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I am a nursing major and will graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.

 How did you become interested in healthcare?

Growing up watching Discovery Health Channel with my granmother and listening to countless stories of her rewarding career in nursing began my interest in health care.  Later in my childhood, my first job was on a tobacco farm in my hometown.  This experience really opened my eyes to the need for medical iad in underserved populations and really sparked my desire to go into nursing.  I had taken Spanish in school and quickly became friends will of the migrant workers from Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Guatemala.  They helped with my Spanish while I helped them with their English.  Through our conversations, I learned about their struggles in receiving proper health care, how expensive it is, and how they really wanted to be taught about their health as they have no access to it.  It is because of this and my later experience in the Collegiate Health Service Corps that has made me so excited and determined to eventually become a nurse practitioner and to help all those in need of health care, especially among underserved communities.

How many years will it take to complete?

I am a sophomore now, and it will take four years to get my Bachelor of Science in Nursing and to take my test to be a certified Registered Nurse (RN).

The classes I'm taking this semester related to nursing are:  MicroCell Biology:  Heredity in Society, Physiology, Neurobiology and Nursing Clinical Science.

 

What is the most demanding aspect of your educational path?

What advice would you give to certificate students looking to advance their education by going into nursing?

Nursing is an incredibly rewarding and vital field of work to be in.  What I've realized so far is that the most imprtant thing you can do is to be disciplined.  I am not the sharpest tool in the shed, but I spend lots of time in the library working hard and it pays off.  Also, making time during the day to do something you enjoy or being part of a club really makes you work harder when you have time.  There is no possible way to study for 10 hours a day!!  I am on the club cycling team at school, so I usually take a bike ride during the day with some friends to give the books a rest, socialize, and get some exercise.  A healthy balance of work and fun is the best way to enjoy your time at school but still do really well.

How will a background in Nursing help in your career?

A background in nursing will help my career in many ways.  After spending all summer doing outreach work at migrant farms in Eastern Connecticut, I realized how much of an impact health education can have on an underserved population.  There are a lot of people who don't have access to health care or to education in this country and I feel like it is something everyone needs to have.  In becoming a nurse, I will be a much more valuable source of information and resources to underserved populations that haven't had the chance to learn what causes high blood pressure, or how to prevent diabetes.

What do you believe is the most important component of providing service to an underserved community?

The most important part of providing for an underserved community is knowing what the community needs.  Building relationships with people in the community you're trying to reach is as important as providing help.  Gaining trust and respect is the only way people will tell you what they have questions about and what they need help with.  This won't happen overnight, but consistency and a constant presence with the people you want to serve is definitely the best way to make a difference.

 

 

 

 

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