So before I get into talking about our first few days at orientation and telling you my initial impressions of the JHUSON, (I know, I know, the things you really want to hear!), I think a brief introduction is in order.
As you can see from the little intro blurb, I am a 2010 accelerated BSN student. I graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences, with a Self and Society concentration, and a minor in Elementary Education. Tons of great classes, but as you can probably tell, kind of long vague title! Not so much science, and not so much direction when I graduated.
So why nursing?
Well, that my friend, is a good question. My dream of becoming a nurse didn’t really start years ago like some. When I attended college, I knew I really wanted a job I was passionate about, a job that would fulfill me in the sense that I knew that what I was doing would make a tangible difference, and I wanted to do that job in developing countries. There are many professions that can accomplish this, but that was part of my problem. So many to choose from, what to pick!?
I’ve thought about, and considered it all! Photojournalist, midwife, teacher, nurse, counselor, and the list could, (and did) go on.
Ultimately, it would take my love and interest in serving people, combined with a few tragic family health conditions that occurred during my life, and my traveling overseas, which made me more globally aware, to convince me that being a nurse was my calling.
So I guess you could say my passion for being a nurse developed naturally through my life experiences.
My goal in getting my BSN is to become a nurse midwife and then to eventually work overseas training and teaching preventative health care, working in community clinics, and working specifically with women as a midwife. And that, is my very condensed version, but hopefully it gives you some insight into what has inspired me to become a nurse! It will be quite the journey getting there, and I’m not going to lie, I’m so nervous, but I am also definitely excited for each step!!
And finally…why Johns Hopkins?
Well, I’m so glad you asked! After perusing the pages of this website I’m sure you noticed the global focus here! It’s awesome! With Peace Corps Fellows, Global Nursing programs with several study abroad opportunities and collaborations in 12 countries, and Community outreach programs, such as Birth Companions, SOURCE, and SON COP, you can see that the focus is truly being a servant in our community both locally and abroad, as well as giving students an excellent education to prepare them to achieve their goals. I can’t say enough about how excited I am about the opportunities that we will have. With my interests and goals, JHUSON seemed like the perfect fit.
The accelerated program is intense, very. So I’ll be busy, very. But I promise to keep you posted on my journey.
~Rachel