Christina Lee

Choosing a career in nursing is one thing; having a genuine care for others that conveniently suits your profession is another. Similarly to other fresh college students, I struggled with deciding what to dedicate my life to. I was a premedical student majoring in psychology that considered architecture, forensics, and graphic arts all at the same time. I decided to maintain the path of a potential health professional knowing it would make my parents proud but the thought of medical school never settled well with me. After graduating I had my first taste of the nursing world when I became a certified nursing assistant (CNA). Being a CNA was the most demanding and intense hourly paid job I had ever experienced. Responsible for at least ten patients, I had to consider each individual’s morning/nightly rituals, meal times, bathing, toileting, family visits, therapy sessions, recreational activities, preferences and most importantly their care plan. The nursing staff was required to run as a synchronized, well-oiled machine in order to properly care for all of the patients. With that being said, being a CNA was also one of the most rewarding jobs I had experienced and will not forget.

As nurses, people instill their trust into us to help them become both physically and mentally healthier. Having the opportunity to have a major impact in an individual’s life during their most vulnerable time is a gift. In addition to that opportunity, unbeknownst to us as health professionals, our patients will also have an impact on us. The relationship between nurse and patient is mutualistic.

Nursing became a calling to me during my master’s program for public health. While interning at the March of Dimes I was enlightened by the variety of positions that a nurse can be qualified for. The combination of public health and nurse education interested me the most. I believe that nurses emphasize health education and prevention by providing information that will increase the knowledge of the patient towards their well-being. Nurse education is reflected in the quote: “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation NCIN Scholarship has given me the support, resources, and belief that I will become a nurse that nurtures, protects, bonds, and teach others. As a future nurse leader, I know that I will make both my family and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation proud.