My Journey Into Nursing
Hello! My name is Hayley and I am a first year nursing student in the compressed BScN program at Trent University in Peterborough, ON! I am super excited to be embarking on my journey to becoming a Registered Nurse.
Ever since I was a young girl, I have dreamed of pursing a career in the medical field. I am naturally a very helpful person who deeply cares about others. I feel the nursing profession is perfect for me as it integrates these traits with my other passion; a love for science and medicine.
As much as I am determined and certain on becoming a Registered Nurse now, my career path hasn’t always been so clear. For the past 13 years I have worked in the veterinary field. I originally dreaming of becoming a small animal veterinarian. I started working and volunteering in veterinary hospitals when I was 11 years old. I continued to follow my love for animals throughout grade school. Following graduation from high school, I attended the University of Guelph to obtain my Honors Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Biology and a minor in Biomedical Science. In order to become a vet, I needed to then attend Veterinary school. Following my degree, I applied for the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Program at the Ontario Veterinary College. Unfortunately the Covid-19 pandemic negatively influenced my vet school application and I was unsuccessful in gaining admission.
As much as I was devastated by my rejection to veterinary school, the closure of that door led to the opening of a new door for me. During the pandemic I gained the opportunity to work in a nursing home. The facility was one of the first residences in Ontario to have a confirmed coronavirus outbreak, which unfortunately resulted in majority of the staff leaving. I was fortunate to be able to gain exposure to the field of nursing through working in a variety of roles in the facility. It was through this experience that I learned of my passion for human healthcare in addition to my existing love for animals and the veterinary field. This opportunity introduced me to the importance of Registered Nurses in our community and sparked my interest in applying to nursing school.
Since moving to Peterborough, I have left my position at the nursing home and have continued with employment in the veterinary sector. Over the many years in my role as a veterinary technician, I have gained exposure to a variety of areas of medicine spanning from orthopedic surgery to neonatal critical care. I have always been most drawn to assisting with the Caesarians and newborn care components of my veterinary positions, so I am interested in following this passion through the mother and baby / labor and delivery settings as a nursing student. In addition, I am currently working in a veterinary emergency hospital and am enjoying the trauma cases. I hope to gain more exposure to the emergency department and critical care sector of nursing as this is also a passionate area of mine.
Fast forward to today, I am almost done my first semester of nursing school. I have thoroughly enjoyed the program so far, and look forward to my future in the nursing profession. Throughout this journey I am embarking on, I hope to gain more exposure to the diverse areas of nursing and learn what aspects of the field I am most passionate in pursuing. I hope to gain the necessary skills and knowledge to be a competent and confident Registered Nurse. I have a positive outlook on my future in the field of nursing and can’t wait to see where this journey takes me!
