Sarah Blatchford

I figured out I wanted to be a nurse after a lot soul searching.

I went to the University of New Hampshire thinking I would go to medical school afterwards. Continuing through the years, and switching majors, I realized that medical school was not for me.  I learned a lot about myself including the type of person I was and wanted to become.  I am a people person, and know that I want to care for a patient throughout their treatment, not just in the early stages.

I've had many opportunities in the medical field, job shadowing in the emergency and operating rooms and filing and being in charge of skin cancer awareness projects in a dermatology office.  Most recently, I held an administrative position as an ambulatory service representative for seven different clinics at Children's Hospital of Boston (CHB).  I'm lucky that I've been exposed to different perspectives of the medical field which has lead me to where I am today, being confident that this is my path in life to become a nurse.

Working at Children's Hospital ensured my dream and soon reality of becoming a nurse.  Seeing sick children come in on a constant basis made me want to do something more than what I was doing.  I want to help people get better and I think it's the most selfless thing you can do for someone.  If you have the capability and the right attitude, I believe you can make a huge difference in someone's life. 
I want to make a difference. 

I worked on the renal transplant floor at CHB where there was a little boy that would come in once a week and was always very rambunctious but once he saw the renal transplant nurse, his behavior immediately changed.  He would sprint up to her and give her the biggest hug and it was easy to see that his nurse was the light in this child's life.  I'd stop what I was doing just to watch this take place because it touched me in such a way.  I want to be that beacon for children.

Being able to help families out at CHB gave me such a sense of accomplishment; however I know I can do more for them.  I loved being able to brighten a child's day just by telling a simple joke.  Not only did it put a smile one the child's face but it made the parent happy to see their child smiling. Illness was non-existent in that moment.  I feel as though it is in my blood to share this positive energy while being a nurse.

My aunt played a major role in my decision.  After raising her children, she became a school nurse. Before her children, she worked as a kidney transplant nurse at CHB.  I really enjoy talking to her about her experiences because it gives me more perspective on where nursing can take you.  The opportunities are endless. I know I'm going to want to explore my options and I'd love to be a traveling nursing before I settle down with a family of my own.  When that time comes, I can branch out into another area of nursing. 

I love that when it comes to nursing, the sky's the limit.  Even though there are so many areas of nursing, I do believe you have to have the same skills and bedside manner for every patient.  I believe that your attitude can make a difference in someone's treatment.  If you stay positive and hopeful, it will rub off on the patient.  I am a huge believer in positive thinking can make a difference. I'm excited to start this journey at Loyola to become a nurse because I'm that much closer to making a difference in people's lives.