Running head: THE PATH ALONG THE WAY 1

The Path Along the Way

Yasmin Gonzalez

Old Dominion University

THE PATH ALONG THE WAY 2

The Path Along the Way

By submitting this assignment, it allows me to reflect on my short nursing career and how

I began on this pathway. I graduated in December 2016 with my associates degree in nursing.

The range of information that I have been exposed to has helped mold me into the nurse that I

am and, the nurse I want to become. The care that I provide is solely based on the information

learned in school and through life experiences. During, my final year of high school it was

crucial for me to find a career choice or decide a path to take on. I continued my education at a

local community college in my area. My classes consisted of freshman level classes as well as

Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). Shortly after I received my license for EMT, I realized

that I could not grow in my career as an EMT. I needed and wanted a career choice that could

challenge me daily: a career that had room to grow and expand my way of thinking. My

experiences, passions, values, beliefs as well as thorough research led me to take the pathway to

nursing. Nursing School proved to be the most challenging and the most stressful experience that

I have accomplished. There is not a single moment I regret choosing this pathway. Becoming a

registered nurse is the most rewarding feeling that can’t be put in to words.

In January 2015, I started my degree at Beazley Nursing School at Tidewater Community

College. My prior college experience while determining my career choice gave me an advantage

by completing all of my prerequisites prior to beginning the program. The program proved to be

challenging until graduating in December 2016. I began my first semester at Old Dominion

University (ODU) to complete my bachelors in nursing August 2017. I decided to attend ODU

because of my peers’ past experiences and the convenience of the school being close by. My first

semester at ODU proved to be challenging with a lot more for me to learn and grow to attain my
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degree. I spend numerous hours of time completing my assignments and working as a full-time

nurse. Though I have been attending school since 2011, I have had my education mostly paid for

with the assistance I receive from Financial Aid. The career that I have chosen makes me feel

more comfortable due to the job security because my degree can almost guarantee a job

anywhere I go. Someone is always becoming sick and they need nurses to care for those who are

sick. As the average age of the population increases, so will the demand for healthcare providers.

My career choice decision was based on numerous reasons, experiences, and teachings that

ultimately led me here.

When I began nursing school, I was employed as a front-end supervisor at Target with

prior experiences working as a lifeguard and at a restaurant. My prior work experiences in

customer service has helped me to be very customer service oriented which is a major aspect

when providing care. There is a phrase I like to use: “a happy patient is a happy nurse,” and vice-

versa. I am reminded by this phrase since I am the patient’s biggest advocate. I want to succeed

in the nursing field, not only for me, but for the patients I have cared for and will care for in the

future. Many aspects in nursing school made me want to give up nursing school; however, I

overcame the obstacles that were in my way to become a Registered Nurse. While attending

nursing school I had to maintain a full-time job, and that brought a great deal of stress into my

life. Tring to be successful in nursing school and working a full-time job was quite the

undertaking. I focused on time management to maintain work and school. For example, in school

I must be disciplined to submit all my assignments by the due deadline date, or suffer the

consequences of having 10% percent deducted automatically. I minimize my social life to ensure

my assignments are submitted in a timely manner. My motivation to complete this program and

be successful helps me maintain this discipline that I have established for myself.
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The life-changing moment that helped me decide to become involved in the health-care

system happened one night when I was working a late-night pool party at the facility I use to

lifeguard at. It was the summer after graduating high school. During the pool party, I witnessed

and ambulance with the lights on drive by. I began thinking, “I can see myself helping people in

the community”. I was already helping the community as a lifeguard, and I really enjoyed the

impact I made in the community. I was inspired in that moment to enroll in an EMT course, and

that moment will be forever the pivotal moment in my career.

