The pursuit of one’s goals and dreams are journeys that oftentimes take a lifetime to accomplish. There are those who reach the end of their lives not accomplishing what they wanted to do because they were either too intimidated by the prospect of even embarking on such a quest or they did not have the right opportunities in life. I have been working several years and during that time I have had plenty of time to see my career develop as my life passed by. Yet, there comes a certain point in one’s life when one must make a firm decision, a commitment to something much more than one’s own personal goals.
Oftentimes, this means sacrificing one for the other. There are those, however, who are lucky enough to have their own personal goals and that pursuit for higher objectives converge. For me, this is the pursuit of an MS in nursing. Factors such as an aging population, technological advances, and the advent of managed care have indeed changed the way health care is being offered and is being perceived in the United States; for one, having an aging population means that the demand for nurses has increased.
Another impact is that of certain technological advances which make it easier to give healthcare at a more affordable rate. In light of managed care and these other factors, much more is also required of a nurse aside from the standard of health care that was previously provided. While all of these technological advancements in health care have indeed raised the standard of health care being provided in the United States, there are a few intangible factors that can never be replaced.
I see my future role as being able to develop these intangibles. One important example is the special type of manner by which a nurse must conduct herself in order to be effective in performing her task. The bedside manners are very important and it is something that just cannot be taught in classrooms. Nurses need to be more than just machines that come in and punch in their time cards but rather professional registered nurses who show their passion and dedication to the profession through their approach and practice
There will always be future developments in technology and there will always be an aging population. The key to succeeding in this profession is in maintaining the level of professional conduct that people expect from the nurse and this is the future role that I see myself in the profession of nursing. As such, I see my goal in life as similar to that of Nurse Leader Mary Breckenridge in that I understand that nursing plays a very important role in the world today.
There are few jobs and professions that are as rewarding as nursing. While other jobs may get more publicity, the role that nurses play in the health care industry is highly valued and appreciated. My desire to be a nurse has to do with the fact that nursing is one of the ways by which I am able to do something that I really want to do in my life and that is to care and help other people. More importantly, I greatly feel that by taking up Nursing I will be able to proceed with my plans in life.