Nursing

REFLECTIVE ESSAY

Students applying for admission to the generic track of the Professional Nursing program at Jersey College must complete a reflective essay. The reflective essay involves interviewing a Registered Nurse and presenting the interview in an essay form. If you do not know a Registered Nurse your admission representative will assist you with identifying an interviewee.

Students should use the questions below for the interview in developing the essay. Students may ask questions in addition to the ones below but should keep the interview limited to no more than one hour. The essay must include responses to the following questions:

1. Why did you choose nursing as a profession?

2. What was nursing school like for him or her? Ask them:

 How they managed and balanced work, family and life and the difficulties

 The level of commitment to school required to be successful (hrs. required for studying, social life, workload, etc.)

 What their clinical and lab experiences were like

 How they prepared for examinations and the NCLEX

3. Describe their top three patient memories and why they are memorable

4. What does the phrase “NurseLife” mean to this nurse?

5. What is the hardest thing about being a nurse?

6. Reflect and discuss what your thoughts are about the interview. Did the interview change your perspective on nursing, on nursing school or life?

In asking the questions above, be sure to ask your nurse to be specific and provide examples and stories. Please do not use any identifying information (i.e., names, relatives, etc.) about any patients discussed during the interview in your essay. For each question limit your answers to no more than 2000 characters (per question). The essay must be TYPED and should be singled spaced.

Reflective Essay

Name of the student

Affiliation

Course

Instructor’s name

Submission date

Reflective Essay

My view and perspective of nursing were changed and expanded in an hour after interviewing and listening to an RN. Below are answers given in the interview.

1. Why did you choose nursing as a profession?

I wished to find a challenging, exciting career and, most importantly, meant changing and making people’s lives better. The satisfaction I get in helping people every day inspires me to get back to my work.

2. What was nursing school like for him or her? Ask them:

Nursing school is not always black and white; it requires adequate dedication and passion for learning and the work ahead.

1. How they managed and balanced work, family and life and the difficulties

In nursing school, one should expect a lot of studying, like a lot of it. Fixing study time around classes and balancing a study-work schedule is difficult. Studying requires excessive concentration and minimized distractions. One must retain a lot of information; hence, finding a balance requires high-level organization and planning skills. During my time, I always planned and organized my week every Sunday to ensure I know when and where I am needed, ranging from work, school, social life, and studying. Even though it was exhausting at first, I gained the momentum. We grow at things, you know.

1. The level of commitment to school required to be successful (hrs. required for studying, social, life, workload, etc.)

As I said, nursing school takes commitment, dedication, and effective planning to ensure one does not miss classes, assignments, projects, and even exams. The required time is equivalent to the much workload and a lot of studying, meaning one must find ways to avoid burnouts. As for me, I ensured effective organization, developed habits, and ensured as much as I studied I exercised, had a social life, went out with friends where I relaxed, laughed, and enjoyed. One needs balance.

1. What their clinical and lab experiences were like

(Laughed). If I enjoyed something in nursing school was laboratory experiences. The actual experimentation and simulations made me feel connected to the real thing. I took these lessons seriously, and never missed any as from the simulation I mastered concepts, improved my reasoning and understanding of theoretical work. Of course, we had some little fun in the laboratories, but I would advise you to take them seriously.

1. How they prepared for examinations and the NCLEX

A lot of studying as groups and an individual. For both examination and NCLEX preparation, I used study guides or course outlines and worked through previous test papers and assignments.

3. Describe their top three patient memories and why they are memorable

I once helped a patient who struggled to breathe and gurgled on mucus through airway suctioning for almost a whole day. Finally, she recovered, and the husband hugged me, cried, and kept thanking me for the quality care I gave his wife. Others are similar, including helping a patent in surgery. They are memorable as they reaffirm my dream and desire to become a better nurse every day, as I feel I made a difference.

4. What does the phrase “NurseLife” mean to this nurse?

Simply the life, culture, and experiences of a registered nurse

5. What is the hardest thing about being a nurse?

Seeing a patient die

Reflection

I always heard stories that maneuvering and succeeding in nursing school was not for everyone due to the heavy workload, and some gave up due to pressures and lack of balance. However, listening to her gave me an insight into possible alternatives, such as having effective planning and organization weekly, finding the balance of all lives, and minimizing burnouts or distractions. Secondly, her revision and study strategies are worth imitating and integrating into my study. The way she answered the questions displayed nursing as being more than a job, as I felt the passion and joy she felt through her body language. For me to succeed in nursing school, nursing as a profession, and personal life, I must find balance by integrating effective organization, planning, and studying strategies. Also, not forgetting to incorporate pleasure and relaxation.