Nursing Responsibility by Mollie

Nursing Responsibility by Mollie - February 2019 Scholarship Essay

From an early age, I developed strong interests in science and math. I was the first one to pick up the scalpel to dissect the frog, the first to sign up for a field trip to view a live heart surgery, and my science fair project was even chosen for inclusion in a national science fair. In high school, I had the most enthusiastic lab report in the Academic Resource Center and I spent my summers as a lifeguard. Not only did I learn about CPR and first aid, but I got to apply that knowledge to patrons of the pool. Whereas I did not have to save anyone’s life, I attended to nose bleeds, bee stings, and open wounds. I had to think fast, take control, and make quick, confident decisions. The summer before my sophomore year of college, I volunteered in the emergency and radiology departments at Highland Park Hospital where I answered phone calls, checked in patients, and offered them comfort and information for their care.
Besides an interest in science, I also have a passion for social justice. I have always stood up for what I believe in and I am not afraid to share my opinion, even if I am the only one that has it. I have advocated for causes I believe in through becoming educated, voting, calling my senators and representatives, doing community service, protesting, and more.
I want to combine those passions as a nurse. I have just begun my upper division courses at the University of South Carolina, an extremely competitive program. I have excelled academically and I look forward to dive into clinical nursing courses to prepare myself for my future career. I want to work as a public health nurse. I want to work with patients clinically but also on a larger scale. I hope to work with underprivileged communities who experience healthcare disparities. The glaring inequalities in healthcare among minority racial/ethnic groups, the LGBTQ community, and more are something that I hope to address and negate in the future, as arbitrary factors should not determine whether or not someone has access to care. As a nurse, it is my responsibility to give all my patients the best holistic and culturally competent care possible. So, it is my responsibility to eliminate these disparities so everyone has access to proper healthcare and healthcare education. This can be done through research, healthcare practice, and advocating for social reform and I hope to work towards eliminating healthcare disparities through the field of nursing in the future.