Final Analysis

Two and a half years have come and gone, and I am finally about to graduate nursing

school! My time as a student has been both challenging and rewarding, and I feel that I have

grown immensely in both my personal life and as a future nurse. Being a nursing student

during the COVID-19 pandemic has not been easy, and I am proud of the passion, resilience,

and positive demeanor I have maintained while facing the ups and downs. Four years ago

when my father had a stroke and my grandmother passed away from Alzheimer’s, I knew I

wanted the opportunity to be a part of caring for the sick, and I am beyond grateful for Bon

Secours Memorial College of Nursing for preparing me to meet the needs of my future

patients.

As a first semester nursing student, I was absolutely terrified. So many things scared

me – how did I give a bed bath? What would I talk to the patients about? What if my patients

didn’t like me? What in the world were all of the different medications that were being

given? My BIGGEST fear was poop; I could not fathom having to smell poop as a part of my

daily job. A million worries filled my mind and I thought I was in over my head. Slowly but

surely, I began to build confidence in the clinical setting. Not only did I consistently gain

skills such as starting IVs and putting in foleys, but I also became so much more comfortable

simply talking with my patients and interacting in a professional yet empathetic manner.

Additionally, I am proud to say that I am completely desensitized to the smell of poop and it

does not bother me one bit these days. It is absolutely incredible to look back and see the

growth that I have made both as my time as a student in clinicals, and also in my work as a

patient care tech.

When I began nursing school, my heart was not set on one specific area of nursing.

My only experience even being in the hospital was when I was in the ICU with my dad, or

during high school when I volunteered in the Emergency Department. I tried to take
advantage of my time in clinicals and with opportunities within the college in order to

explore all of my options and figure out what I wanted most out of my nursing career. As a

student, I served as the Student Nurses’ Association president in order to gain more

leadership experience as well as learn more about professional nursing organizations. I took

my studies very seriously, and have the honor of being inducted into the Sigma Theta Tau

nursing honor society in May 2022 and will be graduating summa cum laude. I believe both

of these accomplishments serve as a testament to my dedication to my studies and my

commitment to becoming the best nurse I can be.

While navigating all of the different areas of nursing while doing some soul searching

and continuing to learn about myself, I felt that critical care is where I belonged as a nurse. I

became fascinated with the ICU, even though I was unfortunately unable to complete my

ICU clinical rotation due to COVID. While working as a tech, I was able to shadow in the

ICU multiple times, and immediately I knew that was where I belonged. I love the fast-paced

realm of critical care, and find that I work best in (very) organized chaos. My time

management, ability to multi-task, and structured work ethic will all help me in my future

career as a Medical-Surgical Trauma ICU nurse. I love learning and constantly gaining new

knowledge, and I know that the ICU will be a wonderful environment to facilitate my growth

as a nurse. My professional goals are to climb the clinical ladder and become involved with

as many committees and projects as possible. I want to be the type of nurse who inspires

others and leaves a positive mark on every patient I am able to care for, like others who have

inspired me.

Five semesters later, and I am so close to the end of my time as a nursing student. I

am beyond grateful for all of the people I have met, the relationships I have built, and the

opportunities I have been allowed while as a student. While I know there is still much to learn
and many experiences to have, I feel that I have a sound foundation of knowledge and skills

to carry me on into my time as a novice nurse. I look forward to the future!