When I was six my Papa had a liver transplant which saved his life. Because of the transplant I was able to spend nine extra years with him, during which our family had tons of get togethers for every holiday and “just-because-occasion.” Whenever we were all together my Papa would explain, “It doesn’t get any better then this.” His health fluctuated throughout those nine years and he was often in the hospital for issues like blood clots, kidney failure, and a ruptured colon. No matter his condition, however, his motto remained, “It doesn’t get any better then this.” His positive attitude not only inspired my family and me, but the entire congregation at the church at which he preached. My Papa passed away when I was 15 but since then his optimism has lived on inside of me. When I become a nurse I plan on contributing that positive outlook to the healthcare field. Because no matter how bad a situation may be, a smile and a compliment can make it seem, if even for a second, that it doesn’t get any better then this.

As a human race we are broken. The only way out of brokenness is through compassion, humility, and relationship. As a healthcare provider I will live and work by my guiding principles, which starts with having an open heart, open mind, and embracing diversity. Every situation and person is unique and therefore I must adapt in order to completely fulfill the needs of my patients. I will cloak myself with an armor of unconditional love leaving all judgment aside. My ultimate goal as a healthcare provider is to create an everlasting impression with all whom I interact with by inspiring and motivating.

The tears that I dare not shed lie behind my smile. But as I smile, I know that people see it and smile in return. Receiving that smile makes me smile more and helps my sadness go away. My philosophy of healthcare lies in a smile. Though it may sound simple and naive, I believe that in the first step in helping someone is to offer an understanding and kind smile. Through that sincere spread of lips, we quickly enable others to feel at ease. Therefore making their hospital stay more bearable. I want my smile to be a small reflection of who Jesus is. Once I do that, I know that through Him, I can make a difference for someone. In the words of Leo Buscaglia “Too often we underestimated the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, or the smallest act of caring. All of which have the potential to turn a life around.”

In the healthcare profession we hear words such as; compassion, hope, faith, integrity, and love to describe the characteristics we need to have and most importantly show our patients in order to be the best healthcare provider for them. Through my brokenness of losing family, friends, and each life changing experience I have developed my philosophy of healthcare. My philosophy of healthcare is no matter how hard times may seem or how dark our lives may look, we must always remember to have compassion for those suffering, have hope when all seems lost, always have faith in God, because science can only go so far before God takes over, to take integrity in our jobs and what we do for each patient, and last but not least love what we do and show love toward others as Jesus told us to do.

My philosophy of healthcare is to treat each patient with compassion, to not judge them for their current situation, but to show them kindness and offer the care that I would offer my own family. My goal is to offer relationship centered care, so that I may heal their hearts as well as their illness. With love, compassion, and kindness, a patient can be saved from their brokenness.

Much of my life has been spent watching my mother fight ovarian cancer. I saw the physical and emotional pain she endured for six long years and was traumatized after her death. Through this experience I gained much insight as to how I want to treat my patients when I become a nurse. I want to not only give them the best care, but get to know them and be compassionate, because I know that what they are going through is not easy. I also want to involve their family, because I know how hard it is to have a sick family member. My philosophy of healthcare is to treat all my patients as if they were my mother. This way I will know that they will get the best physical care possible along with compassion and understanding of what they are going through.

We are most times unaware of how the different events and decisions affect our outlook on life. I have found that every event throughout my life has changed the way I think,the way I act, how I view life as a whole, and in turn creates my unique philosophy of healthcare. I have experienced brokenness many times during my life, including my parents divorce, death of my grandma and grandpa, best friend, and most recently the death of my boyfriend. There are no words to express the pain or sadness I was feeling, no actions I could take to get them back and no last goodbye, just memories. This experience as well as my other life experiences led me to find my true self, to believe that we need to rely on God to get through times of hurt and pain and never take a single moment for granted. I can use my life experiences and faith in God to help and comfort my patients dealing with different types of pain,problems, or disabilities, so they too can find happiness in this life and faith in God.

In the fall of 2009, my mother was a patient at Florida Hospital for a liver biopsy. At the same time, my father was suffering from a severe depression and anxiety disorder. Although he was being treated for his condition, his ability to process information was impaired, particularly in unfamiliar or stressful situations. Consequently he was experiencing extreme anxiety over the simple task of finding his way back to the car and successfully picking up my mother. It was at this time that my mothers nurse recognized that my father was having difficulty. Without hesitation, she took the time out of her busy schedule to walk with my father all the way to the parking garage, showing him each and every step that he would take. This nurse went above and beyond her duties by extending exceptional care and compassion for another person. Someone who is not even her patient, but obviously needed help. This is why my philosophy of healthcare is to maintain an open mind. If we change the way we look at things, the things we look at will change.

As a healthcare professional I will strive to provide patience with my beliefs and professional knowledge, spirituality, understanding, and listening. I will treat each and every life I touch as I would treat my own family and loved ones. Striving to always be that person whom actually is remembered and makes a difference in the lives of others. I have truly found my place in this life and will work to be the small token of contribution to repay God for his greatest gift of life and love.