My Semester Experience

     As this semester is almost about to be over, I can't help but look back on that night I heard my colleague asked " Is this all what nursing can offer?", that was the moment I looked in the mirror and asked the same question for myself. At first, when I decided to pursue my MSN I taught I can't make it, I can't finish this semester for I was too overwhelmed by online education for it was totally new to me but with the help of my professors and of my classmates I was encouraged to continue pressing on. This semester had taught me a lot not only academically but most specially the experiences had made me realized of who I am and of what I am capable of. It made me more confident about myself and made me more whole as an individual. I know that this is just a beginning of great endeavours for me. I am looking forward for the next semester where I strongly believe, more doors of learning opportunities awaits me and  my dear classmates.
     This Reflective Journal was a great tool for me, for it gave me the arena where I can express myself, my adventures, my frustrations and fears, and my triumphs and success. It also served as my window where I can take a look of what my classmates' experiences as well. The Reflective Journals served as my link with my classmates whom although I haven't had the chance to know and meet face to face, gave me the chance to at least know them through their works, comments, and points of view to all the topics that were discussed. I hope and pray to see you all again next semester as God permits.

My Role...." I want to teach with a heart".

      I believe that I am  a teacher by heart. There's always been a part of me that says " I want to someday teach and be a part of shaping someone's life". Now that I am pursuing that dream by first making sure that I will be equipt with the knowledge and skills that I will be needing when I step into that arena called teaching, I am continually learning the importance of having in me the heart to teach. The very essence of education. As I go through with this MSN program of mine, the more I understand that as a future nurse educator I will have the chance to impart to my students the very core principle of nursing care and that is to care with love and compassion. That, the community we serve are made up of human beings that although they will differ in their level of needs, but that no matter how simple nor how complex their needs might be, all of them will need loving and compassionate care. So as I prepare myself, I also woud want to be an educator who is well informed of the latest technologies and research-based studies that will help me be a more realiable advocate, guide, facilitator, mentor, a resource person  to my students. I believe I can attain this goal by making sure that I will continually have my personal and professional growth at par with the needs of time. I strongly believe that for me to be successful in this endevour I need to always remind myself that I myself is also a student that needs to learn and re-learn things.

My Philosophy of Nursing Education

     As I reflect on this past assignment of formulating my philosophy of education it took me awhile to finished the subject matter, for being a minority I can't help but put myself  back in the school premise I had back home. I found this assignment so mind provoking in a sense that I can't help but compare. As far as I can remember, schooling for me at that time revolves around books, papers, libraries and memorization ( tons of memorization). I remember asking myself then if this is all what learning is all about. But now I realized that it was the very basic fundation of what and who I am now. I now have a clearer understanding of how important it is to always start from the basics for these will direct the path you are going to take. Now that I am planning to become a teacher someday, I now have a better understanding of how I can be an effective and efficient student advocate. I will still use books, papers, libraries and yes, tons of memorizations to educate my students but this time I will make sure to practice reflective thinking more so that my students will use our classroom as their avenue of expressing their ideas. I want my students to learn from me but I would also want to learn from my students. That is what kind of a teacher I want to be.

Why I chose the Education Track

     One night while I was at work in the hospital doing my routine works, I heard an elderly colleague of mine verbalizing her frustrations and sense of physical deterioration. She said that her strength is not the same as before and she asked if this is all that nursing can offer. At that moment, I saw myself ten or twenty years from now, I asked my self "Will I have the same sense of deterioration or worst sense of worthlessness?" Right then and there I realized that I don't need to reach that point. That there is something more about nursing, that it does not end at bedside care.
     I know that aging is inevitable and that there will come a point in my life that physical signs will reveal that I am getting older but it does not mean that I don"t need to grow better and wiser. That is why I decided to go back to school and purse my MSN Program.
     I choose the Education Track because I believe that I am a teacher at heart. I always find it fulfilling as a nurse that aside from being able to carry out doctor's order with confidence and take care of my patient's immediate needs with compassion I also find it rewarding when I have the chance to impart to my patients some knowledge regarding the aspects of their care that will help them be more independent. I always have a goal in my mind  for my patient to go home with at least having the understanding of what their reason of hospitalization was.
     I aim to learn in this program on how can I effectively integrate my love for nursing and my passion for teaching. I want to learn to gain a strong foundation where I can be an effective nurse educator while working as a nurse right now in the hospital and how can I become a well adept resource person for my future nursing students in the school scenario. I hope to grow better and wiser not only just to grow older.