Susan Leslie Wood Memorial Nursing Scholarship

I have wanted to become a nurse for quite some time. I spent the last 18 years working in the medical field in different settings. The positions I have held range from dietary aide to anesthesia technician. I have gained a considerable amount of experience and knowledge and look forward to utilizing all of that to pursue my passion as a nurse. I currently work in a very busy emergency department and we are also level one trauma center for both adults and pediatrics. No one comes to the emergency department because they are having a good day. I always keep that in mind and approach all patients with empathy and compassion because they deserve nothing less. I wish more people in healthcare kept this in mind when dealing with patients because I am aware that not all of those who work in healthcare have a true passion for it. Upon graduation, I plan to apply to the graduate nurse residency program at my current place of employment. I would love to be accepted into the adult medical intensive care unit graduate nurse residency position. I feel that the opportunity is one of great privilege and the experience will give me a strong start to my nursing career. My ultimate dream is to be a patient educator. I see many patients who come through the emergency department with new diagnoses that have not had the proper education on how to manage this. For example, a new diagnosis of diabetes, and they are unsure of how to check their blood glucose or how to figure out how much insulin they need. I want to educate and advocate for this patient population. I want to be someone they can use as a resource. I do have one other area of interest and it came from my time as an anesthesia technician. As an anesthesia technician, I was a part of several Gift of Life surgeries. To be a transplant coordinator has also been heavily on my mind. I think it is such a special job. I believe that it is equal parts challenging and rewarding. In conclusion, I am a caring and compassionate individual who wants to graduate from nursing school and be able to provide the best care for patients that I am able to provide.

As a former graduate student researcher and a master-level prepared nurse with a diverse background in oncology, nutrition, public health, and critical care nursing, I intend to incorporate my knowledge from these disciplines into research, and assist in the translation of research evidence into clinical practice. My ultimate goal as a doctorate-prepared nurse practitioner is to optimize care and improve healthcare delivery in our ever-changing healthcare environment. The multidisciplinary education provided at the University of Pittsburgh enables me to synthesize theoretical, scientific, and contemporary evidence-based clinical knowledge to help coordinate care, manage chronic illnesses, and prevent acute care episodes and disease progression as an adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner (AG-ACNP). By taking on this role, I hope to bridge the gap of a looming physician shortage, especially given the rise in our aging population. Besides playing the role of a provider, I aspire to be the figure to share my knowledge and technical skills through learned experiences with those around me, both inside and outside the field of medicine. My passion for educating others is highlighted by my prior teaching experiences in other disciplines, such as nutrition, language, and the martial arts. Besides serving as a clinical preceptor, I am also appointed as the Diabetes Resource Nurse at Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital. My current pursuit of becoming a nurse educator is another prime example of my passion for instilling new knowledge and skills in others. My prior teaching experiences have enabled me to experiment on various pedagogical approaches for individuals of various socioeconomic background, which I am confident of applying to my teachings as an educator in the near future. I look forward to transferring my knowledge, skills and learned experiences to the next generation of nurses and related profession, to narrow the gaps between nursing education and nursing practice. In an environment equipped with ample resources within Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania, I am blessed with bounteous opportunities to collaborate with experts in various disciplines to help influence healthcare at the systems and organizational levels, both as a student and a provider. I look forward to incorporating the didactic knowledge learned at the University of Pittsburgh on advanced theories, management, research, informatics, clinical practice, and sciences into my practice as an ACNP to serve the Pennsylvanian community in the near future. Being involved in positions that require me to serve as a leader (e.g., team manager, team captain, charge nurse, committee head) has equipped me with the essential skills to lead interprofessional teams in the analysis of complex practice and organizational issues, to develop, implement, and evaluate health policies. My desire to improve the healthcare environment is highlighted by my initiative in collaborating with the nursing faculty at Johns Hopkins University to publish a paper in the Nursing Open Journal, titled “Gender differences in psychosocial characteristics and diabetes self-management among inner-city African Americans”. This study was based in the greater Baltimore Metropolitan area, but I intend to replicate the study within Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, to draw more generalizable conclusions to facilitate future clinicians in their practices. According to the 2021 U.S. Census Bureau Statistics, Pennsylvania is getting increasingly more diverse. With my diverse cultural upbringing, where I embrace a global perspective in nursing, I am confident to be at the forefront of a well-rounded health care provider and leader.