Graduate / Writing an essay for an Executive MPH Program! [6]

Hello Everyone,

I am new to this site and I am currently writing an essay in order to apply to an Executive MPH program. I already have a graduate degree but I want to enhance my skills an training in public health. My essay is listed below with the essay question! I am not the best writer and I would welcome any advice you all may have! Thank you!

Essay Question/Instructions: Describe what you perceive to be pressing public health issues, why a career in the field is appealing, and how a public health career will utilize your strengths (1-2 pages)

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) (2006),

"Drug abuse impairs judgment and good decision making, leaving people more prone to engage in HIV risk behaviors, including risky sexual behavior and non-adherence to HIV treatment. In addition, drug abuse adversely affects health and may exacerbate disease progression. Moreover, and most important, because of these linkages, we must recognize that drug abuse treatment is HIV prevention".

The statement made by NIDA is a current public health issue for individuals who are engaged in substance use and risky sexual behavior(s) which may lead to HIV transmission or infectious diseases. I am interested in the field of public health because I want to continue to develop my skills and become more dynamic in my role as a leader in public health education, evaluation, and research to better serve "at-risk" populations. I want to develop stronger linkages to substance abuse and HIV clinics, eliminate barriers and stigmas relating to HIV/AIDs care, conduct research to better serve minority populations experiencing HIV epidemics, and provide effective health education initiatives to better serve communities. In addition, I want to develop policies that require community based organizations to use strength based and supportive counseling approaches that will "motivate" individuals to change their "risky" behaviors and remain committed to treatment.

Nevertheless, substance abuse continues to have an impact on individuals making efficient decisions in regards to his or her health and safety. Currently, individuals who abuse substances engage in risky sexual behaviors, which may lead him or her to contract HIV, Hepatitis B &C, STD's or additional infectious diseases. Importantly, these behaviors are more prevalent in one cultural group than another. Particularly, the rate of HIV transmission has been prevalent among the African American, Men who have sex with men (MSM), and youth groups. Even though there are preventive measures to reduce HIV transmission through awareness, testing, and health education; there are still some communities that engage in risky behaviors.

In order to address this public health concern, I am currently involved in a national research study funded through the National Institute of Health NIH titled Project H.O.P.E. (Hospital Visit as Opportunity for Prevention and Engagement). The primary outcome of the national study is achieving HIV viral load suppression among HIV+ individuals who are also engaged in substance abuse. In order to achieve this goal, I work as a "Patient Navigator" who assists participants by coordinating them to health care providers. In addition, my role is two-fold, I provide participants with health education on HIV treatment and I provide strength based support in order to motivate participants who are ambivalent about his or her current substance abuse and precarious sexual behavior(s). I believe that in my role as a Patient Navigator, I will be able to make positive contribution of reducing HIV transmission and substance abuse here in Philadelphia.

My role as a Patient Navigator is one of the reasons why I enjoy the field of public health. The field of public health is dynamic in its efforts of effecting change in all populations. Public health is appealing to me for its "preventive" nature such as its efforts on health education and awareness. Specifically, I like the field of public health because without the continuous efforts from epidemiological research, biostatistics, social policy, and health education and promotion the HIV/AID's epidemic would have taken many more lives from our communities. The field of public health encompasses many qualities that I have embraced and utilized in my professional career. I believe that the education and training I receive from public health would only strengthen my analytical and clinical skills in order to address and resolve issues surrounding HIV transmission though risky sexual behaviors and substance use.

In conclusion, I want to become a public health leader in policy, evaluation of programs, and research in order to better serve "at-risk" populations. I want to develop stronger linkages to care in order to better serve minority populations experiencing HIV epidemics and substance abuse. I believe that the field of public health and its education will provide me with the knowledge, leadership, and resources in addressing these issues and effect change to improve communities in Philadelphia and globally.

Undergraduate / "holistic" care ; Essay for Accelerated BSN Program for Spring 2014 [2]

Hello Everyone,

I am in need of your assistance in writing an essay about why I want to become a nurse and how this program will help me to achieve this goal. I have included the directions and my essay thus far. I am a little "stuck" and I feel the essay is a bit choppy! I welcome any advise you all may have. Thank you!

