We are facing a very serious nursing shortage in coming years so what are we,the nurses now, going to do about it? I know what I am going to do. Let me tell you why I became a nurse and why I need your help The population is growing. We need to grow with i
NursesAnnouncementsArchiveArticle
I wanted to be a nurse because I was inspired. When I was 15 and very naive, I got pregnant. I was scared but my boyfriend at the time was very nice, as were his parents. Everything was going ok. I had plans to finish high school and go to college with their help. Then, I had my first ultrasound.
The tech put the wand on my then 22 week tummy and said, "Lets see what we have, shall we?" After about 20 seconds, she turned the screen away from me and said, "I'm just going to call the doctor, ok?" She seemed very shaken. I waited nervously for the doctor to come back.
They explained to me that my baby girl had Osteognesis Imperfecta Type 2. They told me that my baby had 22 fractures at that time, her femurs were growing severely bowed, and that she would die within moments of birth due to lack of collagen in her body. They told me I need to have an abortion or my child would die screaming in pain.
I left the office numb. Sure, at 15 a child would complicate my life but I loved her. I had wanted her. I was supposed to think about my options and come back 4 days later. I talked to my boyfriend's family and him that night. As first generation Irish Catholic immigrants, they couldn't condone an abortion and I couldn't either. We decided to name the baby Aisling (Gaelic for "Beautiful Dream") and go through with the birth. We grieved.
The doctor was wrong. My Aisling lived for 5 hours and 22 minutes. She was born with several fractures and received another just putting a diaper on. She cried. I couldn't pick her up and comfort her. I saw the nurses in that NICU cry for me and my little broken girl. As she breathed her last breath, one of those nurses placed her in my arms. She told me I could say good bye now. She held me as I cried.
I want to be that nurse. I want to comfort and be the angel that other people need during the best and worst moments of their lives. Isn't that why we all want to be nurses? The difference between these wonderful people and a nursing instructor is that teachers make expoentially more of those life touches. For every one student, they touch hundreds of lives. Call me selfish but I want this for me. I want to touch thousands. Can you imagine? Isn't it our duty?
This is how I fight the nursing shortage. I'm going to make more nurses. We need more teachers. I hope my story inspires you to help me!
