what is nursing for you essay

How to Write an Essay About Why I Want to Become A Nurse

Writing about why you want to be a nurse is your chance to tell your unique story. It’s not just about listing your qualities or experiences – it’s about showing the person behind those things.

Your essay should paint a picture of who you are, why nursing speaks to you, and how you’ll make a difference in people’s lives as a nurse.

In this guide, How to Write an Essay About Why I Want to Become A Nurse, we’ll walk through everything you need to know to write a stellar essay about why you want to become a nurse. We’ll cover what to include, how to start strong, common themes to explore, and tips to make your essay stand out.

So let’s dive in and get you on your way to nursing school!

Table of Contents

Why I Want to Become a Nurse: Crafting a Compelling Nurse Essay

What should i include in my nurse essay.

When you sit down to write your essay on why you want to become a nurse, there are a few key elements you’ll want to include. These will help create a well-rounded picture of you as a future nurse.

Key Elements of a Strong Personal Statement

• Your motivation: Explain what drew you to nursing in the first place. Was it a personal experience? A role model? A desire to help others?
• Your qualities: Highlight the traits you have that would make you a great nurse, like compassion, attention to detail, or ability to stay calm under pressure.
• Your experiences: Share any relevant experiences you’ve had, whether it’s volunteering at a hospital, caring for a family member, or shadowing a nurse.
• Your goals: Talk about what you hope to achieve as a nurse and how this aligns with your personal values.
• Your understanding of nursing: Show that you know what nursing really involves – both the rewards and the challenges.

How to Articulate Your Desire to Help People

One of the most common reasons people choose nursing is the desire to help others. But how do you express this in a way that doesn’t sound cliché? Here are some tips:

• Be specific: Instead of just saying “I want to help people,” give examples of how you want to help. For instance, “I want to provide comfort to patients during their most vulnerable moments.”
• Share a story: If you have a personal experience that sparked your desire to help, tell that story. It could be about a time you or a loved one received great care from a nurse.
• Connect it to nursing: Explain why you believe nursing is the best way for you to help others. What about nursing specifically appeals to you?

What Makes Nursing a Unique Profession?

In your essay, it’s good to show that you understand what sets nursing apart from other healthcare professions. Here are some unique aspects of nursing you might want to touch on:

• Patient advocacy: Nurses often act as a voice for their patients, ensuring their needs are met.
• Holistic care: Nurses care for the whole person – not just their physical health, but their emotional and mental well-being too.
• Constant learning: The medical field is always changing, and nurses are lifelong learners.
• Versatility: Nursing offers many different specialties and work environments.
• Human connection: Nurses often form meaningful bonds with patients and their families.

How Do I Start My Essay on Wanting to Be a Nurse?

The beginning of your essay is crucial – it’s your chance to grab the reader’s attention and make them want to keep reading. Here are some tips for crafting a strong introduction:

Crafting an Attention-Grabbing Introduction

• Start with a hook: This could be a surprising fact about nursing, a powerful quote, or a thought-provoking question.
• Share a vivid anecdote: Begin with a short story that illustrates why you’re drawn to nursing.
• State your purpose clearly: Within the first paragraph, make it clear that you’re explaining why you want to become a nurse.
• Keep it concise: Your introduction should be engaging but brief – aim for 3-5 sentences.

Here’s an example of how you might start your essay:

“The steady beep of the heart monitor, the hushed voices of concerned family members, and the gentle reassurance of a nurse – these are the sounds that first drew me to the world of nursing. It was during my grandmother’s hospital stay that I witnessed firsthand the profound impact a compassionate nurse can have on a patient’s journey. From that moment, I knew I wanted to become a nurse and make that same difference in people’s lives.”

Sharing Your Personal Journey in Nursing

Your essay should tell the story of how you came to choose nursing as your career path. This personal journey is unique to you and is what will make your essay stand out. Here are some questions to help you reflect on your journey:

• When did you first become interested in nursing?
• Was there a specific moment or experience that confirmed this was the right path for you?
• How have your experiences so far (volunteering, coursework, etc.) shaped your understanding of nursing?
• What challenges have you faced on your path to nursing, and how have you overcome them?

What Motivated You to Choose Nursing?

