Help with Post Masters Personal Statement

[nescobedo.RN]

Hello everyone,

I am looking for reviews/critiques of my personal statement for Duke University's Post Master Geriatric Nurse Practitioner Program-Oncology Concentration. Any feedback you can provide me will be greatly appreciated.

Submit a 1-2 page, statement indicating your objectives in undertaking graduate study, your special interests, plans, and your strengths and weaknesses in your chosen field. You are encouraged to describe significant life experiences that have contributed to your development, such as, honors, activities, and accomplishments that make you a unique applicant.

My journey into the nursing profession has given me great satisfaction and fulfillment to know that I play such an integral part in the lives of my patients. My desire for knowledge and self-improvement is constantly attested by working alongside physicians and nurse practitioners in several settings; consequently this has created a yearning to expand my nursing knowledge and role as an adult-gerontology nurse practitioner (AGNP) with an oncology concentration.

In my years as a registered nurse I have treated patients at different points along the disease spectrum; shocked at diagnosis, frustrated during the complications, devastated at relapse, and hopeful for survivorship. With these experiences I have gained an understanding of the natural evolution of these disease processes and the toll it takes on the patient both physically and emotionally. As such I have worked diligently to validate my knowledge in cancer nursing and have achieved the designation as an Oncology Certified Nurse (OCN). I constantly strive to provide compassionate care and am extremely interested in end of life issues. Advanced nursing practice will provide me with further professional knowledge and experience to diagnose, prescribe, and manage the overall care of a patient while improving the quality of life of patients and their families. This unique relationship with the patient and family together, combined with the knowledge of the AGNP is what has driven me to select this advanced specialty.

Through my experience in acute care and ambulatory settings, I have seen that most physicians do not have the time or resources to fully educate patients about disease process and treatment options. I strive to maintain a deep concern for patient well-being and feel it is paramount to treat each patient with respect and empower them by listening to and responding to their questions, educating them to make informed decisions and making them feel at ease. One of the best feelings I have had in my clinical practice has been when a patient or family member expresses their gratitude to me for taking the time to listen to their questions and truly explain a process or treatment plan. This is the most rewarding aspects of nursing in any specialty, but I believe will be especially so in oncology practice due to the special personal and emotional circumstances surrounding a diagnosis of cancer.

As someone who has always been goal oriented, I am looking forward to advancing my nursing career. My education and experience have prepared me to deal with many obstacles and have instilled my values of determination, resilience, strength and caring. Cancer treatment has been marked by cycles of soaring expectations followed by equally deflating disappointments. As healthcare providers we may lose, but we do not quit. We do not quit and continue trying again, seeing one more patient, answering the phone at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, testing a new drug and hiring a superstar nurse. Being lucky is about taking action and giving yourself the chance to succeed. I am palpably excited about the role I will play in the lives of my patients.

As I anticipate my future as an oncology AGNP, I believe these values will enable me to succeed and continue to be a valuable asset to the nursing profession. Through my experiences I have empathized with patients and admired their courage in the face of uncertain prognosis. I have been challenged to attempt the extraordinary, the undoable. I know that if accepted into your program that I can be expected to leave my impact on oncology nursing practice and be extraordinary.

[bdavis59]

Greetings,

I am a current nursing student and I am applying for a Geriatric Nurse Practitioner program at Emory University. Your personal statement was amazing and I wanted to know if you would offer me some assistance with mine?