Helpful nursing experience

Advanced practice nursing requires more than just theoretical knowledge of basic nursing skills, but more so, it requires some kind of specializationin at least one specific area of nursing. Fully aware of this fact, I have prepared myself with the knowledge gained from both school and job experience/s that exposed me to different facets of advanced practical nursing.
As a registered nurse, I was able to work in the General Surgery/Trauma Floor of a middle-class hospital for seven (7) months. It is a recognized fact that not all nurses are given the chance to work in this particular section of a hospital since it requires not just a thorough knowledge in the processes involved in surgery, but likewise needs an alert mind to cope with the necessities of the situation at the shortest time possible. By extending my service to those afflicted with acute or chronic diseases, not to mention those severely injured, I realized that I must not be content with just performing my job as a nurse, but have to strive more in order to ease out the pain being suffered by my patients. Somehow, my experience in this field gave me an assurance that I am competent enough to handle the most difficult parts of nursing care.
I also had an experience working in a nursing home or short-term rehabilitation center where I gained actual knowledge in handling special people with specific psychiatric needs, above the usual nursing care that are given in regular hospitals. Through this, I learned more how to communicate with different kinds of patients, from the young ones up to old-age patients. It was not really that easy to reach for these people and gain their confidence in order to fully perform the usual nursing care that they need. The actual hands-on experience, no matter how short, had made a big difference in enhancing my practical nursing skills. This knowledge, I admit, cannot be gained by mere reading of books or by observation.
Another equally helpful experience of mine is my two and a half month stint in a community-based clinic where people from all sorts of life come in. By merging with the community folks, I was able to understand their predicament more in terms of health needs and requirements. This raised more sympathy on my end that developed into a deeper feeling or want, to render more help to the community through the application and exercise of my knowledge in nursing.
At this point of my career, I am fully convinced that I have to move on and engage in a more challenging aspect of my profession. Thus, it is high time now for me to engage in advanced practice nursing where I believe I can share my humble knowledge and experience that I have previously gained, as above stated. I do hope that I would be given this much-coveted opportunity.
SOURCE:
http://www. icavts. tec. ok. us/Prnursing. htm#PROGRAM_DESCRIPTION. Retrieved 02 August 2006.