personal statement

[michlynn, BSN, RN]

hi, this is my first time writing a personal statement and this is a very rough draft. all helpful comments are requested, thank you for your help!

growing up i never pictured myself becoming a nurse; my family thought otherwise. i was never the kid who was afraid of blood or became worried when someone was sick. i was always the one with a positive attitude and provided a support system for my family. i have chosen to pursue a career in nursing because it is a natural extension of my aspiration and talent for helping people through particularly stressful circumstances. nursing offers me the unique opportunity to integrate my crisis management experience with a precise set of science-based assessment and intervention skills that will have a significant impact on the health of an individual.

before attending nursing school i had decided that the medical field wasn't for me and went on to receive my bachelor's degree in dance from Slippery Rock University. about halfway through my education i realized a career in the dance world was not for me. i started preparing myself to further my education after graduation by taking all of the necessary requirements to apply to nursing school. after completing anatomy, physiology, chemistry and biology it has only confirmed my genuine interest in the human body and how to help heal it in times of need. i immediately sent in my nursing school application and was accepted a short time after to __university.

during my time at __university i have been able to gain many hours of clinical experience ranging in numerous different specialties. i've had experience on the oncology, medical/surgical, outpatient, cardiac, mental health, critical care and maternity floors. i strive to soon be a trauma/er nurse or in another critical care area because i am drawn to the fast paced work environment. i am also completing forty hours of independent study work in a critical care field to further my understanding. through all of my clinical experience i've tried to absorb as much as i possibly can while aiding the staff so that they may give the best patient care available. i am excited for the opportunity to put everything i've learned and all of the skills i've attained to good use. i believe that nurses are the critical link between a patient's needs and the road to recovery.

in the short seven months that i've had working with other nurses, nothing astounds me more than the amount of knowledge these people have. i'm even more impressed with trauma team nurses and how they conduct themselves. they know precisely what to do and how to appropriately handle some of the extreme cases that come in through those doors. every case is different and they never fail to give them anything but the best care.

i want to know everything they know and do everything they do. that is why i want this job.

i am unwavering in my decision to become a critical care nurse. critical care nursing captivates me because i can vitally help people to heal and regain meaning in their lives. it would be an honor and a privilege to work for your hospital.

[VivaLasViejas, ASN, RN]

Well-written and interesting. The only criticism I have is that it's too long. HR folks are busy, busy people and they will rarely take the time to read more than a couple of paragraphs, so you want to be concise and pack as much information as you can into those paragraphs.

Also, a hiring manager doesn't really want to know what your personal goals are; s/he wants to know what you have to offer THEM as an employee. Try to keep the focus more on how you stand out from the crowd, and how you are willing to be flexible (meaning you should expect to do some time on a Med/Surg or tele floor instead of going straight to ICU/CCU) in achieving mutual goals, e.g. the hospital gets a nurse who will stick around, and you eventually get to work in your preferred area. Best of luck to you. :)