I am a single, 40-year-old mother to a 1-year-old. He is the best thing that has ever happened to me, but I never saw this life for myself. In fact, I never thought I would be a mother. When I was 24 years old, I became a patient in the hospital. I was a college student at the time and a young wife. I had just been told I would not become a mother and I was experiencing a miscarriage. I was sent home from the emergency department with a prescription and a broken heart. Two days later, I was rushed to emergency surgery for a ruptured ectopic pregnancy. I spent a week in the hospital. During that time, I was cared for by the most amazing nurses. I had just experienced a tragic and unexpected loss, but I didn't realize the impact those nurses would have on me until years later. I have now been a nurse for ten years. I often thought back to that time in my early twenties when I was grieving the loss of a future that I longed for. I think about the nurses, how kind they were to me, and how my experience could have been different had I not had such exceptional care. I used this to guide me in caring for my patients and their families. For ten years, I have cared for and advocated for patients who cannot do so for themselves. I have spent the majority of my time working in emergency and trauma. The emergency room, where individuals and families are experiencing some of their worst days. They experience great loss, receive unexpected news, endure pain, and are at the mercy of the strangers who have been charged with their care. In my continued pursuit as a nurse, I am hoping to offer my patients and their families a safe space where they can grieve, process, and heal. I am working to pursue continued education in my field to offer patients my specialized skills in their moments of highest need. I am now working toward my degree as a nurse anesthetist. Handing the care of a patient over to a stranger is something a family would never do under different circumstances. I want my patients to know they have someone in their corner, that they have someone who will advocate for them when they cannot advocate for themselves, and that they have someone available to them who will try to understand their pain and maybe even help take some of it away. As a new mother, I have found another level of compassion that I am able to experience for my patients. I believe turning forty has also had a significant impact on my ability to empathize with those that I care for. Being a mother has pushed me to my limits and I have a new purpose in life. I want to be the best I can be for my son, which helps me become better for those around me. I know I have more to offer, which is why I’ve decided to return to school for my graduate degree. My mission as a nurse is to continually improve myself so that I may provide the most appropriate care most compassionately. The nurses who cared for me set a great example of what a nurse should be. I want to continue that legacy and make myself and my son proud.

When I was 24 years old, I became a patient in the hospital. I was a college student at the time and a young wife. I had just been told I would not become a mother and I was experiencing a miscarriage. I was sent home from the emergency department with a prescription and a broken heart. Two days later, I was rushed to emergency surgery for a ruptured ectopic pregnancy. I spent a week in the hospital. During that time, I was cared for by the most amazing nurses. I had just experienced a tragic and unexpected loss, but I didn't realize the impact those nurses would have on me until years later. I have now been a nurse for ten years and I'd like to think that not only have I grown in my profession, but also as an individual. For ten years, I have cared for and advocated for patients who have not been able to do so for themselves. I have spent the majority of my time working in emergency and trauma. The emergency room is where individuals and families are experiencing some of their worst days. They experience great loss, receive unexpected news, endure pain, and are at the mercy of the strangers who have been charged with their care. I had often thought back to that time in my early twenties when I was grieving the loss of a future that I was excited about. I think about the nurses, how kind they were to me, and how my experience could have been different had I not had such amazing care. I used this to guide me in how I care for my patients and their families. My mother has always said, "Pain is pain." I may not know exactly what each of my patients is going through, but I can offer kind words and empathy because I have also been through something difficult. In my continued pursuit as a nurse, I am hoping to continue to offer my patients and their families a safe space where they can grieve, process, and heal. I am working to pursue continued education in my field to offer patients my specialized skills in their moments of highest need. I am now working toward my degree as a nurse anesthetist. I am positive that I will encounter patients and families who will be anxious, uncertain, and scared. I hope to use my past experiences as a patient and as a nurse to help ease their mind and bring them peace during difficult situations that I will be involved in. Handing the care of a patient over to a stranger is something a family would never do under different circumstances. I want my patients to know they have someone in their corner, that they have someone who will advocate for them when they cannot advocate for themselves, and that they have someone available to them who will try to understand their pain and maybe even help take some of it away. My mission as a nurse is to continually improve myself as a nurse and an individual so that I may provide the most appropriate care in the most compassionate manner. The nurses who cared for me set a great example of what a nurse should be and I have never forgotten.

