Nursing is my Calling

Introduction

It is not easy to predict the profession that anyone will take at an early age.  In fact, most people play with the thought of different professions before finally settling on one based on their grades or passion.  However, fate can mold one towards a profession that they had not considered.  For my case, it is fate that ignited my passion for pursuing nursing.   My personal experience of taking care of my ailing sister shaped my path to becoming a nurse. My experience helped me develop my passion and to-date; I consider my nursing profession a profession I was called to serve.

Body

Ten years ago, my parents announced that I was going to become a big sister with the arrival of my little sister.  I was over the moon with joy.  However, the birth of my sister marked the beginning of health challenges for my sister.  My sister was born pre-term, and I recall seeing her for the first time.  She was very tiny and was placed in an incubator to aid her breathing.   She remained in the hospital for a whole month before she was discharged.  We were all happy with her arrival and prepared for a new life of being a big sister.  However, our joy was short-lived when we began to notice that something as not right.  I was young then, but I noticed that my little sister had limb muscles.  She could barely support her head.  I also noticed that her legs and arms were limp. My mother had also noticed that the child was experiencing feeding difficulties as she could not latch on the breast for a long time.  The symptoms coupled with obvious developmental delays led to the diagnosis of cerebral palsy when she turned one year.

 It was an emotional and challenging period for the entire family as cerebral palsy has no cure.  However, I remain grateful for the doctors and nurses that we encountered upon the diagnosis of the condition.  The news that my sister will not be cured was devastating, but the healthcare professionals counseled my family.  I recall one nursing taking me to the side and asking me to be strong for my sister for she will need me.  The words of nurses remained etched in my mind for a long time.  I needed to be strong for my sister and assist her through the hurdles of life.  I must admit that it was initially hard to see my sister struggled through the basic milestones of childhood development.  Milestones such as sitting up, crawling, walking with support and finally walking always seem like an automatic occurrence until a condition like cerebral palsy reminds you that the situation can change.

 I took care of my sister as much as I could.  I was around twelve years old and assisted by exercising her limbs.  My parents hired a nurse who assisted in caring for my sister.  Whenever I was free, I accompanied my sister to physiotherapy and speech therapy session.  I played the role of the assistant nurse as I was actively involved in caring for my sister.  I had no qualms cleaning or dressing her and always ensured that she felt as able as possible.   The therapy was helpful in strengthening her muscles, and I ensured that I engaged her in light games and fun activities such as coloring and painting.  At the age of six, my sister developed breathing problems that were found to be arising due to an underlying lung infection.  Unfortunately, she did not survive the disease and passed away. It was a very difficult time for my family, but upon her death, I made the decision to take up nursing a profession and take care of patients to the best of my abilities.

Conclusion

 I did not choose my professional based on grades; it chose the profession as a calling.  I find satisfaction in assisting patients and their families.  In my line of work, I realized that nurses play as the critical role that goes beyond being caregivers.  In my case, I needed a person to talk to and remove me from the feeling of self-pity that came with the realization that my sister was not alright.  The nurse made me see my sister from another angle, my sister was not abnormal, and she was just different and special.  It is that perspective that helped me arise from the sense of pity that I felt towards my sister and my parents.  As a nurse, I believe I will be a positive impact on families and patient battling terminal illnesses.  Such patients and families do not need pity; they need support.  Nurses can provide medical support as well as the critical psychological support that they need.  Nurses can also be a source of hope and strength for families even when the medical situation appears to give a negative outlook.   Moreover, when it comes to death, I intend to be there for the family especially in the case of terminal illness where death is the ultimate occurrence.

Sherry Roberts is the author of this paper. A senior editor at MeldaResearch.Com in legit research paper writing services if you need a similar paper you can place your order for research essay writing services.