Introduction
Student Introduction and Statement of Purpose
Student: I am a student at Chamberlain College of Nursing. This interview will be conducted as a part of the series of tasks aimed at understanding the job of a nurse better by getting insights from a professional nurse’s firsthand experience.
Nurse Introduction
Nurse: I have worked as an RN for thirty years, and I will be happy to share my reasons for selecting the career path and my development in it.
Nurse States Verbal Permission for Interview and Submission
Nurse: I give my permission for the interview and submission of its record as per the interviewer’s study needs.
Questions and Answers
Primary Question 1
Student: What are some of your favorite memories of nursing school?
Nurse: My favorite memories are largely concerned with the professors who taught me. All of them were skilled professionals and very polite and considerate people who treated students as their future colleagues. Thus, my peers and I were inspired to learn under the guidance of those people.
Follow-up a
Student: What was your reasoning behind the decision to be a professional nurse?
Nurse: My great-grandmother used to be a nurse during World War II. Although I had never met her (she died before I was born), the stories I heard about her courage and compassion always excited me. As I grew up, I realized there could be no nobler profession than that of a nurse.
Follow-up b
Student: How did classmates or instructors impact your development as a nurse?
Nurse: Both my instructors and classmates were very supportive, and there was an atmosphere of mutual understanding in our classes. At the same time, we frequently had challenging tasks, which promoted quick thinking and efficient decision-making.
Primary Question 2
Student: How have you improved the quality of nursing practice during your career?
Nurse: I had numerous opportunities to improve my skills, starting with practical assignments and participating in professional seminars and conferences. With years and even decades of work in this sphere, I never missed a chance to gain new knowledge and obtain new skills.
Follow-up a
Student: Why did you choose that path in improving your career?
Nurse: I have always enjoyed attending conferences due to several reasons. Firstly, they are perfect places for learning about innovative methods of care and treatment and brand-new technological tools and appliances that simplify the work of a nurse and make it more effective. Secondly, there is always a chance to participate in ardent discussions during such meetings. Finally, I can meet with colleagues from various regions in the USA or even from abroad and compare and contrast our approaches.
Follow-up b
Student: Taking into account those improvements, what benefits would you take from them?
Nurse: I tend to emphasize the innovations I learn about during work meetings. The latest benefit I gained from attending a seminar was enhancing knowledge in utilizing electronic health records. Even though I am a senior specialist, I do not want to lag behind young and eager minds to exploit the advantages of health information systems.
Primary Question 3
Student: How have you interacted with any obstacles you have found in your profession?
Nurse: I do not think any nurse can build a career without meeting some obstacles in their way. For me, the best way of interacting with barriers is, first of all, acknowledging them. Then, I usually analyze the possible solutions, including asking for advice from my colleagues. I think that it is crucial for any healthcare professional not to consider his or her opinion as to the only one acceptable.
Follow-up a
Student: What are some barriers that have been present in your profession?
Nurse: The most difficult one for me has always been resistance and the lack of trust in patients or their families. Our profession is complicated enough without such interpersonal conflicts, and aggravating the patient’s condition due to some misunderstandings seems to be a highly unreasonable idea.
Follow-up b
Student: What methods or strategies have you implemented to eliminate those obstacles or barriers?
Nurse: Usually, I try to talk to such patients or family members first. However, if I notice that they are not willing to listen to reason, I address a social worker or a psychologist for help.
Primary Question 4
Student: How have you contributed to the profession of nursing and to nursing history?
Nurse: Personally, I consider my contribution to the enhancement of the newborn unit of the hospital as the greatest one. I have spent much time studying the practices of looking after babies and made many suggestions on the unit’s improvement.
Follow-up a
Student: Why has work in that area become your passion?
Nurse: I have always loved taking care of babies (you may not remember that, but I also spent much time looking after you as an infant). Newborns are so innocent and defenseless that I made it my determination to make the conditions for them better at our hospital.
Follow-up b
Student: How has your practice modify or improve your development and those around you?
Nurse: My practice helped me to become more responsible and manage my time better. As for people around me, I guess they have learned to appreciate my profession.
Primary Question 5
Student: Who is your favorite nurse from nursing history?
Nurse: Definitely, it is Florence Nightingale!
Follow-up a
Student: How did your favorite nurse influence your practice or decisions about your practice?
Nurse: Florence Nightingale inspired millions of nurses, including me, by setting an example of how a nurse should be an advocate and a caregiver (McDonald, 2019). A pioneer in providing a clean environment for patients, she made numerous contributions to the establishment of nursing as a profession (Karimi & Alavi, 2015).
Follow-up b
Student: How has that nurse influenced your own nursing practice?
Nurse: I have always tried to follow Nightingale’s principles and serve as a wise advocate of my clients’ decisions.
Conclusion
Gratitude
Student: Dear Mrs. Johns, I cannot nearly express my gratitude for all the years of your support to my family and your professionalism. Also, I want to thank you for agreeing to have this interview. Your stories have always inspired me, and they did so once again today when I realized that the choice of profession I had made was the right one.
Learning
Student: The interview allowed me to learn about some barriers existing in nurses’ work, as well as the ways of mitigating obstacles on the way to helping others. I learned that despite difficulties, the one who is determined to bring better outcomes for people would not step back in case of problems. I also realized that it is not enough to complete the program successfully to become a diligent professional. Instead, one has to engage in constant self-improvement and self-analysis to become proficient.
References
Karimi, H., & Alavi, N. M. (2015). Florence Nightingale: The mother of nursing. Nursing and Midwifery Studies, 4(2), e29475. Web.
McDonald, L. (2019). Florence Nightingale: A reference guide to her life and works. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield.