Ryann Duncan

Exploratory Essay
UWRT 1103-030
My Passion and Goals

My heart was pounding ferociously as the Nurse Anesthetist began the five second
countdown. 54321 the patient is now under; please turn on the ventilator. The
patients heart stopped pulsing as the machine picked up and began breathing for him. I felt
overwhelmed with all of the buttons the nurse was pressing along with all the erratic peeps that
kept occurring. The surgeon entered the operating room holding his arms straight out in front of
him and parallel to the floor so no germs would be contracted. The surgical nurses quickly
approached the surgeon with a pair of green latex gloves and a light blue apron. Soon after, he
walked over to the patient and began to examine the future incision site. The aroma of the
hospital invaded my nostrils as I stood in astonishment. In a very serious and intentional manner,
the surgeon took a deep breath and used the scalpel to draw a thin line near the ribs.
I watched the video screen above as the lungs of the patient began to be exposed. A sea of
black speckles surrounded his lungs making it obvious he was a smoker. The surgeon continued
to maneuver through his lungs until he was satisfied with his view. The expression on the
surgeons face along with a short pause confirmed that this case had reached one of the higher
stages of lung cancer. He ordered for a specific scalpel and began to slowly and precisely cut
away at the right lung. The material stretched and seemed to dodge the scalpel because cutting
out the 3 lobes of the right lung took several hours. After the lung was removed, it was placed in
a dish. I zoned in on the dish and noticed that the organ was throbbing in such a rhythm that it

Ryann Duncan
Exploratory Essay
UWRT 1103-030

had not even noticed a change in environment. The surgeon left the room and the nurse
practitioner began closing the incision. Once the incision was nearly closed, the Nurse
Anesthetist began turning the ventilator down because she was trying to get the patient to breathe
again on his own. Light twitches in his feet and soft pulses showed us that he was beginning to
regain consciousness.
The breathing tube was removed, and before we knew it we were driving the cot down
the hall to the Intensive Care Unit where he could be monitored to recover. The doors opened
and the bed was wheeled over to an open area. A worried lady quickly approached the side of the
hospital bed. Her face was as pale as the white wall surrounding us and she was anxiously asking
how the surgery had gone. With a smile on her face, the nurse anesthetist answered saying, The
surgery went as well as it could have. The right lung that was contaminated with cancer cells was
removed entirely and your husband is stable. The look of relief on the womans face was
indescribable. She grabbed her husbands hand and light tears slowly dropped from her eyes.
Chills raced through my spine and I stood astonished as I tried to hold back tears of my own.
I had no idea that one day was going to change my life forever, that shadowing one
procedure would inspire me and leave the impact that it did. At that point, I had no idea what it
would take, but I knew that my heart belongs to helping others; deeper than that, my heart
belongs to being given the chance to act as their support system and care provider. The life that
was re-instilled in the womens face after her husbands surgery went successfully was

Ryann Duncan
Exploratory Essay
UWRT 1103-030

something I knew I could not go a day without witnessing. I had found my passion and there was
not anything that could get in its way.
Being a nurse is much more than giving people shots and bandaging up cuts; rather, it is
lending a shoulder to cry on when someone is in need, being a good listener, getting attached to
patients whether it be good or bad, and always having a positive attitude. To me, being a nurse is
not just an occupation, but it is a way of life. I believe that not just anyone can become a nurse. It
takes a special passion and a particular person. Obviously, nursing school is a challenging task in
itself, but it also requires certain qualities. A few of these qualities include compassion, patience,
selflessness, flexibility, and perseverance. A nurse must exemplify these traits because patients
are constantly putting their trust and care in your hands. They are relying on you not only to keep
them safe, but to be there as a mentor as they take on whatever medical challenge is ahead. I
believe I could make a great nurse because I embody all the required characteristics above plus
others. I am an excellent communicator, I am dependable, and I always put others before myself.
The joy and passion I have to help others is inexpressible.
Additionally, I realize and I have come to accept that the journey to become a nurse is not
one of the easiest career paths. It comes with years of endless studying and continual dedication.
Specifically, I must achieve and maintain between a 3.6-4.0 grade point average in order to be
even considered in such a highly competitive college, I have to receive a grade of a B or better
in all of my science classes, and I have to complete at least fifty hours of community service
before December of my sophomore year. Becoming a nurse involves planning and constant

Ryann Duncan
Exploratory Essay
UWRT 1103-030

thinking about what comes next and how to get yourself to that point; however, I am certain I am
up for the challenge.
Becoming a nurse is the central most important aspect of my life. I am so passionate
about nursing for several reasons. Firstly, I not only want to become a nurse to help people, but I
am also fascinated by the science aspect. There is something so intriguing to me about
understanding the body in such a way that you can help your patients, your family, and your
friends with understanding theirs as well. I am also mesmerized by the fact that every day I go to
work I will have the chance to learn something new. No day will ever be the same due to
constantly dealing with different patients and different illnesses. The patient to nurse interaction
is something I am also extremely passionate about. I am motivated to make every single patient I
see feel comfortable and happy even when smiling is the only thing I can do.
There is not a day that goes by that I dont think about how breathtaking it will be to roll
my first patient into the Intensive Care Unit after a successful surgery. It will be incredibly
rewarding knowing I took such a small part in the mastering of a miracle. Specifically, I cannot
wait to be reunited with the chills as I observe happy tears fall from the eyes of a person when
they realize their loved one is going to be okay. Furthermore, I am positive my consistent
dedication and determination will one day allow me to celebrate my passion each day I wake up
to go to work.