Personal Statement - Query

Blee O'Myacin, BSN, RN · Mar 24, 2008

Hey Guys,
I'm such a pain when it comes to personal statements!! Hate those things!!! In saying that I've sorta put something together!!
I was just after advice really, I am applying for a paeds emergency nurse, but on my ps, I was going to open with something about where my interest began, but, I was going to say about something that happened to me when I was 16, basically had too much alcohol, b/c I was stupid and ended up in A&E obviously I'm not going to say it quite like that, but just wondered if it was necessary or whether it would go against me putting something like that.
What do you think?
Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks

I think the idea is to remain professional. I would leave personal anecdotes out of your statement, especially since it really doesn't portray you in the best light. Talk about an experience in school or just about why you want to do this, leaving out your adolescent "folly".

Good luck - being able to handle adolescents is one of the trickier parts of the job I think. I see patients from infancy through older adulthood, and I find the 15-21 set to be the most challenging.

Blee

KatieBell · Mar 24, 2008

Hey Guys,
I'm such a pain when it comes to personal statements!! Hate those things!!! In saying that I've sorta put something together!!
I was just after advice really, I am applying for a paeds emergency nurse, but on my ps, I was going to open with something about where my interest began, but, I was going to say about something that happened to me when I was 16, basically had too much alcohol, b/c I was stupid and ended up in A&E obviously I'm not going to say it quite like that, but just wondered if it was necessary or whether it would go against me putting something like that.
What do you think?
Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks

I actually would avoid mentioning something like that. You never know with ETOH, if it will trigger an automatic reaction in someone (CHildren of Alcoholics, Spouses of Alcoholics, relative killed by drunk driver, etc) Now of course you are not an alcoholic or a drunk driver, but you can see how it is such a sensitive topic?

It is a good idea though to be personal in a PS, and I think normally, opening with this might be very appealing to the reader, I would worry since you don't know your reader and alcohol can be such a touchy subject...

loziy · Mar 24, 2008

Thanks for your reply!! That's what my thoughts were too!!!

Luckily the paeds dept where I've worked so far are up to the age of 15yrs, altho you do get them coming through a tad older!! But I do know what you mean!!

Thanks again!!

nrsang97, BSN, RN · Mar 24, 2008

You could just say that when hospitalized as a teenager (no need to mention what for) that you were inspired by the nurses who took great care of you.

loziy · Mar 24, 2008

That could work, as I've had lots of operations, not that I would put that either, or innocent stuff, not self induced!! I just wanted to think of it more in terms of the emergency care, that's what I was trying to connect with, I guess I could put about how I cared for teens in the dept, which I did, it felt really good to be able to help them.

loziy · Mar 24, 2008

Ok thanks well pointed out Katie!! I wouldn't cope without these forums!! lol

imanedrn · Mar 24, 2008

Be less specific. Say you had a "bad experience" that taught you a lesson and the nurses who cared for you opened you up to peds nursing...

My interest in women's health comes from me having an EXTENSIVE difficuly GYN history, being thankful for my women's health NP, and being inspired to be one myself. I tell them just that - but not the details of what my extensive history consists.

loziy · Mar 24, 2008

That's very good ranaazha, didn't think about putting it that way, I've forwarded my application forms already now, but if I see another one I will use that, thanks for your help!! Much appreciated!! and thanks to everyone who has replied too for your advice, all very helpful!! xx:bow:

workingforskies · Mar 29, 2008

It's an interview. It's an absurdly subjective question. Tell them what they want to hear. When I see questions like that, I roll my eyes and break out my creative writing pen.

And before all the "tsk tsk'ers" weigh in on my lack of integrity at this stage of the process, remember, they are not showing the person they are interviewing the dirty laundry of the facility either.

mshultz · Mar 29, 2008

It's an interview. It's an absurdly subjective question. Tell them what they want to hear. When I see questions like that, I roll my eyes and break out my creative writing pen.
And before all the "tsk tsk'ers" weigh in on my lack of integrity at this stage of the process, remember, they are not showing the person they are interviewing the dirty laundry of the facility either.

You won't get any "tsk tsk" from me. This would be a good discussion for an ethics class. Personally, the last time I took one of those employment tests, it made me feel "dirty". The tests tell you to answer honestly (which I did), but you are being graded according to your answers. A former boss described the hiring process as "being given more promises than from a used car salesman".

Thankfully, I plan to stay in my present position until retirement, and until that time comes, will not have to participate in this process. I probably will find another job after retirement, but it will be to keep busy, not because I need the money.

As an interesting aside, my basic electronics textbook had a sample employment question in each chapter. The correct answer always seemed to be to tell your boss, rather than to work it out with your fellow employee. In actual practice, this would make for strained relations among employees.