Family Nurse Practitioner Essay

Personal Statement

Family Nurse Practitioners have the ability to provide primary and/or preventative care across the life span. This gain in autonomy has been the driving force behind my decision to become a nurse practitioner. Specifically, I would like to provide this type of care to immigrants living in the United Sates. I am a second-generation immigrant. My parents are from Nigeria and came to the United States to pursue their education. Although I was born in and have lived in the United States my whole life, Nigerian culture has had a very strong presence in my household. My decision to become a Registered Nurse was highly influenced by my family and Nigerian culture.

The United States has made great advancements in healthcare, things that other countries have not been able to achieve at this time. The major advantage we have here that other countries may lack is ability to receive and instill our education others. Our education allows use to create and use technologies that are unattainable for many countries at this time. In my time working as a Registered Nurse, I have come to the realization that a major

reason behind the non-compliance of patients with medications and treatments is a lack of understanding behind their diagnosis and treatment. When my patients do not understand the reason behind or consequences for not taking a medication or having a procedure done, they are less likely to remain compliant.
Within my family, when assessing my family members reasons for not taking certain medications or seeking medical attention, I have always been told that this is “a common condition in Nigeria”, or “It is not a big deal in my country”.

This is a trend that I have seen amongst different cultures I have worked with. Some patients prefer to seek herbal treatments, or believe that their prayer is treatment enough for their conditions. While I respect all wishes based on culture or spiritual influences, I believe there is a cultural barrier that many are afraid to address in fear of offending others. As a Family Nurse Practitioner, this will also be a focus for me. I want my patients to understand as much as they can about their condition and I will work as hard as possible to provide them with treatment options appropriate for that patient and their

needs.
Georgia State has an honorable reputation in regards to the preparation of their nurses. While I was researching nursing schools I came across the quote “We Teach, We Research, We Care” on the Georgia State University College of Nursing website. This quote describes major components of nursing, and is one of many reasons behind my reasoning for applying to Georgia State. Registered Nurses practice; teaching, researching and caring daily intentionally & unintentionally while performing our roles. As a Family Nurse Practitioner, it is ideal for me to be prepared by the best so that I may provide the best care to my patients. Acceptance in to this program along with my current experience as a Medical/Surgical nurse will allow me to achieve my goal. After completion of the MSN program, I plan to continue my education and become a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). I have given myself five years to complete my education, and by the year 2020, I aspire to be a Family Nurse Practitioner practicing with my DNP.