I am interested in becoming an adult nurse because I want to feel a high level of job satisfaction in a rewarding field of healthcare, providing practical support to those who need it. The need to support and bring compassion to a diverse society of people is a desire that has driven me to apply for a nursing degree from a very young age. The fact that I embrace the 6Cs within everyday life is a very good personal quality that can be used effectively within nursing.
Nursing is a very versatile field, and the subjects I am currently studying have many links with adult nursing. Studying psychology has made me aware that the mental health of a patient is just as important as their physical well-being. I have learnt that the brain and the body are never in harmony, which can explain why we are such a diverse species in the way we act or the beliefs we hold. It has made me aware that understanding human behaviour through individual and situational explanations is key to developing an appropriate treatment plan, creating a positive mindset, and therefore a good relationship with the patient. Ethical considerations are also a large part of psychology and are significant values in the nursing profession. Mental health also forms part of my course, and nurses must adapt to the ever-growing mental disorders that are present in society. Studying maths has developed my ability to stretch myself in terms of my numerical and problem-solving skills and has improved my mental agility with numbers, fractions and general use of maths, which is ideally suited to nursing. Applied Biology is the most prominent subject in terms of links to nursing, as all my units are situated around the anatomy of the human body. It’s important to be aware of the biological processes that occur in the human body and why they are in place to explain the necessity of treatments to patients.
For the past 14 months, I have been working part-time in a busy high street pharmacy. During this time, I have developed many transferable skills that I can apply to nurse. I have learnt to be able to deal with challenging behaviours from customers whilst remaining professional. Customers are often agitated or annoyed with prescriptions; whether it be content, data or absent information, and I feel that I deal with it properly and fairly to ensure all guidelines are being followed whilst at the same time ensuring the customer is happy. I also have a high level of trust and responsibility as I, and the pharmacist, destroy controlled drugs using a denaturing agent, but I also handle prescriptions and am exposed to various different medications. I am also able to maintain a high level of accuracy when dealing with certain medications that can be life or death in some scenarios. WHHAM questions have to be asked with confidence on every over-the-counter sale that I make, and I must make a justified sale on the customer’s response and their minor ailment, referring or seeking assistance when needed in order to reassure myself that I am making the correct decision in the best interest of myself and the patient. The handling of confidential and sensitive medical records of hundreds of patients is also part of my role as a pharmacy assistant. I believe that having a wide range of knowledge on ‘over-the-counter’ and ‘prescription only’ medications, and receiving an NVQ level 2 qualification as part of my employment, is a useful asset for adult nursing.
I believe that I am an ideal candidate to study nursing because I embrace the 6 C’s of nursing and am compassionate and caring as an individual. I also practised different assessment methods which includes coursework, exam, presentations, and group work. The ability to adapt to these situations and get good results makes me feel competent in coping with the academic side of a nursing degree.
In 10 years’ time I would like to see myself working as a practising nurse within a hospital, whilst working towards becoming a nursing consultant who is involved in the commitment of good care on and one to one basis, and to improve the quality of teaching within nursing.