A Personal Account of the Motivation for Becoming a Licensed Practical Nurse

Becoming a licensed practical nurse is a goal I have been working to achieve my entire academic career. At times I felt that this goal may have been unattainable given certain circumstances. However, I have come to understand through my own life experiences that this goal is not only attainable but incredibly realistic. Every situation a person finds themselves in, good or bad, is a chance to gain knowledge. I understand this essay must be brief, but hopefully, the following will provide an understanding of some of the unique situations I've had the benefit of being involved in and how grateful I am for having learned from them.

I am a native New Yorker, born on the south shore of Long Island. I was raised by a hard-working single mother. My father wasn't around, so most of the time, it was just her and me. My mother regularly worked, so there was a fair amount of life lessons I had to learn on my own. Our family was small until she remarried, and I became part of her husband's much larger family. My life went from being just me and my mother to suddenly being surrounded by what I considered strangers, who all seemed to do something different. The place I called home was now filled with people who were cops, firemen, garbage men, musicians, and artists. It was strange at first, but ultimately, and gratefully, I came to accept them as my family.

Although the family was now larger, that didn't mean we were better off financially. It became very obvious to me during high school that if I wanted to go any further academically, I would be the one to pay for it. So, after graduation, I got a job. While my other peers went off to experience the college, I stayed behind to work, trying to save enough money so I could go to college and achieve my goal of becoming an LPN. I can now proudly say that I never wavered in my plans and that I did graduate from Nassau Community college while working full-time.

I want to be a licensed practical nurse because I want to help people. It's a lesson I learned from all of the members of my family. Every one of them is in a profession that is selfless and that puts the needs of others and the community before their own. And I know that because of the different characters in my family and the fact that I changed schools in my youth and was able to adapt to all of the new rules and personalities, tells me that I'm ready, willing, and able to be an LPN. I can handle change, different patients, paperwork, and doctors. The understanding and experience I have gained throughout my life reassure me that I am ready for the challenge of completing this program and finally achieving my goal of being a licensed practical nurse. Thank you for reading this.

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