Macee George
2019 - 2020 Nevada Scholarship Recipient
Roseman University | College of Nursing
Becoming a nurse has been something I have been aspiring to since I was quite young. I truly enjoy taking care of others and if I can contribute to the betterment of someone's physical or mental health in even a small degree, I feel I have succeeded. I believe having the opportunity to provide care for others has not only made me the person I am today, but the person and professional I aspire to become.
I worked as a caregiver in a nursing home from the time I was a freshman in high school until my sophomore year of college. I have always felt like I have an "old soul" and truly enjoy spending time with the elderly. Growing up, my father's parents lived in our home so that we could care for them. The result was that my siblings and I formed sold relationships with them that we wouldn't have had otherwise. I would come home from school and immediately run downstairs to see them and try to help in any way I could. Not only were they gracious in allowing me to service them, their sage wisdom and advice helped me form a sold foundation of self-worth and the worth of every human being. They passed away peacefully in their beds within several months of each other. It was both a heart-breaking and solemn experience to be there at the end.
While in my Fundamentals Rotation at UMC in Las Vegas, Nevada, I worked with a patient that had recently been accused of murder. He was presented at our facility with a gun-shot wound to his abdomen. When I was first introduced to him, my initial reaction was one of fright as this was my first experience associating with an accused violent offender. I immediately noticed that a police officer was present in the room and that the patient was hand-cuffed to the bed. I began by performing a dressing change to his wound and followed by emptying his catheter bag, remaining quiet while doing so. I distinctly recall reminding myself that I had committed to treat everyone with the upmost dignity and professionalism. Because I had made that decision, I truly got to know him as a person rather than someone with whom I did not want to associate. I could sense that his spirits were lifted, even for only a little while. This experience is one of many that has impacted me personally and has helped form my views of what is required to show professionalism as a nurse.