After the completion of my courses in my first nursing program and working at my first

nursing job, I can appreciate the challenges that I have dealt with. The challenges that I have

faced thus far have made me into the nurse I am today along with my strengths, weaknesses,

good days, bad days, and completely horrendous days. My current enrollment in the ODU

nursing program will continue to mold me into the best nurse that I can be. My biggest strength

is having time management skills. Nursing can be unpredictable at times where there is not

enough time to focus on time management, but for the most part, I have established a routine to

accomplish my patient care in a reasonable time. Prioritization guides this routine that I have

established for myself, and at times, some patients are less time consuming than others. I rarely

stay past my end time for work. One area I could improve in would be communicating more

effectively with my patients and peers. I tend to speak really fast and sometimes not as clearly as

I would like, so this can hinder effective communication. The patients that I have tend to ask me

to repeat myself and a few have said I talk too fast. Slowing down and taking a breather has

helped me effectively communicate with my patients, but I will continue working on developing

my communication skills.
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Finally, my goal upon completion of the ODU Nursing Program is to graduate with a

Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.5, in addition to graduating on my tentative December

graduation date. I am currently set to graduate in December 2018. As I continue my journey

through this career I hope to work in the Emergency Department (ED), and returning to school to

further my education by becoming a Nurse Practitioner (NP). The ED can be more at a pace to

truly learn and make a difference in someone’s life, during what could be the most critical time

in that individual’s life. Obtaining crucial experience to work in the ED is my main focus at this

point in my career. I am the type of person who can’t stay complacent with being stagnant and

not furthering my education. I enjoy challenging myself, learning, and making a difference. If I

become a NP I will be challenged, I will learn, and I will be the difference I want to see. To

achieve this dream, it will come with extreme dedication, time, and support. Graduate school will

be the biggest commitment in my life. School is my main focus to achieve this goal.

In conclusion, as a novice nurse I feel confident in the nurse I am becoming. Nursing is

not for everyone, and some will not become nurses. Reflecting on my first year in nursing, I

realize nursing is for me. I am aware of the learning that continues throughout my career, but at

this very moment in my career, I am right where I need to be.

““I pledge to support the Honor System of Old Dominion University. I will refrain from any
form of academic dishonesty or deception, such as cheating or plagiarism. I am aware that as a
member of the academic community it is responsibility to turn in all suspected violators of the
Honor Code. I will report to a hearing if summoned.”
Yasmin Gonzalez 03/03/18
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Grading Rubric

Possible
Grading Criteria Comments Points
Points

Appropriate introduction that includes the 10%

purpose of the paper.

o How long have you been a nurse? What led

you to nursing? Recall and discuss those ideas
and interests that initially led you to pursue a
career in nursing.
Examination of Journey: 20%

o Describe educational, work, or community

activities/groups/organizations that
influenced your decision to attain your
BSN.
o What did you learn from these
experiences?
Specific educational and professional goals are 20%
identified
o Engage in goal setting.
o Identify at least 2 educational goals you
hope to achieve while enrolled in the
BSN program. Educational goals should
be very broad and relate to basic
academic skills and/or university
requirements (e.g. enhancing writing
skills). The goals should be specific
enough to measure your success at
program completion.
o Identify at least 2 professional goals
you hope to achieve during or after
completion of the BSN program.
Professional goals could involve
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aspiring to a higher-level position

within your current practice area, or
aspiring to transition into a different
practice area. For example, you might
identify a clinical focus such as critical
care, pediatrics or gerontology. Or,
you might identify a particular setting
such as home health, ambulatory
surgery, or public health. Or, you
might identify a role such as education
or administration. Be specific, the
goals should be specific enough to
measure your success at program
completion or shortly thereafter.
Self-assessment includes an analysis of strengths 20%
and weaknesses.
o Assess yourself. What are your strengths that
you are bringing to the program? What are
your weaknesses?
o Based on your self-assessment, how will you
use these qualities to meet your educational
and professional goals?
Conclusion: 10%

o Summarize main points of paper.

o What did you gain from the introspection
and self-reflection required for this
assignment? Please be specific.
Correct grammar, essay writing, spelling and 10%
punctuation

o The paper is highly organized with

paragraphs that are well written, flow
logically and are without spelling,
grammar, punctuation errors. = 10%
o The paper is organized with paragraphs
that flow logically, and contain few (<3)
errors in spelling, grammar or
punctuation. = 8%
o The paper is organized, but paragraphs do
not flow logically and/or contain many
errors (4-10) in spelling, grammar or
punctuation. = 5%
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o The paper is disorganized with

paragraphs that are weakly developed
and/or significant errors (>10) in spelling,
grammar or punctuation.=2%
Correct use of APA format, including adherence 10%
to page limit, use of Headings, ODU SON Title
Page, and includes Honor Code.

0 errors = 10%

< 2 errors=9%

2-5 errors = 6%

6-9 errors = 4%

10 or > errors =0%

Final Grade: 100%