Born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee, I have always admired the University of XXXX, so I earned my bachelor's degree in psychology at the U of XXXX. I am established in Memphis and very rooted in my community. Thus, I hope to be accepted to return to the U of XXXX to earn the BSN Degree since I have a keen desire to become a nurse, the profession to which I have increasingly felt called for years. I work as a Pharmacy Technician at Saint Francis Hospital in Bartlett, TN. For the past several years on my job, I have worked directly with nurses since I hand deliver medicine such as IVs, oral medication, and other fluids. I have been a pharmacy technician since 2004 and worked in a retail pharmacy, where I assisted the pharmacist with patient care. Increasingly, I have realized that I want to become a nurse rather than continue in Pharmacy.
After earning the BSN Degree and gaining additional experience, becoming a first-rate nurse with a high degree of competency, I plan to return to graduate school in Nursing and specialize in Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing. This will enable me to take full advantage of my great passion for Psychology, the area in which I earned my undergraduate degree.
As an African American man who works daily with the public, I have increasingly become aware of the large numbers of people of color who suffer from mental health issues and how nurses are often on the front lines of their care. Mental Health Nursing is the area that I find most exciting in terms of opportunities for service to the community and the area in which I am fully convinced, given my background, temperament, interests, and character, that I will be able to make my most extensive contribution to my community and society.
While working as a Pharmacy Tech at the hospital, I obtained certification in Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS), even though this is not required for pharmacy techs. I went that extra mile to obtain these certifications to be qualified to assist in a “code” when a patient stops breathing if, by chance, I found myself in a position where my support was needed. Earning these two certificates was a process and an education that I found exhilarating. It reaffirmed my desire to return to XXXX University and earn my BSN. I have located my niche in life with a nursing career, and I am anxious to fulfill what I recognize as my true professional calling.
My long-term objective is to spend many years serving as a Psychiatric and Mental Health Nurse in a large, busy, inner-city hospital-like several that we have in Memphis, with a diverse staff and patients who need a lot of help, support, and assistance to recover a state of wellbeing or find it for the first time. Indicators suggest that mental health issues among minority subpopulations are rising in Memphis, and I want to serve on the front lines of caring for many of these patients. Later, I see myself gaining greater independence and making house calls as a psychiatric nurse.
Throughout my professional lifetime, I want to focus my efforts as a nurse on helping those who need me most. For this reason, I have already made great strides and am incredibly determined to progress in American Sign Language - to have this especially critical skill in my tool kit in case it is needed. My volunteer service record is the most vital aspect of my application to Nursing at the U of M because of the extensive efforts that I have made over the years as a volunteer. I have volunteered at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Youth Villages, and The Union Mission, where I assisted with the care and support of many individuals with mental health challenges. The subject of mental health is taboo in my community, among African American males. The stigma of having “mental issues” is seen as a sign of weakness, and the individual is sometimes ostracized by his social group. Thus, as an African American man, I feel especially called to serve as a role model of compassion and understanding for men of my ethnic group as well as minorities in general.
I have already completed 12 hours of online Graduate School courses through Liberty University. This Spring semester, I am studying Nutrition and, this coming summer, Microbiology, laying an academic foundation for excellence in Nursing School. I look forward to researching minorities and mental health on local, state, national, and international levels. I have participated in multiple 5k runs, such as The Healing Races of Memphis, the St. Jude Memphis Marathon, and the Great American River Runs. I love to bike, run, swim, and volunteer at local events. I have multiple customer services awards and have been recognized as employee of the month. As a nurse, I look forward to helping to educate my patients to live healthier lives outside of the hospital, primarily through diet and exercise and working to maintain a healthy, positive attitude.
Thank you for considering my application to the BSN Program in Nursing at XXXX University.
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