Why I Chose Nursing and Continue to Choose Nursing

NinaEdelman, BSN, RN

People are drawn to the nursing profession for many different reasons. For me, my beginnings in the healthcare field started by chance. An opportunity to work as a Hospitality Representative in the Emergency Room was offered to me as a young woman just finishing High School. Despite the fact that my mother and aunt were both nurses, I had no inkling what was in store for me, let alone the path that it would lead me down. I was captivated by the influence that the nurses working in the ER had on those that they were helping. It awakened a deep desire within me to provide help and care to those in need. That desire grew with each step I made in the healthcare system. As I gained more knowledge and advanced my career, my ability to help my patients was empowered.

My first exposure to the healthcare system was working as a Hospitality Representative in the ER. I observed how scared patients and their family members were when they came into the ER. I wanted to be the person to help calm their fears and help to make them feel better.

One night while working as a Hospitality Representative in the ER, a mother came in carrying her son in her arms. He was clearly having difficulty breathing and the mother looked terrified. I stood by helplessly as the triage nurse rushed towards them. The boy was quickly taken to the back for treatment.

At work a few nights later, the same mother came back into the ER. This time, she was not carrying her son in her arms. Instead, she was carrying a big plate of home baked goods. She had tears in her eyes as she thanked the nursing staff for their outstanding care. Her son was at home recuperating and she could not have been more grateful to the nurses for all that they had done. It was in that moment I knew I wanted to become a nurse. I thought how wonderful it would be to have a job where you get to come home every night and know that you madea difference in someone else's life.

After that, I transferred to the Unit Secretary position in the ER. I wanted to be closer to the patient care area and gain more experience. As I worked more closely with the nursing staff, I found myself craving hands on patient care. I took the necessary steps and became a Patient Care Assistant. As a PCA, I spent time caring for and helping my patients and their families. That was an extremely rewarding experience for me because it was my first involvement with hands on patient care.

While working as a PCA, I attended nursing school at FAU. Coming up through the ranks has given me a strong and diverse nursing background that is grounded in caring. I would like to continue to grow my nursing knowledge base so that I can provide my patients with the highest level of care possible in the nursing profession.

In all the positions that I held in the healthcare system, one thing has always been very apparent to me. Many people do not have access to affordable healthcare. It is my goal to work as a Nurse Practitioner in a clinic or setting designed to provide quality healthcare to those who could not otherwise afford it. I believe that everyone should have access to quality healthcare regardless of their economic status. There are too many people in this country who are denied access to resources vital to their health and well-being.

Unfortunately, this became a personal issue for me when a very close family friend of mine discovered he was dying of colon cancer. He was laid off from his job and as a result lost his health insurance. He could not afford to visit his doctor to have regular checkups or the necessary preventive screenings for his age. As a result, his cancer was finally detected after an emergency transport to the hospital once it had already metastasized throughout his body. Through more affordable healthcare, situations like my friend Steven's could have a chance for a better outcome. I believe that Nurse Practitioners can be part of the solution because they are a valuable asset in making the healthcare system more affordable.

Why I Chose Nursing and Continue to Choose Nursing

About NinaEdelman, BSN, RN

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