High School CNA: A step toward the medical field by Sarah

High School CNA: A step toward the medical field by Sarah - September 2019 Scholarship Essay

I am currently a nurse in an ICU in Baltimore City. When I was growing up, I always wanted to be a doctor. I wanted to help people, hold their hands through tough times, and educate them on how to be healthier. It wasn’t until I got a job in a hospital that I realized I could do all those things and be more present with the patient as a nurse. After that, I went to nursing school. I am grateful that I realized nursing aligns more with my emotional and spiritual needs before I began medical school. Now that I am a nurse, I get to interact directly with patients, explain things in a way they understand, and bridge the gap between the doctor and the patient. Patients rely on me for many different things, and I am so glad to be in a position where I can help and educate them.

If I were to start a new extracurricular activity, it would be a junior/senior directed Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Program. This class would be directed towards individuals who want to be medical professionals to get hands-on experience, get a feel for the hospital environment, and determine what role they truly want to fulfil in the healthcare setting. In this program, we would of course cover the required training in the state of Maryland for an individual to become a CNA. However, we would also cover basic pathophysiology of common disease processes seen in the hospital, doctor’s office, and local community. We would discuss other roles present in the healthcare setting, and what training is required for them (such as Nurse Practitioner, Physician’s Assistant, Pharmacist, etc.). I would share real life stories about things that I have experienced as a nurse in a large ICU in Baltimore. Most importantly, we would have share days in local healthcare settings in which the students could shadow different healthcare professionals to truly see what their job is like.

This program would prepare students to work as a CNA and provide a wealth of knowledge and real-world experience. It would also open their eyes to the many different roles available in the healthcare setting, and help people find a position that aligns appropriately with their needs.