Dear Director,
My interest in pursuing nurse anesthesia began my first semester in nursing school. I was privileged to know a fellow student whose father is a nurse anesthetist. After speaking with him I began researching the role of a nurse anesthetist. As I was researching this career path I attended informational sessions, seminars and was fortunate to be allowed to shadow numerous nurse anesthetists. I then realized that this was the career path I wanted to pursue and focused on achieving this professional goal.
After graduation, I was immediately drawn to the intensive care unit and accepted a position at the University of Washington Medical Center in the medical/surgical transplant intensive care unit. The University of Washington offered an excellent twelve-week new graduate orientation program which focused on critical care nursing theory with immediate practical application at the patient bedside. Having gained a strong clinical foundation at the University of Washington I have found I am easily able to adapt to patients in other high acuity settings. Working as a contract nurse I have been given the liberty to work in various large community hospitals throughout the nation. I have since been focused on working in high acuity intensive care units to enhance my skill and knowledge base. It is through this opportunity that I have gained further adaptability, organizational proficiency and critical thinking skills. Through working in intensive care units ranging from cardio-vascular to neurological, I have gained the ability to manage a wide variety of critically ill patients, providing me with a solid clinical and interpersonal foundation to strengthen my nursing practice.
I am fortunate to work in a setting where research and learning are valued. I am especially interested in expanding my knowledge base within the field of anesthesia. I understand that providing excellent patient care requires staying current on new practices, research, and...