Directions:
Explain your reasons for wanting to enter the University of Pennsylvania's School of Nursing. Evaluate your college education and experience to date and tell us why your educational goals may be best served at Penn. In your statement, please explain why you have chosen nursing as a career, your career goals and why (if applicable) you have chosen your particular master's specialty. Please limit your answer to a maximum of 1000 words

Essay:
I am applying to the University of Pennsylvania's School of Nursing Accelerated BSN Program because I want to want to continue helping people in his or her process to heal holistically. I have been fascinated by the emotional and mental healing process of people whenever an individual has experienced trauma, stress, and/or life experiences and how that individual has overcome his or her obstacles. However, even though I have been fascinated by the process of mental and emotional healing by providing counseling to others, I have become even more fascinated the physiological process of healing as well. I want to become a Registered Nurse because I want to combine my passion for the process of healing others not only mentally and emotionally, but also physiologically. I want to be a nurse who is able to provide holistic care to patients and their families.

In my professional career, I have always been in a position to help people by listening to their presenting issues and assist them to find a solution. When I graduated from college, I worked as Clinical Research Assistant for the Center of Injury Research and Prevention at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. As a Research Assistant I provided clinical assessments to patients that have experienced trauma. In that role, I really enjoyed working with children and families. Moreover, I really enjoyed working alongside a nurse who assisted me with the clinical assessments. I was amazed on how much knowledge she had about patient care and navigating the hospital system to obtain appropriate criteria to determine the child's eligibility for the study. I was also amazed how she had such insight on the patient from a holistic perspective. During the clinical assessments she asked questions about the patients fears, physical symptoms, expectations from the traumatic experience, and addressed the overall "holistic" care of the patient. From that experience, I gained an appreciation of how nurses were dynamic in patient care.

My interest in "holistic" care continued when I worked as a psychotherapist at a local community mental health center. I provided clinical services to individuals diagnosed with severe mental illness and physical health symptoms that included diabetes, hypertension, Traumatic brain injury, etc. I enjoyed my work at the center because I enjoyed hearing people's stories and provide a listening ear while sharing in their "healing" process. I have had a strong interest in helping others and I have enjoyed being able to provide the best care to people in need.

Even though my position in counseling has been rewarding, I want to continue my education and pursue nursing. In my role as a psychotherapist I have seen many clients who experienced physical ailments and side effects from their medications. I remember one client in particular who reported that his glucose levels were higher than normal. He reported to me in our individual sessions that even though his has felt less depressed, he still had high sugar levels whenever he checked blood glucose levels. At the time, I was not familiar of the side effects of psychotropic medications had on the human body. So, I investigated the medication and discovered that the medication "Geodon" an anti-psychotic medication had side effects that included increasing ones sugar levels. I remembered in our next session I shared what I have discovered with the client and encouraged him to speak with his psychiatrist who later changed his medication due to the risk of the medication increasing his blood glucose levels. The psychiatrist approached me and thanked me for catching this medication because the dosage of the medication could have caused severe harm to the client. From that experience, I felt more empowered to pursue a career in a medical setting and prepare myself to become a nurse.

Currently, I have the opportunity to continue my role in providing supportive counseling and gain an appreciation for the physical aspect of patient care in a medical setting. I now work as Social Worker at Methodist Hospital. I enjoy working with a team of social workers and nurses who provide integrative care and ensure appropriate discharge planning. As a social worker at Methodist Hospital, I have witnessed how nurses provide education on patient's medications and home care. Particularly, I have worked with a case manager who is an RN who educated a patient to appropriately apply his colostomy bag because the patient has been unable to place his place his own colostomy bag on appropriately at home. The techniques the nurse showed the patient on how to place the colostomy bag on and her patience with him really allowed me to witness the science and art of nursing. In my current role, I am motivated to become a nurse in order provide quality care to patients that the nurse provided to that patient.

As a 30 year old African American male, I have been focused in my education and have been the first in my family to attend college and pursue a graduate degree from an Ivy League Institution. I have graduated from University of Pennsylvania with a Master's degree in Social Work and Temple University with a Bachelor's degree in Psychology. Even though I have earned these accomplishments, I want to continue my education. I wanted to pursue a career that would allow me to continue to help others and would allow me to excel personally and professionally. I want to pursue nursing as a career because I want to combine my interest in psychotherapy and apply my knowledge to the human body. My long term goals are to earn a Doctorate in Nursing Practice (DNP) and a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) and provide clinical interventions in health care. In addition, I want to give back to my community by not only teaching others about my passion in helping others from a holistic perspective, but also teaching youth about health and prevention.