Undergraduate / How life experience has prepared me to be a nurse. [3]

Here is my admission essay. I am not finished with it. This is what I have so far...Please give me feedback on what I should add/dismiss. Thank you!

I have witnessed the best and worst part of the nursing environment and it did not make me cower away from this profession. It merely attracted me to it. I am constantly learning and evolving as a person and growing more interested in the nursing profession every day. Working as a nursing assistant is filled with surprising incidences and sometimes risky duties, but they constantly drew me more and more to this profession. There is never a day that is like the last and I have become close to the residents and become much more aware of their well-being. The overwhelming satisfaction that I feel after the day has ended is something I wanted to feel every day.

The first time I experienced a resident fall while working as a nursing assistant, I felt my heart pounding against my chest. I was really worried about the resident and was immediately by his side and called for the nurse. A fall is an incident that most nursing assistants encounter but it was also an experience that made me become more aware that I wanted to be part of the nursing profession and that I had the ability to do it on my own. I was struck with a feeling of purpose, of fulfillment, knowing that I was needed in someone's life. As the days went by, I was learning more about the residents and with each experience I continued to realize how badly I wanted to become a nurse.

My experience as a nursing assistant has also taught me that communication and listening skills along with comfort and care help with promoting the residents health physically, mentally, and emotionally. I have seen that eating with the residents along with having conversations with them have encouraged the residents to consume more foods and put them in high spirits. I also learned that being able to work independently in numerous tasks is important but also being able to collaborate with others' is significant as well. There are residents that I cannot provide the proper care on my own because they are too heavy or difficult to manage due to their unpredictable behaviors. I have asked a nurse for help during a time where a resident threatened to hurt me if I did not leave their room. The nurse and I worked together to handle the situation and was able to calm the resident down so I could complete my task. I realized that with specific patients, in order to provide them with adequate health care you need teamwork.

My experience in St. Catherine University has prepared me to study in an accelerated academic environment. I have become more passionate about the work I am doing and also have become much more interested in the topics that I am assigned because of the enthusiastic and supportive teachers. In the past, I did not try as hard and was not as motivated as I am now and it is reflected on my grades. Since then, I have grown as a person and have realized how important education is. My grades have improved and I am more dedicated to my work and have teachers that I know are here to help. I am glad that I transferred to St. Catherine University because I do feel the university has helped me reach excellence and learn in a caring environment.