Hasanovic American Dream Scholarship

What inspired me the most to pursue this dream I have of being a nurse are my parents. They have moved heaven and earth just for me to have opportunities. Growing up in a communist country, my parents knew this was not the life they wanted for their children. They moved to the states with only five hundred dollars and a three-year-old me. My father worked various odd jobs for years to food on the table and my mother made sure I wasn’t aware of any of their struggles. Being the first generation in America is a different ball game. With my parents speaking no English it was up to me to learn my way in this new world. I made my way through school, received my EMS certificate, and fell in love with medicine. It is tough not having someone help you through the process of college. While all of my classmates had their parents helping them through the college application process I had no one. Learning how to pay for tuition and even making my schedule was a wall I had to climb on its own. My ambition was fueled by the thought of making my parent's journey and struggles in America worthwhile. While working as an emergency medical technician and encountering different types of nurses, I knew that I wanted to be a nurse. Bringing patients into the ER and watching the nurses go above and beyond for their patients made me want to move up and provide the level of care I had witnessed. The amount of experience I have in emergency medicine, as a first responder, made me pursue a career as an emergency room nurse. Although working in the ER might be too fast-paced for some nurses, it is an incredibly rewarding field. As an EMT, I have learned valuable leadership, communication, and critical thinking skills, while also expanding my knowledge in medicine and expertise in a variety of specialties. My goal is to finish my degree and obtain my RN license so I can continue serving the community I live in in a more rewarding way than I already have. When I become a nurse I will make sure I advocate for every patient, while being compassionate and caring. I can’t wait for the day to tell my parents that I have finally achieved what I have been working so hard for all these years. The look on their face will have all been worth it.