When I was 24 years old, I became a patient in the hospital. I was a college student at the time and a young wife. I had just been told I would not become a mother and I was experiencing a miscarriage. I was sent home from the emergency department with a prescription and a broken heart. Two days later, I was rushed to emergency surgery for a ruptured ectopic pregnancy. I spent a week in the hospital. During that time, I was cared for by the most amazing nurses. I had just experienced a tragic and unexpected loss, but I didn't realize the impact those nurses would have on me until years later. I have now been a nurse for ten years and I'd like to think that not only have I grown in my profession, but also as an individual. For ten years, I have cared for and advocated for patients who have not been able to do so for themselves. I have spent the majority of my time working in emergency and trauma. The emergency room is where individuals and families are experiencing some of their worst days. They experience great loss, receive unexpected news, endure pain, and are at the mercy of the strangers who have been charged with their care. I had often thought back to that time in my early twenties when I was grieving the loss of a future that I was excited about. I think about the nurses, how kind they were to me, and how my experience could have been different had I not had such amazing care. I used this to guide me in how I care for my patients and their families. My mother has always said, "Pain is pain." I may not know exactly what each of my patients is going through, but I can offer kind words and empathy because I have also been through something difficult. I am currently a single mother, pursuing my advanced practice degree. I want to set an example for my son that we can do hard things in our life and still be a support to others. I am hoping to continue to offer my patients and their families a safe space where they can grieve, process, and heal. I am working toward continued education in my field to offer patients my specialized skills in their moments of highest need. I am now focused on my journey as a nurse anesthetist. I am positive that I will encounter patients and families who will be anxious, uncertain, and scared. I hope to use my past experiences as a patient and as a nurse to help ease their mind and bring them peace during difficult situations that I will be involved in. Handing the care of a patient over to a stranger is something a family would never do under different circumstances. I want my patients to know they have someone in their corner, that they have someone who will advocate for them when they cannot advocate for themselves, and that they have someone available to them who will try to understand their pain and maybe even help take some of it away. My mission as a nurse is to continually improve myself as a nurse and an individual so that I may provide the most appropriate care in the most compassionate manner. The nurses who cared for me set a great example of what a nurse should be and I have never forgotten.

When I was 24 years old, I became a patient in the hospital. I was a college student at the time and a young wife. I had just been told I would not become a mother and I was experiencing a miscarriage. I was sent home from the emergency department with a prescription and a broken heart. Two days later, I was rushed to emergency surgery for a ruptured ectopic pregnancy. I spent a week in the hospital. During that time, I was cared for by the most amazing nurses. I had just experienced a tragic and unexpected loss, but I didn't realize the impact those nurses would have on me until years later. I have now been a nurse for ten years and I'd like to think that not only have I grown in my profession, but also as an individual. For ten years, I have cared for and advocated for patients who have not been able to do so for themselves. I have spent the majority of my time working in emergency and trauma. The emergency room is where individuals and families are experiencing some of their worst days. They experience great loss, receive unexpected news, endure pain, and are at the mercy of the strangers who have been charged with their care. I had often thought back to that time in my early twenties when I was grieving the loss of a future that I was excited about. I think about the nurses, how kind they were to me, and how my experience could have been different had I not had such amazing care. I used this to guide me in how I care for my patients and their families. My mother has always said, "Pain is pain." I may not know exactly what each of my patients is going through, but I can offer kind words and empathy because I have also been through something difficult. In my continued pursuit as a nurse, I am hoping to continue to offer my patients and their families a safe space where they can grieve, process, and heal. I am working to pursue continued education in my field to offer patients my specialized skills in their moments of highest need. I am now working toward my degree as a nurse anesthetist. I am positive that I will encounter patients and families who will be anxious, uncertain, and scared. I hope to use my past experiences as a patient and as a nurse to help ease their mind and bring them peace during difficult situations that I will be involved in. Handing the care of a patient over to a stranger is something a family would never do under different circumstances. I want my patients to know they have someone in their corner, that they have someone who will advocate for them when they cannot advocate for themselves, and that they have someone available to them who will try to understand their pain and maybe even help take some of it away. My mission as a nurse is to continually improve myself as a nurse and an individual so that I may provide the most appropriate care in the most compassionate manner. The nurses who cared for me set a great example of what a nurse should be and I have never forgotten.

