'A visit to the park with my daughter' - Diversity John Hopkins Nursing

1. Diversity is one of the core values of the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing. Members of the School of Nursing community agree to "embrace our differences in experience, culture and other aspects as a way to enhance all our activities"1. One of the values in professional nursing practice is the "respect for the inherent worth, dignity, and human rights of all individuals"2. Your patients may not share the same ethnicity, culture or set of values as you. Describe a personal scenario you experienced that challenged your core values and explain how you responded.

Throughout our lives we come across different experiences that challenge us. These challenging situations are tools that stay with us and thus give us expertise and knowledge throughout our lives.

A situation that challenged my core value was the day a gay individual saved my daughter. On this unforgettable day, my life was changed within matter of minutes from an individual whom I have been trained to avoid due to choice of sexual orientation. Association with such people means death and this was a teaching I took very religiously and seriously.

On one sunny summer, my daughter and I decided to pay a visit to the park. As I walked ahead, my daughter roller skated behind. Within a split second, my daughter fast skated past me and was heading towards a lake. This was a disaster as both of us were no swimmer. She was screaming for help as she headed down the hill. I was also yelling for help as I run after her. There was nobody in close proximity other than the gay individual who had said hello to us when he was on his way down the hill and whom I had ignored completely and looked at scornfully. This individual put his life on the line by using his body as a shield in other to save my daughter from entering the lake. I was so relieved to see that my daughter was fine but the gentleman was badly scuffed and bruised. It was an awkward situation as l was lost for words and did not know how to address this person. After a few moments, I burst out crying. I apologized for my earlier behavior as I was ashamed of it. I was left for the rest of the day pondering over what had happened on this faithful day. I turned over a new leaf as I reject the teachings of the old.