Little Nurse by Liliana

Little Nurse by Liliana - February 2025 Scholarship Essay

Tending to surgical drains and packing wounds the size of a fist before hitting double digits—petrifying or playtime? Most children would find such tasks terrifying, but I saw them differently. While peers played on seesaws and swingsets, dreaming of becoming mermaids or pirates, I was living out my fairy tale. However, this fable didn't stem from imagination but from my mother’s bedside, where she would call out for her beloved "Little Nurse." She had no idea how deeply these words would shape my childhood, planting seeds for a passion that would continue for years.

From a young age, I spent countless days in hospitals as my mother recovered from various procedures. Oddly enough, those sterile walls felt like home to me. Instead of feeling uncomfortable, I was fascinated, eagerly searching for ways to assist the nurses. I did what I could—always observing them hard at work. Nurses were like celebrities to me; I was spellbound by every detail of what each was doing and the human body's complexities.

In 2016, my mother underwent surgery to remove a large section of her colon. At nine years old, I embraced my role as "Little Nurse." My dream was unfolding before me, and I wasn't just an observer this time—I was in the thick of it. I didn't shy away from sometimes graphic scenes. Drains were emptied, colostomy bags managed, and an infected wound required constant care. These experiences became some of my most formative memories. Instead of climbing up the monkey bars, I climbed onto my mother's bed. Instead of playing with her makeup, I applied creams to her sores. I found joy in pretending to be a nurse and caring for my mother.

Her bedroom became my playground.

As my mother thankfully recovered, my role as "Little Nurse" ended, but my dedication to caregiving did not. I sought new ways to channel this passion, exploring different "playground structures" through athletics, friendships, education, and work.

Each allowed me to recapture the sense of purpose I first discovered in those early days. Whether rushing to get ice for an injured teammate or sensing when a friend was upset, my peers often remarked on my heightened empathy to others' needs. I immersed myself in the sciences throughout high school, taking the Bio-Medical career pathway and working at Cadia Rehabilitation Center beginning at age fourteen. Yet, despite these achievements, something still felt incomplete—until the call bell.

In 2023, during a regular workday at Cadia, I noticed a certain patient's call bell ringing persistently. I decided to check on it myself and found a frail resident asking to go to the hospital. When I relayed this to the nurse, she said the patient didn't meet the criteria, turned off the bell, and left without addressing the patient's distress. Again, the call bell rang. I felt a strong intuition to approach the patient with empathy. This time, instead of merely acknowledging her frustrations, I pulled up a chair and engaged in a spontaneous and heartfelt conversation. As we talked, I realized her pain ran deeper than the complaints she voiced—loneliness and a longing for human connection were hidden beneath her grumpy exterior.

At that moment, I found my playground had transformed into an entire grand amusement park. I had discovered the true power of nursing—not just administering medication but knowing when to provide comfort and support to those who need it most, a trait I now understand was cultivated through those tender moments with my mother.

Once the patient settled, she thanked me and said, "You're gonna make a great ‘little nurse’ one day." I knew she was referencing my 5'2" stature, but her words still resonated. As I walked out of the room, I finally felt complete. My mother’s “Little Nurse” didn’t need a fairytale. She was fulfilling her role out in the world, ready to make a difference, one patient at a time.