Changing the World Through Nursing, One Patient at a Time
By Gianna Lella
Throughout my 21 years of life, I have spent more time in hospitals than I would have preferred. I watched my grandma fight a two-year losing battle to lung cancer. I watched as a medical team tried to revive my aunt after she took her own life. I held a nurse’s hand as we watched my grandpa peacefully pass away from a brain injury. I also watched doctors and nurses save my grandma’s life after being diagnosed with colon cancer. And as for myself, I would not be here today if it was not for the doctors and nurses who saved my life when I was born prematurely. Throughout all of these uncertain experiences, along with many others, I have seen the best and the worst that the healthcare system has to offer. My family and I have encountered some of the most kind-hearted souls in the world, but we have also dealt with people who would not give us the time of day. I would not be where I am today without these experiences that have helped shape me, and I will use all of my knowledge from these events to provide the best possible care to my patients.
Providing excellent care as a nurse means many things to me. Of course, the first aspect that comes to mind when we think of nursing is providing reliable, top-quality medical care to our patients. However, after watching nurses work, I realize that the job is so much more than that. As a nurse, you need to be there emotionally, mentally, and physically for your patients. When a person is in the hospital, they are in an extremely vulnerable place. While in my care, I want to be a friendly face, a listening ear, and an advocate for my patients.
Having been the relative of patients, I also know just how difficult it is for family members to have a loved one in the hospital. I want to be a comfort to the families of my patients and try to ease their concerns in any way I can. Patients and their families, along with doctors and nurses, all belong to a well-knit community that relies on one another to thrive. Whether I am in an in-patient or out-patient employment situation, I plan to conquer my dream of providing the most excellent care by doing everything in my power to bring about a positive health outcome. Furthermore, I plan to be compassionate, considerate, and a good listener to my patients and their families always.
I love that nursing is a career that will always require me to be learning and growing on both a professional and personal level. Between keeping up to date with the latest breakthroughs in medicine, to working on techniques to improve my bedside manner, I am certain that I will be continuously challenged in this field. I believe that having the willingness to grow is one of the most important ways that I can provide excellent care throughout the entirety of my nursing career, and I am so excited to begin my journey this Fall.