainsaintlambert.ca/career-programs/nursing/
Reflecting on my nursing journey, I realize that my desire to become a nurse has been shaped by a combination of personal experiences and a lifelong interest in healthcare. I grew up surrounded by the concepts of medical care, the norms of caring, and the atmosphere of hospitals because both of my parents worked in the healthcare industry. I got inspired by the job my parents did, whether it was from hearing about their daily lives or witnessing them assist others. Being clumsy as a child often needing stitches or breaking bones and spending a good amount of time in hospitals exposed me to the role of nurses at an early age. I witnessed directly how nurses engaged with patients, bringing comfort and compassion in addition to medical attention when they were in pain or anxious. I became aware of the significant influence nurses had on patients’ lives as a result of this early exposure. It involved more than just performing basic nursing tasks and giving medication; it involved helping people get through some of their most difficult moments. In this article it states that the nurse’s responsibility is to support clients in preventing or coping with sickness and suffering, as well as finding meaning within the experience (Astle et al., 2024). In order to make patients feel comfortable and cared for, the nurses I interacted with seemed to have a natural ability to listen, reassure, and establish a connection with them. At that moment, I realized I wanted to share that experience and provide others with the same kind of assistance in the future.

Studying topics related to the body and health came naturally to me because I have always found them interesting. I actually enjoyed learning about the body’s functions, the effects of diseases, and how medical experts assist in healing and restoring health, I found that I excelled in these areas. My decision to become a nurse was further reinforced by my academic interests in the health sciences. When my mother had her gallbladder removed, she was in and out of the hospital as they didn’t know the main cause of her pain. They finally found out the cause and treated the issue immediately, this allowed me to be able to observe her hospital stay, which was a turning point in my path. The nurses’ degree of physical and emotional care and attention to her really stood out to me. In that moment, the nurse-patient relationship became very real to me, and I came to understand how important it is to be both professional and compassionate in the healthcare industry. According to Joyce Travelbee, the relationship between a patient and a nurse occurs in five stages “the original encounter, the visibility of personal or emerging identities, empathy, sympathy, and the establishment of mutual understanding and a rapport” (Petiprin, 2016). I knew I wanted to make a difference in other people’s lives like this and by considering Joyce’s theory can help accomplish that in the future.

I chose Trent University for my nursing education as it provided hands on experiences which is the best way I personally learn. In the study The Impact of Hands-On-Approach on Student Academic Performance in Basic Science and Mathematics it showed positive improvement on both the students’ performance and participation on mathematics and basic science activities and willingness on the part of the teachers to use hands-on-approach in communicating mathematical and scientific concepts to their students. As I continue maintaining an open mind about the wide range of nursing specialties while I pursue my education I can take into consideration my qualities I excel at. Although working at a hospital has always appealed to me, I’m exploring the several nursing specialties available. Though I am especially interested in working with infants or kids, I am also aware that as I gain practical experience in other nursing specialties, my interests may change. I’m determined to become someone who can provide comfort, care, and support to people in need, regardless of my specialty or decision to just stay a registered nurse. In the end, I want to change people’s lives, which is why I want to become a nurse. In the same way that nurses have supported me and my family through our toughest moments, I want to be there for others. Knowing that each step I take will bring me one step closer to realizing my love for helping others, I am eager to continue this path of growth, learning, and compassion.