MSU nurse admission essay

SoldierNurse22, BSN, RN · Jul 17, 2014

Your understanding of the role of a nurse in today's health care environment and how you envision yourself embodying these roles...

Depending on the type of nursing one pursues, their responsibilities on the day-to-day basis will vary, but I believe all nurses must be patient-centered, personable, reliable and good problem-solvers. By working in an assisted living home for almost two years, I have learned that a nurse's ability to be personable while being focused on both the patient and the situation at hand is vital. Throughout both high school and my first two years of college, I have been taught to manage my time as I maintained a satisfactory GPA and juggled a variety of volunteering positions and part time jobs. As I learned to be a focused, determined and reliable worker, teammate and student, I feel confident that I possess the qualities that allow me to become a competent, effective nurse. I know that the prerequisite work as well as the course work at College of Nursing at Michigan State will teach me the nursing side of being a nurse, but it is my volunteer work, experience working in healthcare environments and my passion for taking care of people that has taught me the personal side of holistic care. Nurses should be organized, patient, precise, and assertive in order to fulfill the needs of their patients. I believe that the variety in the nursing field creates a limitless potential for people like myself, who are dedicated to becoming a patient advocate, educator and community servant.

Your interest in this particular nursing program at Michigan State University...

Ever since my freshman year in high school, I have been drawn to the Michigan State campus. Since I grew up right outside of East Lansing, it was no question that I wanted to be a Spartan. I already had a passion for science classes--specifically anatomy and physiology--but once my junior year of high school started, I had realized an intense interest nursing when I volunteered alongside a nurse anesthetist. I was elated to discover that Michigan State University is the home of so many leaders in the nursing profession. The opportunity to become one of these critical thinking, elite nurses--the "Spartan Nurse"--is what I will use as motivation to excel in the tough prerequisite courses and the rigorous nursing program. The passionate faculty and environment that surrounds the College of Nursing caught my attention at orientation; however, the opportunity to be involved in research and a variety of clinical locations has furthered my interest in this particular program. My ultimate goal is to become a nurse anesthetist and I hope to continue my education at Michigan State in order to achieve that goal. However, I can also envision myself becoming a travel nurse. The diverse workplace opportunities that nursing offers has me excited to begin my career in this field and I am excited to take this first step in becoming a Spartan Nurse.

Your characteristics, experiences, abilities, and plan that will enhance your ability to succeed in this program...

Throughout the last four years, I have been able to gain experience by volunteering and job shadowing in the Detroit Medical Center, Sparrow Hospital, and New Life Assisted Living Home. My exploration of the nursing field started with volunteering at the Detroit Medical Center with a nurse anesthetist who showed me how a nurse anesthetist must be confident in their decisions, organized, motivated, focused on the patient, and a critical thinker. During this experience, I witnessed several surgeries that made me realize that a career in the OR was appealing to me. These nurses were well-educated and focused as well as energetic and informative to the patient and their loved ones.

Additionally, I had the opportunity to volunteer at Sparrow alongside a nurse miwdife who showed me that it was important to be one of those nurses who loves their job rather than being a nurse who simply did the job. I discovered my passion for people within the last two years when I worked for New Life Assisted Living as a caregiver. This job has taught me patience and how to make the best out of every situation with a calm, comforting and professional attitude. I not only maintain rapport with my patients, but a friendship with these residents as I have cared for them as if they were my own grandparents. I hope to carry these qualities into my future career.

Any other comments that show you are a good candidate for the program...

I am confident that my ability to focus on the task at hand and my communication skills will be an asset to the nursing skills that I hope to develop at MSU's College of Nursing. I have taken opportunities to gain experience in many types of healthcare settings which have exposed me to a wide variety of people and developed my communication skills. I am determined to improve the care patients receive and to be a part of the healing process for those who need it most. My love for the human health sciences and my passion for people can benefit me during my career as a nurse as I enter this diverse and exciting field.

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A few tips:

1. You are not a nurse yet. Don't reference having experience in the nursing field. You have experience working and volunteering in healthcare, but not in nursing.

2. Try to keep on-subject. Some of your essay wandered into unnecessary details (being accustomed to travel when the question addressed your interest in MSU), which I edited.

3. Keep your thoughts concise. Reduce the number of verbs per sentence and say what you mean. Certain sentences got so long and convoluted that I lost track of what you were trying to communicate.

4. Please proof-read my edits. It's night shift and I'm only half here.

Best of luck to you as you apply!

caitlin.catt.11 · Jul 17, 2014

This was extremely helpful!! Thank you so much! (:

SoldierNurse22, BSN, RN · Jul 17, 2014

Happy to help!