As a Christian, I believe that every area of my life should reflect the glory of God, including my workplace. I have always had the dream of having an impacting, challenging career that daily utilizes the strengths that God has developed in me. Nursing, I believe, possesses all of this and more.
There are several factors that have drawn me into the nursing program. The first indication that God was calling me to the medical field was my senior year in high school when I took Anatomy. I awestruck by the incredibly complex way God has formed our bodies. Our bodies are the perfect balance of fragility and resilience, and maintaining that balance is something only God could have done. The more I learn about the human body, the more I am drawn into it. When I started to realize my attraction to the medical field, I looked at job shadowing and interviewing people in this field. I will never forget standing beside a doctor in the surgery room as he operates on a patient. Though every person in the room knew the seriousness of the situation and was focused on their tasks, it was obvious from the conversation that they thoroughly enjoyed what they did. Aside from my love for science, I made the decision long ago that I would choose a career that would contribute to my life, not take away from it. Talking with people in the medical field made me realize that being a nurse would put me in an incredible role of daily impacting my world for the better. Granted, the nursing profession is challenging and at times draining, but it is one that is undeniably rewarding. Patients will shape my life as I shape theirs. Also, it is a profession that has multiple facets. A nurse doesn’t just have one job. As a nurse, one is responsible for so many different aspects that all fall into the realm of contributing to the well-being of the patient.
Nurses have the pleasure to fulfill many different roles that extend much further than their obvious medical duties. I have gained experience with many of these roles in a general way by working in a restaurant for the last four years. As a server, you very quickly learn teamwork, multitasking, flexibility, and efficiently working under pressure. Aside from these tasks, nurses have the challenging and rewarding role of caring for the patient emotionally. Because doctors are so busy, nurses need to have the ability to fill in any gaps necessary when it comes to clarifying, explaining, and encouraging the patient.
God has allowed several personal challenges in my life that have only served to make me more determined in my plan to acquire a degree in nursing from Simpson University. My senior year of high school, I was looking forward to my last year of basketball. Since fifth grade, my coaches and teammates were like my second family. For seven years, I had been out on that basketball court, pushing myself to the limit physically and living for the euphoria of being on a team with a common purpose. However, God had a different plan for me. My junior year of high school, a doctor diagnosed me with plantar fasciitis, a painful inflammation of the fascia running on the bottom of both of my feet. When basketball started my senior year, I soon realized that continuing to play with this condition was not going to work. God led me to the painful decision that for my future, I needed to cut way back during practices and games. I was the one of the team co-captains, and I needed to make a choice. Spending the bulk of the season on the bench, I became the biggest cheerleader and encourager I could be. I served my team in every way I could. My feet are healed now, and though it was a rough learning curve, I spent that basketball season learning huge life lessons about flexibility, patience, and serving others.
Another challenge I am currently overcoming is my financial status. Since I started attending Simpson over two years ago, my financial stability has been threatened many times. I am a conscientious saver, and I love to be a planner in life. I like to know where I’m headed. Last year and this year, my financial aid package made it look like I wouldn’t be able to go to Simpson. My heart led me to Simpson, and I hated the possibility of transferring to another university. Each time, God has faithfully opened a door, asking me to trust Him with this area of my life. This financial area is something I will always be tempted to worry about, but I know without a doubt that God wants me at Simpson University. Each semester it works out, an indication that I am meant to be here.
Like in every major decision of my life, my faith has played a vital role in my choice of nursing. Aside from my fascination with science, God has instilled in me a growing compassion for people in need, physically and emotionally. There is nothing like having the opportunity to show God’s love through putting a smile on a concerned face and watching the worry wrinkles soften. In this career, I would have that opportunity daily. I believe that my faith would greatly influence those around me. Being a Christian fills me with a peace that can be sensed by others, a discernment to anticipate needs, and a heart that loves to serve and encourage.
I am truly convinced that God has led me to this point in my life. He has given me the dream of acquiring a nursing degree from Simpson University, and I have no doubt that through this career I will be able to greatly impact the world physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
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