Artifact #1
My first artifact is my letter of admission to Trent University’s Compressed Bachelor of Nursing. I can still vividly remember the day that I received the email; I was in utter shock. I immediately started calling friends and family to pass on the good news. While I had contemplated going into nursing for quite a few years, receiving this email was both exciting and frightening. All of a sudden, going to nursing school was no longer a dream but a reality. If I could go back in time, I’d tell myself not to worry so much and to really appreciate the moment. I can now say that I made the right choice in pursuing this career and I look forward to my future at Trent. I am excited for everything that I will learn along the way, and to be able to apply these skills and knowledge in real-world settings.
Artifact #2
My second artifact not an object but rather a person. My aunt has been a Registered Nurse for almost 25 years and I have always admired the dedication she shows towards her job. She is one of the most hardworking people I know, and goes above and beyond for all her patients. I believe that she embodies all the important qualities of nursing. She is compassionate, organized, honest and empathetic. She shows kindness to everyone and always advocates for her patients. When I graduate, I can only hope to be at least half the nurse that she is. I hope to be compassionate with my care and be there to support and guide my patients through their experiences. I hope to be communicative and respectful to my coworkers. Finally, I hope to inspire those around me to pursue a career in health care, as my aunt did for me. She was extremely encouraging when I shared with my family that I would be attending nursing school, and I can’t wait to make her proud.
Artifact #3
My third artifact is my N95 Mask Fitting Certificate from when I worked at a long-term care home. I thoroughly enjoyed my time working in a health care setting, and this was ultimately what ignited my passion for nursing. Working with the residents of a long-term care facility provided me with the opportunity to experience the joy and fulfillment that only a health care professional would understand. I was able to form meaningful, therapeutic connections with the residents and had the privilege of hearing many of their stories. Because I was working with a high-risk population during peak COVID-19, I learned the value of compassion and empathy in health care, and hope to translate this to my future practice. I made it a priority to sit down with residents and ask them about their day, as well as remember their drink and snack preferences. While these may seem like such small things, they went a long way in creating a welcoming living environment. As patient-nurse ratios increase, it is becoming increasingly difficult to spend quality time with patients. With this in mind, I will try to the best of my ability to get to know each and every patient I have the pleasure of caring for. I will strive to be open, amicable, outgoing and pay attention to the small details.
Artifact #4
My final artifact is my nursing uniform. It is important to my nursing journey as it represents the future positive impact I will have on my community. It represents all the patients I will help, the therapeutic relationships I will foster, and the various workplaces I will contribute to. My uniform represents the personal and professional growth I will experience throughout this program, as I work towards becoming a Registered Nurse. With each year, I will have a new patch on my uniform indicating my progression through the program. This uniform will be with me through every clinical placement, every lab simulation and every hospital orientation. It will remind to act with professionalism, integrity and compassion, all the while prioritizing positive patient outcomes. I am proud to be able to represent Trent/Fleming School of Nursing, and look forward to my clinical placement next semester.