There are many reasons why someone might choose nursing as a career. Reflecting on your personal motivations will help make your essay more authentic and compelling. Some common motivations include:

• A desire to make a difference in people’s lives
• Interest in healthcare and medicine
• Personal experience with illness or caregiving
• Admiration for a nurse role model
• The variety and opportunities within the nursing field
• Job security and career growth potential

Remember, it’s okay to have multiple motivations. The key is to explain them honestly and show how they’ve shaped your decision to become a nurse.

What Are Common Themes in a ‘Become a Nurse’ Essay?

While every nursing essay is unique, there are some common themes that often come up. Including these in your essay can help demonstrate your understanding of what it means to be a nurse.

The Importance of Making a Difference in People’s Lives

One of the most rewarding aspects of nursing is the ability to make a real difference in people’s lives. In your essay, you might want to:

• Describe a time when you saw a nurse make a difference
• Explain how you hope to impact patients’ lives as a nurse
• Discuss why making a difference is important to you personally

For example: “I’ve always been drawn to professions where I can make a tangible difference in people’s lives. In nursing, I see the opportunity to do this every day – whether it’s easing a patient’s pain, providing emotional support to a worried family member, or educating someone about managing their health condition.”

Discussing Goals in Nursing as Part of Your Career Path

Your essay should not only explain why you want to become a nurse but also touch on your future goals in the nursing field. This shows that you’re thinking long-term and are committed to growing in your career. Some goals you might discuss:

• Specializing in a particular area of nursing (e.g., pediatrics, oncology, critical care)
• Pursuing advanced education to become a nurse practitioner or nurse anesthetist
• Taking on leadership roles in healthcare
• Contributing to nursing research or education

Here’s how you might incorporate this: “While my immediate goal is to become a registered nurse and gain experience in a hospital setting, I’m excited about the many paths a nursing career can take. In the future, I hope to specialize in pediatric nursing and perhaps even pursue a role as a pediatric nurse practitioner. I’m drawn to the idea of building long-term relationships with young patients and their families, supporting them through various stages of growth and health.”

Incorporating Experiences that Influenced Your Decision

Personal experiences often play a big role in the decision to become a nurse. Sharing these experiences in your essay can make it more personal and impactful. These might include:

• Volunteering at a hospital or clinic
• Caring for a sick family member
• Overcoming a personal health challenge
• Shadowing a nurse or other healthcare professional
• Participating in a health-related school program

When sharing these experiences, focus on what you learned and how they confirmed or shaped your desire to become a nurse. For instance: “Last summer, I volunteered at a local community health clinic. I was amazed by the nurses’ ability to connect with patients from all walks of life, providing not just medical care but also education and emotional support. This experience reinforced my desire to become a nurse and showed me the importance of cultural competence in healthcare.”

How Can I Make My Nursing Scholarship Essay Stand Out?

With so many passionate aspiring nurses applying to nursing schools, it’s important to make your essay stand out. Here are some strategies to help your nursing scholarship essay shine:

Highlighting Unique Personal Experiences

While many applicants may have similar motivations for wanting to become a nurse, your personal experiences are unique to you. Use these to your advantage:

• Share specific stories that shaped your decision to pursue nursing
• Describe how you’ve already started preparing for a nursing career
• Discuss any challenges you’ve overcome on your path to nursing

For example: “Growing up in a rural community with limited access to healthcare, I saw firsthand the critical role nurses play in maintaining community health. From organizing vaccination drives to providing home care for elderly residents, the nurses in my town were true healthcare heroes. Their dedication inspired me to want to bring that same level of care to underserved communities as a nurse.”

Connecting Your Goals to the Nursing Profession

Show how your personal goals align with the nursing profession:

• Explain how nursing will help you fulfill your passion for helping others
• Discuss how your strengths and interests fit with specific areas of nursing
• Share your vision for how you want to contribute to the nursing field

Here’s an example: “My goal is not just to treat illnesses, but to promote overall well-being. I’m particularly interested in preventive care and patient education. As a nurse, I hope to empower patients with the knowledge and tools they need to take control of their health, potentially preventing serious illnesses before they occur.”

