Your Accelerated Entry Level Master of Science in Nursing (ELMSN) Program at XXXX University is my first choice for graduate studies in Nursing. I graduated from XXXX in 1986 with a degree in Biology, but I was seduced by art and have worked in advertising for 20 years, earning an MA in Illustration and an MFA in Printmaking, both in 1995. In 2006 one of my closest friends became ill and died, and I spent countless hours at the hospital. Since then, I have spent several hundred volunteer hours caring for patients.
I completed the LVN night program at XXXX College in 2010 and earned my LVN license with IV certification. Throughout my clinical experience in LVN school—a total of 964 hours—I was incredibly thankful to learn how to rotate seamlessly between MedSurg and ER. I also had the opportunity to care for patients from Psych, Labor & Delivery, and Gerontology; and stayed terribly busy, starting IVs, blood draws, dispensing medications, etc. I have assisted in hip replacements, anal fistula repair, basic ADLs, providing g-tube feedings, tracheostomy maintenance, and wound care for all stages. I served as a team leader of my group of student nurses on many occasions. I have also aided in the free flu shot and wellness clinics catering to underserved communities sponsored by XXXX Hospital. I am now 100% committed to nursing and will be entirely leaving my work in advertising to dedicate myself full-time and exclusively to your program at XXXX once I am accepted.
The medically underserved stand at the center of my world; in California, they tend to speak my second language, Spanish. Each day that I care for someone in this language, I am grateful that I spent much of my adolescence in Latin America since my father was a career US soldier stationed in Nicaragua for a decade. Being fluent in Spanish leaves me with a heightened sense of responsibility to these individuals when they need healthcare for themselves or their children. Nursing care for the underserved will also figure prominently in what I eventually hope to teach, at the community college level. I look forward to serving many years as a preceptor and passing the torch to new generations.
I currently live in Southern California, but my heart will always be in San Francisco, with its progressive culture, the celebration of diversity, lifestyles, cultures, art, food, and spirituality—at the forefront of human rights. I recognize myself most clearly as a product of San Francisco. I love XXXX’s location, incredible library, and everything about SF. The culture in SF is different from anywhere else that I have ever lived or visited. It is where I want to make my top professional mark in helping people lead healthier and more productive lives.
I am gay, which is another reason I naturally love SF. Unlike some of my gay and lesbian friends and acquaintances who are also healthcare workers and volunteers, my professional interests in healthcare are not directed preferentially to the LGBT community. This is primarily because I have personally embraced the Latino community now for many years, and they are my particular interest, irrespective of sexual orientation. My special focus on the Spanish-speaking underserved members of our society is also highly consonant with the mission of XXXX and how clinical placements are geared toward the underserved. I look forward to helping people from all levels of society, especially the homeless who are in need.
As a much younger man, I was a Training Officer in the United States Army Reserves for an entire company for over five years, assisting with establishing career paths, helping to set goals, and developing training programs to achieve those goals for the Drill Sergeants whom I managed. This experience will also help me excel as a disciplined and hard-working student in your program.