The Operating Room has now been my principal center of gravity for the past six of my 29 years. While originally from Ohio, I have established a permanent home in Kentucky and find myself at the optimal point in my career to excel in graduate school. Most patients I care for before, during, and after surgery are older, and the older they are, the more I love them. My greatest strength as a candidate for your competitive program is my deep and abiding passion for geriatric nursing care.
I did travel nursing last year and have just settled back into Kentucky. I was especially pleased to work in the operating room for my travel assignments. If I were accepted into your program at XXXX University, this would allow me to better myself as a nurse and increase my knowledge and skill base; in this way, I will provide better care to every one of the patients I care for. I currently work with patients between preop and postop and in the operating room while their procedures are done. I see myself as an advocate for all my patients, especially after being put to sleep in preparation for surgery. My patients cannot speak for themselves or look out for themselves while in the operating room. I ensure that each patient receives the best care and respect during surgery. Completing your program and earning my MSN so that I will become an Adult-Gero Acute Care Nurse Practitioner will assist me greatly and provide me with the opportunity to experience the joy and fulfillment that comes from having more significant levels of responsibility and privileges of service; seeing my patients through the entire process from start to finish.
After earning my MSN and putting it to work for a few years, I hope to return to nursing school and study at the doctoral level. Ideally, I would like to work in an orthopedic doctor’s office and spend part of my time in the clinic assisting surgeons in the operating room. This way, I will be part of a team that can provide continuous care for all our patients.
I have an exceptional ability to work well under stress and find a non-stressful approach to handling the situation. My experience in travel nursing provided me with the invaluable experience of being placed in hospitals where I knew no one and was forced to adapt very quickly to a unique healthcare environment, empowering me to rapidly develop my critical thinking skills and the ability to hit the ground running and think on my feet. With each assignment, I was only given about ten days to learn surgeon preferences, computer systems, where supplies were kept, and how to put orders in. This experience built my confidence that I can achieve noble goals if I set my mind and heart to the task. On a particular assignment, I had a surgeon request that I work with him in the operating room. This request meant a lot to me since it demonstrated that I provide my patients with the highest quality of care and am highly efficient. I look forward to researching patient outcomes from orthopedic surgeries, and the complex way room traffic and sterilizations affect patient outcomes and infection rates.
Thank you for considering my application to your distinguished program at XXXX University.