Personal Narrative: My Life As A Certified Nursing Assistant

I have searched the entire web with no success looking for a story that I can relate to. I read many great stories and they were all inspiriting in their special ways, some were very closed to my story, and they were closed to bring tears into my eyes, yet they were not close enough. I search for months, until I realized that we all had a unique story.

My story started the day I step foot in the United State, October 4, 1994. I was lost in an unfamiliar world. My only academic guidance was my father who was a Certified Nursing Assistant. My new family was also composed of my stepmother, my 16-year-old brother, my 10 years old, and my 4 years old sisters. I spoke very little English, and my body was experiencing a culture chock for the first time of my existence. Finally, I was given a counselor while

attending North Miami Beach Senior High, yet I probably understood about 50% of what he was telling me.

Surprisingly, within the first year of being in high school, I took and passed the High School Competency Test (HSCT). I had no idea what the acronym was, all I knew was that I needed to take that test an passed it before I can graduate high school and go to college. My counselor was surprised, but happy for me. From that day on, he spoke nothing to me, but college, and how bright I was. Eventually, I told him, I want to be a lawyer. He replied yes, you can be a lawyer, one day, but now what do you want to be. He started telling me about his daughter who works at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami. Finally, I realized that he thinks I should become a nurse. I started to question myself, I asked, did he heard what I told him, that I want to be a lawyer or did he ganged up with my dad to convince me that I need to be a nurse. I went home confused, and I got into a deep conversation with my dad. Well, he managed to convince me that nursing was the shortest, and best option for someone like me. He reminded me that I needed to make the way for my little sister who is now an

Occupational Therapist, graduated from Barry University, and my second little sister who is now in her second years of medical school at the Florida States University. My family did not have much of anything; as a matter of fact, I was the first one to be going to college; fortunately, I managed to get a scholarship, but it was not enough to get me into law school.
Fourteen years’ letter married with a family of my own, I am still hunting with the idea of becoming a lawyer. As a matter of fact, tears pour out of my eyes just thinking about it and knowing that I may never become the person I always wanted to be. I love being a nurse, I thank my high school counselor and especially my daddy every day for their guidance. Being a nurse opened up a lot of doors for me. I got to help people, advocate for them, while helping them make very important decisions; however, I still feel empty inside. I am a nurse with a master's degree in public administration. I worked for the veterans’ hospital; therefore, if I choose to get a Doctorate in Nursing or a PhD, I will need no loans because my continuing education will be paid for by a government fund called NNEI. I spoke to many people, including my second little sister trying to understand all my options and see what is best to do. Everyone told me to get the free education, but I remember that I did that before. Although, I do not regret the choice that I made; however, I think that nursing is not my calling. Nursing is the path to my calling. I cannot stop thinking about being a lawyer. No matter at what cost, I need to fulfill my dream. All I need is someone else to believe in me and give me the opportunity.