Jina Hwang

After graduating with an undergraduate degree in economics, I explored the fields of law and the corporate sector which were both very rewarding careers allowing for frequent interaction, but not quite in my niche for helping people – an action that I consider the most important thing in the world. 

I became a part of the Cope Health Solutions internship program at St. Mary’s Community Hospital near my home and directly interacted with patients, nurses, doctors and other medical staff to cultivate my knowledge of the field I found that I most desirable to pursue.  Originally wanting to become a doctor, I changed course when I realized that in the midst of chaos, injuries and patient admissions, nurses stood as the foundation of healing, comfort, professionalism and leadership.  It is not the name of the doctor you remember when you are a patient, it is the nurse.  I was able to assist nurses who all abundantly proclaimed to love their jobs, and most importantly meet the patients who needed them.  The most rewarding part of nursing is that you are a part of a patient’s recovery, from when they are at their worst, to when they are able to leave the hospital.  That is the difference.  That is real.  That in of itself is worth being a nurse.  Nursing gives us a form of identity, to learn and grow about our own selves, to be self-fulfilled, and to directly encompass the natural cycle that portrays the human body.  I made a decision during this program that being a nurse was now my dream.

In September 2010, I began the ABSN program at Duke University, and it has been a whirlwind of excitement among a superb cohort, faculty, and reputable institution.  It is only with the provisions of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation New Careers in Nursing Scholarship Program (NCIN) that I have been able to attend, learn and pursue a career in nursing.  It is a tremendous blessing every day to become one step closure to licensure and changing the lives of many; and it is incredibly reassuring to know that there are resources available such as NCIN to assist in nursing excellence and the betterment of patient care.

To have my calling realized is to acknowledge that nursing provides fields of opportunities to pursue diverse and eclectic passions.  The profession is full of different peoples, colors, shapes and sizes; ensuring that even within the nursing scope there are so many different roads to follow.  Mine road won’t stop at the BSN and RN licensure but will hopefully advance in either Neonatal care or Nurse Anesthesia.  I would love to enter the military field to expose myself first hand to not only civilian nursing but in active duty, providing ways for personal growth and an opportunity to serve the people of my country.  This is only the beginning, and I am set to see this through.