When I was 24 years old, I became a patient in the hospital. I was a college student at the time and a young wife. I had just been told I would not become a mother and I was experiencing a miscarriage. I was sent home from the emergency department with a prescription and a broken heart. Two days later, I was rushed to emergency surgery for a ruptured ectopic pregnancy. I spent a week in the hospital. During that time, I was cared for by the most amazing nurses. I had just experienced a loss that was tragic and unexpected, but I didn't realize the impact those nurses would have on me until years later. I have now been a nurse for ten years and I'd like to think that not only have I grown in my profession, but also as an individual. For ten years, I have cared for and advocated for patients who have not been able to do so for themselves. I have spent the majority of my time working in emergency and trauma. The emergency room is where individuals and families are experiencing some of their worst days. They experience great loss, receive unexpected news, endure pain, and are at the mercy of the strangers who have been charged with their care. I have often thought back to that time in my early twenties when I was grieving the loss of a future that I was excited about. I think about the nurses, how kind they were to me, and how my experience could have been different had I not had such amazing care. I have used my own pain to guide me in how I care for my patients and their families. My mother has always said, "Pain is pain." I may not know exactly what each of my patients is going through, but I can offer kind words and empathy because I have also been through something hard and difficult. In my continued pursuit as a nurse, I am hoping to continue to offer my patients and their families a safe space where they can grieve, process, and heal. I am working to pursue continued education in my field to offer patients my specialized skills in their moments of highest need. I want my patients to know they have someone in their corner, that they have someone who will advocate for them when they cannot advocate for themselves, and that they have someone available to them who will try to understand their pain and maybe even help take some of it away. My mission as a nurse is to continually improve myself as a nurse and an individual so that I may provide the most appropriate care in the most compassionate manner. The nurses who cared for me set a great example of what a nurse should be and I have never forgotten.

Rich dad once said, "Rich is measured in dollars. Wealth is measured in time." I am no dummy. Money still matters. We need it to live, and having more of it can make life more comfortable. But, generational wealth is more than just being rich. It's a different way of thinking. Growing up, I never knew we didn't have a lot of money. We had more money than some, but the money we did have was spread thin over a family of seven children. My parents have never had a giant amount of disposable income, and they probably never will. But, they are frugal. They know how to save and they know how to work hard. Hard work is what has helped my parents promote the concept of generational wealth within our family. They won't have an extra large sum of money to divide between their children after they die, but they have planted the seed for us to strive toward continued learning, working hard, and hopefully doing more than they were able to do with their money. Generational wealth doesn't always have to be measured in money. I understand the concept that Rich dad was referring to when he said that "wealth is measured in time", but I like to think of it beyond money. Time is something I will never get back. Every day I have the choice to proactively do something that has the potential to make my life better tomorrow. My mom has always told us that "time is going to go by no matter what, so what are you doing to do with it?" Learning a new skill, honing an existing skill, and finding ways to become an expert in my field are all ways I can make myself better not just for tomorrow, but in the long run. And that's what matters! It's so easy to be short-sighted; viewing our life in the long term is hard. But how we spend our time matters. Generational wealth is built a little at a time. That's why it takes generations. Passing knowledge from generation to generation about how to become better is really what generational wealth is all about. Money is important, but it's not everything. Knowledge is king and that's why I'm here. I'm returning to school so that I can continue to build on the foundation that my parents and grandparents have laid for me. I plan to use the hard work of my parents to help me get to a place where I'm comfortable and able to provide for my son, giving him even more knowledge and opportunity for his future. Hopefully, he'll be even better than me.

