3 Artifacts
(Thompson, 2024)
My first artifact is a picture that represents my previous season of tackle football in which I was one of the captains for my team. I believe this experience and achievement to be one of my artifacts relevant to my journey into nursing practice as it demonstrates my skill set in a leadership position, as well as this experience was a pivotal event in what encouraged me to choose nursing as a profession to work towards. During this experience I worked harder than ever before because I was working to better myself as an individual and a player in addition to caring for, encouraging, collaborating with, and taking responsibility for my team members. Although it was tough, this experience made me realize that I enjoyed having the responsibility of being a leader and collaborating with others to achieve the desired outcome, which both characteristics are visible in the nursing profession.
My second artifact is a photo representing the 3 years I worked as a waitress in a retirement home. During this period, I not only did what my job entailed on a resume, but I also learned how to make meaningful professional relationships with the residents I served and how to deal with situations in an efficient yet still compassionate and respectful manner. This is crucial to the practice of nursing as a patient’s care is significantly influenced by the nurse-patient relationship established during their initial assessment, primarily because a sense of trust from the patient provided by this relationship is necessary to effectively care for the patient potentially in one of their most vulnerable states. In addition, this position was the starting point of my curiosity and desire to learn more about the practice of nursing and potentially consider it as a long-term profession, as I enjoyed attending to the residents and I frequently encountered Personal Support Workers (PSWs) at the home performing their practice.
Another artifact of mine is one of my pieces of artwork. This artifact holds meaning as it is a main coping mechanism of mine and demonstrates creativity, one of my core values. As one of my coping strategies, it is a beneficial component to my entrance into nursing education and eventually nursing practice as it allows me to take care of myself both as an individual inside and outside the nursing context, preventing burnout and detrimental health care mistakes occurring in the workforce.
An additional artifact is my engraved stethoscope my father gifted me for my highschool graduation. The stethoscope signifies my hope and goal to bring a unique perspective to the nursing community and the health care system as a whole. I have learned many things both from education and my unique experiences, hoping to aid in planning and implementing adaptations to continually improve the nursing profession and the Canadian healthcare system.
(Thompson, 2024)
Lastly, my 5th artifact is my tackle football helmet. This artifact symbolizes my trait of facing challenges head-on, as the tackle football team I played with for two seasons is one of the few all-girls amateur football teams in Ontario. This shows that I am willing and determined to fight against the gender inequality that was experienced specifically in this male-dominated sport. For my entrance into nursing, I aspire to bring the same determination and will to the challenges I encounter in the profession.