Reflection
The following section highlights the experiences that have shaped my path toward Trent University’s Nursing program and provides a reflection on my first semester of nursing studies thus far.
In my last year of high school, I faced many challenging decisions regarding my future, compounded by the uncertainty brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic disrupted not only my education but also the way I had envisioned the next steps in my life. At this time, I was struggling to decide whether I wanted to stay in Canada and play hockey, or whether I wanted to attend a school in the United States pursuing lacrosse. Though I was conflicted with where I wanted to go and which sport to pursue, I always knew my passion was in health care. This clarity about my long-term goals led me to ultimately choose a path that aligned with my desire to work in health care and pursue further education in this field. For as long as I can remember I wanted to be a dermatologist. Thus, my goal was to complete a pre-medical degree and move on to medical school from there. With this idea in mind, I decided to accept my offer from the University of Waterloo, pursuing a degree in Health Science while playing on the varsity hockey team. My first year of university was very challenging as it was in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. All my labs were online and there was no face-to-face interaction, I felt like I was missing out on the university experience and developing my hands-on skills. As the COVID-19 pandemic concluded and schooling went back to in person I began to enjoy university much more and I felt I was learning lots. It wasn’t until my third year of university where I began researching some other career options within the health care field. I still had a passion for dermatology however I was starting to think medical school may not be for me. I am smart and a very hard worker, however, 8 more years of schooling and the competitive nature of medical school was not as appealing to me as it once was. In this same year my grandma became very sick. She was in and out of the Peterborough hospital for several months and as her condition became worse, she was transported to Saint Micheals hospital in Toronto. I spent a lot of time with my grandma at Saint Micheals, and I remember this was the first time the nursing profession popped into my mind. My grandma ended up passing and this was one of the worst days of my life, however despite the overwhelming sadness, there were some aspects of this time stuck with me. My grandma loved her nurses, and I was shocked to see how much of an impact they had on my grandma’s time in the hospital. As I had more time to process my emotions about my grandma’s passing, I began to investigate the nursing profession more diligently. Witnessing the profound impact my grandma’s nurses had on her inspired me to want to make a similar difference in someone else’s life. The CNO’s Professional Standards emphasize the importance of providing compassionate, patient-centered care, which aligns with the influence my grandma’s nurses had on her well-being (CNO, 2024). For example, my grandma’s nurses built a strong therapeutic relationship with her which is a core element of the CNO’s professional standards (CNO, 2024). By the beginning of my fourth and final year I knew I wanted to apply to an accelerated nursing program after I graduate. Though I was excited about this future career and having a plan for when I graduate, I couldn’t help but feel behind as some people my age were in their final year of nursing school and were soon to be working as a nurse. I allowed myself to feel these emotions, but I made sure not to dwell on them. Whenever I recognized these intrusive thoughts, I reminded myself that I am exactly where I need to be in life, and that life is about the journey, not just the destination.
Fast forward one year from now and I was enrolled in Trent University’s Accelerated Nursing program. As the first semester began, I was excited about the content and eager to dive deeper into the material, ready to expand my knowledge and skills. When I first started my nursing studies, my background was primarily in biological sciences, with limited knowledge about different nursing approaches and practices. As a result, I found myself performing better in my anatomy and life science courses compared to my NURS 1000 and 1001 classes. While this is still the case, I am continuing to improve my understanding of different nursing concepts and approaches. One of the key takeaways I’ve learned so far this semester is how holistic nursing truly is as a profession. Nursing involves not only addressing physical symptoms but also supporting one’s mental health, promoting overall wellness and acknowledging cultural and spiritual beliefs (Papathanasiou et al., 2013). I really love that nursing is a profession that encompasses all aspects of one’s health and does not solely focus on preventing disease. As the semester is slowly wrapping up, I look forward to having my first semester of nursing school under my belt. I am eager to enhance my knowledge in the field and develop my hands on skills in our first clinical placement coming up in the winter 2025 term!
References
Standards of care. (2024). College of Nurses of Ontario.
https://cno.org/standards-learning/standards-guidelines/standards-guidelines
Papathanasiou, I., Sklavou, M., & Kourkouta, L. (2013, February 20). Holistic nursing care: Theories and Perspectives. Science Publishing Group. https://sciencepublishinggroup.com/article/10.11648/j.ajns.20130201.11