I frequently cook for myself, my parents, and my son. Tonight I decided to make rice paper sushi rolls; a recipe that I've never tried before. Making a new recipe may not seem like anything exciting to most. But, after the dinner was complete and all the dishes were washed, I sat down and realized there isn't much I'm not willing to try at least once. This type of thinking has led me to some of the most wonderful moments of my life. When I was a senior in high school I competed in a local scholarship pageant. The prize was a fifteen hundred dollar scholarship. I signed up because my friend didn't want to compete by herself. I won. It was one of the most memorable moments of my life. In 2010, I enrolled in nursing school and never looked back. It was so hard. One of the goals I set for myself was that I wanted to be a flight nurse. It was a lofty goal, but I got the opportunity to interview in 2018. I was told to come prepared to intubate a mannequin during my interview. For those reading, nurses don't typically make a habit out of intubating patients. It would upset a lot of doctors and it is well outside our scope of practice. I had only ever watched it performed by my emergency doctor colleagues, but I knew I was going to go into that interview and give it everything I had. I got it on the first try. My point? I'm not afraid of a challenge. After ten years of working as a nurse, I decided to go back to school. My goal is to graduate in nurse anesthesia. My options are limited regarding where I can attend. There is only one school in my entire state and it's my only option. The acceptance rate is 26%; not great odds. I'm nervous, but I'm not afraid to try. And THAT is my superpower. Using that power in a hospital setting can only bring good. Striving for excellence, never being afraid to ask for help when needed, never being afraid to try...those are the things that become contagious. I believe I can help my community by fostering an environment that strives to be great. Who wouldn't want to be near a hospital that promotes excellence? I've recently taken time for deep reflection as to what I want my life to look like and who I want to be. Currently, my life is not at all how I would have pictured it, but I have been able to find beauty from ashes. I think one of my unique qualities is that I am not a quitter. I am determined. I know who I am, and that feels unique enough.

My mother has always told me that she believes I insisted on being the firstborn while in heaven. I am the oldest of seven children. I like to believe that I was born to be a leader. From the very beginning, I knew I was the example and I had a responsibility to my younger siblings. This sense of leadership has carried me into my adulthood and I have held many positions that have allowed me the opportunity to be a mentor and a leader. Before I was ever a nurse, I was the President of the Student Nurse's Association for my College. I loved my time being able to serve my fellow students and friends. I've now been a nurse for ten years. In those ten years, I've had the opportunity to work in many leadership positions. At the top of my list is my work as a preceptor. I loved helping the students. I've found one of the best ways to learn is to teach. There were numerous times that I wouldn't know the answer to a question, so we took time together to look it up. I knew the students watched me and the other nurses closely, so it was always on my mind that I needed to be an example of what it meant to be excellent. I wasn't perfect, but I always did my very best and worked hard. I don't think there is anything better to model than hard work. It is hard work that has led me down the path of nurse anesthesia. It took me years to determine that nursing was the career path for me. I nearly graduated with my degree in Business Management. I could have finished but I knew that was not where I was needed. It took an extra two years, but I earned my associate nursing degree and I've never been more thankful for my decision to become a nurse. I know nurse anesthesia is going to be a tall order. I'm a single mother, I work full time and school is a lot of work. But I have had the most amazing mentors in my own life who have shown me how to work hard for what I want. Before I had my son I was able to land my dream job as a flight nurse. This ignited my desire to work toward my degree in anesthesia. I loved the intricacies of the care required to treat such complicated and acute patients. I am positive that I can use my position as a nurse anesthetist to be a leader and a mentor. I know how to provide exceptional care, even in high-stress situations. I know how to be firm, but caring. And I know that I will love every opportunity I have to teach others, as I have throughout my career.