Year in school/nursing plan: Junior/Plan 2
What on-campus organizations are you involved in?
In my freshman and sophomore years on campus, I was heavily involved in College Mentors for Kids. I was a manager and mentor my freshman year and vice president of programming my sophomore year. In the program, I worked with students in the Bloomington School District. Myself and other mentors taught the students about the college experience and their potential to go to a four-year university. It was an extremely gratifying experience as my future desired career is in pediatrics.
Explain any jobs/internships/shadow opportunities you have had.
At ISU, I work at the Center for Civic Engagement as a Deliberative Dialogue facilitator and a student administrative assistant. As a student assistant, I work helping students find volunteer opportunities and help them get politically engaged. As a facilitator, I help lead classes or groups through discussions of controversial topics in today’s society. It is extremely interesting to hear different points of view from students all around campus. Next summer, I plan on being a CNA in a hospital in my hometown of Naperville. I’m excited to use the knowledge I learn in my class and clinical experiences at ISU.
What inspired you to pursue a career in nursing?
I’ve wanted to be a nurse since I was in middle school. I’ve always had a passion for helping people and life sciences like biology. Nursing was the perfect combination of the two that let me express my love for science and caring for people.
What specific clinical experience, class, or faculty has had the most significant impact on your learning and growth as a future nurse?
I would say that my health assessment class impacted me the most as a nursing student. I truly felt like I was a nurse in the laboratory and had amazing experiences learning the things I had always wanted to learn as I watched nurses treat me over the years.
What advice would you give to your freshman self starting the nursing program?
I would tell my freshman self to breathe. Nursing school can be intimidating and stressful but I would tell myself to take it day by day. The time flies by and the memories and friends I’ve made along the way push me through when I have hard days.
What are your plans and aspirations for your nursing career after graduation?
After graduation, I plan on working in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). I aspire to eventually get my Doctorate in Nurse Practitioner in immediate care pediatrics to further my career.
How has your experience at MCN prepared you for a career in nursing?
Through the coursework, simulation lab, and clinical experiences, I am more than prepared to be a nurse in the workforce. I feel like MCN gives us experiences that are priceless for us to learn. Hands-on learning is the best way in nursing, and MCN gives us many opportunities to do so.
Lastly, what does being a nurse mean to you personally?
Being a nurse to me means caring for your patients and treating them like you would your family member. We are trusted with our patients, sometimes at their lowest points, and we cannot take that for granted. We have an incredible responsibility to care for them and I feel that it’s an honor every time I get to care for a patient.
