Statement of Practice

When I was two I told my mom that I wanted to be a sock when I grew up, and when she
asked why I told her that I wanted to keep people’s feet warm. When I was ten my great grandfather
was diagnosed with late stage Alzheimer’s Disease. I loved to sit with him for hours and hold his
hand while I spoon-fed him. While being a sock is no longer a career I wish to pursue, I have
discovered one that fits my desire to comfort and care for others: nursing. It is in my nature even
from my youngest memories to help others. Nursing gives me the privilege of providing care to
patients during some of the sickest and scariest moments of their lives.

I first felt the call to nursing while volunteering on an Oncology unit, where I got to know the
nurses and patients intimately. One patient that I will never forget was an elderly gentleman with a
cheeky sense of humor despite his progressively worsening condition. He always joked about how he
loved chocolate ice cream, but the hospital’s was the worst. One day during my lunch break, I ran
across the street and bought him some Ben and Jerry’s chocolate ice cream and placed it in the
nurse’s fridge so that I could bring it to him after his chemotherapy treatment. It was a small gesture,
but seeing his eyes light up once he realized what I had done was priceless. That was the moment I
knew that I wanted to be a nurse. I knew no other job would produce the feeling of instant
gratification that I had at that moment from lifting someone’s spirit.

As I became aware that nursing was my passion, I started to seek out opportunities to further
explore this profession. I had the pleasure of working alongside outstanding nurses and physicians at
Boston Children’s Hospital as a Surgical Scheduler. The tremendous dedication these professionals
showed not only to each child but also their families inspired me and has been something I have
carried with me ever since. I strived to execute this level of devotion and empathy when interacting
with clients and doing my best to alleviate parent’s concerns about their child’s upcoming surgery.
One instance that stands out to me is a patient who I met during my first week at Children’s. I had
been working with a single mom whose 5-month-old daughter had a retinal blastoma and needed
emergency surgery to save her vision. I had earned this mom’s trust through listening and
accommodating her in any way I could throughout the surgical scheduling process. This family flew
in all the way from Ohio for this emergency procedure. The day of the surgery, I received a call from
the OR saying that the surgery needed to be rescheduled due to a breach in the sterility of the OR.
This news devastated me. I knew all the emotional and financial sacrifices that this family had made
in order to be in Boston for this procedure. I collaborated with the ophthalmologist in the department
and managed to book another OR with the same provider and on the same day, allowing the surgery
to go ahead as planned. Despite the immense effort it took from myself and the other physicians,
nothing was more rewarding and inspiring than meeting the family in person and receiving a hug
from both mom and daughter post-surgery. The level of commitment, compassion, and
interprofessional collaboration displayed during this event is something that I am dedicated to
upholding for every patient and family that I encounter in my professional nursing career.

The core values of nursing- caring for the whole person, integrity through open
communication, valuing differences among individuals, commitment to excellence through
continuous growth, and embracing transformation are in line with my own personal values. I
strive to uphold these nursing values in all aspects of my life and will carry them forward
throughout my nursing career.