Graduate / How I will balance the rigors of graduate school with work and my home life? [2]

Prompt: I am supposed to write about how I will balance the rigors of graduate school with work and home life.There is no specific directions, just use 300-500 words.

Essay:
Going back to school when you work full time, have young children, and a husband is no easy task. I have been through it before. In 2012, I began working on my baccalaureate degree online. My children were eight, six, and two. Fortunately, I have a supportive husband who has never stopped encouraging me to achieve my goals, no matter what they might be. I found that by going to school in an online program, I was able to balance my personal, work, and school life fairly well.

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Graduate / Education towards my nursing / midwife career - personal statement [2]

Essay 1: Please write a well-crafted statement about your desire to become a nurse-midwife or a nurse practitioner. Include information about yourself and your professional goals as a nurse-midwife or nurse practitioner. Please type separately and limit yourself to 300-500 words.

Essay 1:
My motivation to become a nurse began when I was just a child, although as a child, I did not know exactly what being a nurse meant. What I did know was that I was eager to figure out what was ailing someone and then help him or her through it. I recall being fascinated by my grandfather's Parkinson's disease and wanting to ease his suffering as he grew air hungry from his emphysema. While I watched him decline through the course of these diseases, I yearned to understand how the body worked. This thirst for knowledge coupled with an innate draw to provide comfort to others is why I decided to enter nursing school.

When I began my career, I started out as a licensed practical nurse (LPN). In this program, I was fortunate enough to have teachers who taught not only the basic nursing skills needed to become an LPN, but also placed emphasis on the importance of having comprehensive assessment skills and critical thinking abilities. By further developing these skills, I have discovered an enjoyment in thinking about possible differentials and developing treatment recommendations. Based on this I feel that I have the foundation to become a primary care provider. Based on my strong assessment skills, and ability to provide a differential, I believe I would have the skills and education to provide excellent patient care.

I am grateful for my nursing career because it has allowed me to practice with a basis of empathy. Rather than treating just the illness, I believe it is essential to treat the whole person.

In addition, I have learned the importance of providing education to my patients and their families. Becoming a nurse practitioner will broaden my scope of practice by allowing me more autonomy in decision-making. This includes the ability to educate my patients and their families, advocate for their goals of care, and have prescriptive authority to see their goals through fruition, while keeping with the essence of nursing.

In closing, advancing my education will provide me the opportunity to challenge myself intellectually and continue to make a difference professionally. Additionally, I will gain the competencies to further impact my community by providing a holistic approach to healthcare that focuses on health promotion, disease prevention, and quality of life.