"The Glass Castle" and Professional Pathways Essay

Becoming a registered nurse would definitely be an interest of mine. I’ve always wanted to help those who are sick and in need of medical attention. Through my professional pathways and the Glass Castle I have learned more about success, goals, and how other people overcome obstacles and are able to accomplish their dreams.

It’s an inspiration to see doctors and nurses helping out others and I want to the same, helping doctors change someone’s life. “Registered nurses are healthcare professionals who care for patients and educate them about their health conditions” Nurses must have college-level training. Either an associates or bachelors degree in nursing is required and at least 2-4 years of education depending on the type of nurse. I chose this job because I feel like to me helping someone out is important. Challenges that nurses face are long shifts. A lot of the times shifts or work hours are extended and can affect their health especially having leg and shoulder pain. Nurses are also exposed to workplace hazards like the flu, germs, injuries etc. “But in a number of cases, nurses must work back-to-back or extended shifts, risking fatigue that would result in medical mistakes” Nurses face a lot of challenges then people thought.

To become a nurse going to college is necessary to get the education needed. To get an associates or bachelors degree in nursing going to college is required to become one. San Francisco State University is one of the many colleges that have the education needed for nursing. Tuition and aid is 27,474 dollars and 17,742 dollars for students living with their parents. I chose this school because there are 77 degrees and the professor are dedicated to helping students through success. “SF State offers bachelor’s degrees 77 academic aras with 48 areas of concentrations, masters in 63 academic areas with 41 areas of concentration, and a doctorate in educational leadership” I chose this college because I want to move to California after high school and the school is 142 acres big and almost 30,000 people attend this school. “In addition to your major area of study, undergraduate students at SF State must fulfill a 48-unit program of General Education Requirements” By having a lot of people at a college I am able to meet and make a lot of friends.

Becoming a nurse means having a long work schedule that requires patience and hard work. Nursing is a career where they take care of patients and monitor too. The average work hours are 12 hours a day and can be longer depending on the schedule. “Interning at a facility and learning a new specialty will require the nurse to add to this standard skill set and broaden his or her repertoire of knowledge and skills” They work with not only other nurses but doctors and physicians or other professionals. Nurses need to keep track and record documentation for patients and making a health plan for them. The average work salary for a registered nurse is about 65,000 dollars. “Speaking and communications skills become more important the further you move up the career ladder” (Totten, Glenda director of nursing service at Kaiser Permanente). The number of nurses in the United States has increased, however it is expected that by the year 2022, the demand will increase by 19%. Benefits of becoming a nurse is job flexibility, nurses can decide to work part time, full time, or work temporarily. The salaries are really good and nurses can decide what location to work in like a city hospital or a rural area. Nursing comes with a lot of hard work but at the end is all worth it.

I think this is a good career fit for me because I want to help make a difference for those in need, and do something that will benefit others and something that challenges me. Current skills that I have are compassion, stamina, and adaptability. These are some of the skills that are important for a nurse to have. “They must also deal with fluctuating schedules, and the ability to cope becomes paramount in such situations” “Nursing is a demanding profession that requires physical, mental, and emotional strength” What I am doing to ensure that I will achieve my goals is by working hard in high school and after high school. Hard work pays of at the end and I want to make sure that happens by passing all my classes so I can get a high school diploma and I want to really focus to achieve my goals. Steps that I could take now in high school to prepare me are to start looking at potential colleges I can attend for nursing and getting a job to pay for it. I’m FHS I would take health careers to help me. Habitats that I should start developing are patience, overcome negativity, and exercise daily. These habits will help with achieving my goals of becoming a registered nurse. If I’m able to have good skills, habits, good grades and hard work I can seek success.

In the novel “The Glass Castle” Jeannette overcomes a lot of obstacles throughout the book, she and her family are poor but that doesn’t stop her from success. Differences between me and Jeannette are that she is held responsible for herself and her siblings because her mom never took care of them, it’s different for me because my mom has always been there to care for me and my siblings and would puts us first before herself. She also had to go through her dad having a drinking problem and fighting a lot with Jeannette’s mom. “With dad drinking again and no money coming in” (Walls Jeannette 79). They not only struggled financially but emotionally too, Jeannette and her sibling went through hunger, abuse etc. She and her family moved around a lot because her dad was trying to run away from people that Jeanette didn’t know about. “ We moved around like nomads, we lived in dusty, little mining towns in Nevada, Arizona, and California” (Walls Jeannette). I think moving around a lot taught her a lot of things from people along the way. Similarities that we both share are that we both care about the people in our lives. When their parents had gotten a two seat vehicle, Jeannette and her brother and older sister had to go in the trunk and had to take care of Maureen her baby sister. She also had hopes for her family and future. “When I was a junior, Miss Bivens made me the editor in chief” (Walls Jeannette 147). Despite what she went through she was able to accomplish her dreams of becoming a writer. She showed that it’s possible to overcome obstacles and find success.

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