Entering into the Nursing profession for me has been a journey.

This journey started

with a passion for nursing as a child. At age fifteen when I was asked by mother,
who was a social worker in the local public health department, what profession I
would like to purse, I said Nursing. With some family opposition at that time, my
journey was diverted to studying Microbiology. I got admission into the Obafemi
Awolowo University Ile Ife, Nigeria, where I graduated with a Bachelor and a
Masters in Microbiology from 1981-1988.
My Teaching experience began during my National Youth Service in Nigeria, when I
was deployed for one year, to The School of Health-Port Harcourt, where I taught
basic sciences and Microbiology to the Health superintendents and Nursing
Assistants. Later I was employed as a Microbiology Lecturer at the Yaba college of
Technology for five years, where a taught Microbiology and supervised my diploma
students projects as they prepared for their Higher National Diploma in Microbiology.
In 1993, based on my passion and teaching experience, I was employed as an Adult
Educator by The Chicago City Colleges, at the Malcolm X College off site campus,
Chicago Commons Educational Training Center. For seven years, I taught biology,
chemistry, Physics, Mathematics English language and literature. In the Adult Basic
Education Program, I prepared my students for the GED and also skills needed to
join and succeed in the workforce.
My desire to be a nurse still persisted when we traveled to New Zealand. Even
though I now had my own family, with my three young boys and the nearest nursing
school was an hour and a half away, I was determined to begin my nursing journey. I
was admitted to Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology, Christchurch New
Zealand, where I graduated with a Bachelor of Nursing. I completed the compulsory
Graduate Nurse Program, immediately after graduation.
After completing my Graduate Nurse Program in Ashburton Hospital [Nurse
Residency Program}, I got employed as a Staff RN. I was mainly in the Day Surgery
Unit, preparing patients for their day surgeries and discharging them home when
they were stable. Patient education was very important to me and this was an
important aspect of this unit both at discharge and post discharge when we make
post discharge phone calls. On this unit, we also had to do staff education on cases
of interest on the unit monthly. I presented on some of my cases of interest and
received good evaluations on them.
Getting involved with student nurses when they come for their clinical rotations was
of paramount interest to me. My philosophy is for the nursing profession to excel.
Contributing to this by encouraging, supporting, and teaching upcoming nurses
clinical skills necessary to further excel in this was my passion. I made myself
available when given the opportunity to precept nurses students.
At my present job, at The medical center of Lewisville- inpatient Rehabilitation unit, I
was very determined to be a proactive nurse. Within three months of starting the
job, I studied very hard and passed my certification exam. I became a Certified
Rehabilitation Registered Nurse. I got involved in hospital Committees, knowing that
for the Nursing Profession to move forward, as nurses, we need to get more
involved with our hospital policies, hospital system processes and procedures that

shape bed side nursing. I am presently on the Nurse/Pharmacy Committee. My

Nurse Manager nominated me also to represent the department in the Quality
Assurance Committee of the Hospital. I am a quality Campion for my unit, this
involves hearing opinions of bed side nurses on identified issues and passing it on to
the committee. I am also getting familiar with various quality issues the Hospital is
working on.
I believe with a Masters degree in Nursing education, I will be better qualified to
teach either at educational institutions or in clinical settings. I always remember
that in all the interviews I have been privileged to attend, I always tell them when I
am asked where I see myself in 5 years, I always say a see myself back in some
classroom as a Nurse Educator. I really enjoy teaching as a profession and I am
passionate about nursing as a profession also. I strongly feel that the combination of
my experience in teaching and nursing skills will enable me to be a great nursing
educator that will contribute to nursing excellence.