Nursing Essay

Patrice L. Donald (426-41-5435) / Application Essay
429 Hillandale Drive / Jackson, MS 39212

During my childhood years I can vividly remember the cold, late nights my mother was called upon to help save lives. Without the time to find a baby sitter and due to my father’s occupation as a truck driver, she was forced to take me along with her to work. Although I was told to stay in the nurse’s lounge and watch television – I found the hospital corridors intriguing. I often would sneak out and roam the halls looking for anything that was of interest. It was during one of those nights that I recall encountering people as they rushed through the hospital sliding doors seeking help for their loved ones. I can remember feeling that I could help, but I knew that I was too little; furthermore, I would be in trouble if one of the nurses or staff who worked in surgery with my mother had seen me. I promised myself that I would help people as well one day and that is when I decided that I would pursue nursing as a profession.
My first job in a hospital setting was at Central Mississippi Medical Center, formerly named Methodist Medical Center. I demonstrated my commitment in pursuing nursing by accepting a position that required me to work a schedule from 5am-10am. After working my shift, I prepared for classes that were scheduled continuously. Biology was chosen as my major and it was my plan to continue on to the University of Mississippi Medical Center to obtain my nursing license. However, during my junior year a new program was introduced and after learning about the possible opportunities in the health care administrative field, I changed my major. After obtaining my bachelor’s degree, I sought an advanced degree. During my search, I learned that Mississippi College would be the closest in proximity that offered my program, but to my dismay the Masters in Health Services Management program was not accredited. It was to this end that after college I took a job at Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company to allow myself time to thoroughly think through my plans and to expose myself to a variety of work situations. After a two-year tenure, I was the first African American promoted to work in the Compliance Department. In my position as a Complaint Analyst, I was comforted with a competitive salary and with the addition of a wonderful spouse and family life I began to loose sight of my career aspirations. I often volunteered in nursing homes and somehow this became a temporary fix to my feeling of helplessness, but I never stopped dreaming of becoming a nurse. The feeling of helping those in need has only intensified. Just this past Christmas eve I suggested to my family that we serve the homeless. We opted to not buy Christmas gifts and it was decided that we would indeed serve our community. After leaving the Stewpot kitchen once again I felt a since of pride that I was able to assist in helping someone and it is this feeling of gratification that keeps me motivated.
As depicted in my work history, I was fortunate to have had a successful career that allowed me to advance in each position; however, approaching my 30th birthday in 2007, I felt that my life was incomplete and I found myself slowly becoming depressed. It was then in January of 2007 that I decided to continue school and pursue nursing as a career. I often wonder why I waited seven years to make this transition, but now I know that my work experience will only aid in my quest. I am also more focused and determined to reach my career goals and now that I have a family - I am also more sensitive to the needs of other people.
I have over seven years of professional experience in the business arena and the health care market. As an administrative intern with the University of Mississippi Medical Center’s Ambulatory Care Services under the direction of Primus Wheeler, I was required to participate in ten observational hours per week, attend clinic meetings and assist in developing proposals. I was also a student administrative clerk for the Department of Veterans Affairs working alongside the Risk Manager to assist a project team to develop a $1 million grant proposal. My ultimate responsibility was to provide services to an increasing number of veterans leading the medical center to the forefront of high performance with the VISN 16 network as measured by various financial/quality/customer satisfaction measures. Without the work experience that I have gained, I would not know how to effectively communicate successfully with individuals and groups in a myriad of settings. I also would not be able to plan and organize a complex service with a diverse workforce or have a working knowledge of industry standards and cooperative relationships with administrative staff. My strength is now my ability to develop and nurture those relationships, to expedite service and to meet departmental goals. I can also effectively balance diverse tasks with short timelines on a daily basis. My ability to establish priorities and function under pressure is a talent that requires flexibility in prioritizing resources for maximum utilization. The combination of these work experiences has provided a tremendous opportunity to develop strong, effective work/study skills.
Why continue my journey in the accelerated degree program? I can answer with three simple answers: (1) I would achieve a long-term goal in pursuing nursing as a profession; (2) I will be aiding in addressing our increasing nursing shortage in the state of Mississippi; and (3) I want my daughter to look up to me as I did with my mother. In summary, it is my ultimate goal to obtain a nursing home administrative license and open a fully operational skilled nursing care facility to address the needs of our aging population. In my spare time, I plan to assist future nursing candidates reach their dreams and teach as an adjunct professor. I feel that with my background and experiences, I will be able to meet the demands of your program and as a registered nurse.