What to Avoid in Your Nursing Scholarship Essay

While it’s important to know what to include in your essay, it’s equally crucial to know what to avoid:

• Clichés: Avoid overused phrases like “I’ve always wanted to be a nurse” without providing specific reasons or experiences.
• Negativity: Don’t speak negatively about other healthcare professions or complain about past experiences.
• Exaggeration: Be honest about your experiences and motivations. Admissions committees can often spot insincerity.
• Too much focus on money or job security: While these are valid considerations, your essay should primarily focus on your passion for nursing and desire to help others.
• Irrelevant information: Stay focused on experiences and qualities relevant to nursing.
• Errors: Proofread carefully to avoid spelling and grammar mistakes.

Why Is It Important to Share Your Passion for Nursing?

Your passion for nursing is what will drive you through the challenges of nursing school and a nursing career. It’s important to convey this passion in your essay because it shows your commitment to the field.

Demonstrating Your Commitment to the Nursing Field

Show your dedication to nursing by:

• Discussing any steps you’ve already taken towards becoming a nurse (volunteering, relevant coursework, certifications)
• Explaining how you plan to continue growing and learning in the nursing field
• Sharing your long-term vision for your nursing career

For instance: “My commitment to nursing goes beyond just wanting a stable career. I’ve already started preparing by volunteering at a local hospital, taking advanced biology courses, and getting certified in CPR. I’m excited to continue this journey in nursing school and beyond, always striving to provide the best possible care for my future patients.”

How Passion Influences Your Nursing Career

Explain how your passion will make you a better nurse:

• Discuss how your enthusiasm will help you overcome challenges
• Explain how your passion will benefit your future patients
• Share how your dedication will contribute to the nursing profession as a whole

Here’s an example: “My passion for nursing isn’t just about personal fulfillment – it’s about the impact I can have on my patients. I believe that when you’re truly passionate about what you do, it shows in the quality of care you provide. My enthusiasm for nursing will drive me to stay updated on the latest medical advancements, to always go the extra mile for my patients, and to be a positive force in the healthcare team.”

Stories of Impact: Making a Difference in Healthcare

Share stories that illustrate the impact nurses can have:

• Describe a time when you witnessed a nurse making a significant difference
• Discuss a healthcare issue you’re passionate about addressing as a nurse
• Share your vision of how you hope to impact healthcare in your career

For example: “During my hospital volunteer experience, I saw a nurse sit with a scared child before surgery, explaining the procedure with patience and kindness. The child’s fear visibly melted away. This moment crystallized for me the profound impact nurses can have, not just on physical health, but on emotional well-being too. As a nurse, I hope to provide this level of holistic care, making a difference in my patients’ lives one interaction at a time.”

What Are the Next Steps After Writing My Nurse Essay?

Once you’ve written your essay, your work isn’t quite done. Here are the next steps to ensure your essay is the best it can be:

Editing and Revising for Clarity and Impact

• Take a break: Step away from your essay for a day or two, then come back to it with fresh eyes.
• Read it out loud: This can help you catch awkward phrasing or sentences that don’t flow well.
• Check for clarity: Make sure each paragraph has a clear main point that supports your overall message.
• Eliminate redundancy: Look for places where you’ve repeated ideas and consolidate them.
• Strengthen your language: Replace vague words with more specific, impactful ones.
• Proofread: Check for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors.

Seeking Feedback from Nursing Professionals

Getting input from people in the nursing field can be incredibly valuable:

• Ask a nurse you know to read your essay. They can provide insight into whether you’ve accurately represented the profession.
• If possible, have a nursing school admissions counselor review your essay. They can give you an idea of how it compares to other essays they’ve seen.
• Consider having an English teacher or writing tutor look over your essay for structure and clarity.

Remember, while feedback is helpful, make sure the essay still sounds like you. Don’t let others’ suggestions overshadow your unique voice.

Preparing for the Nursing School Application Process

Your essay is just one part of your nursing school application. Here are some other steps to prepare:

• Research schools: Look into the specific requirements for each nursing program you’re interested in.
• Gather transcripts: Request official transcripts from all previous schools.
• Secure recommendations: Ask for letters of recommendation from teachers, employers, or volunteer supervisors who can speak to your potential as a nurse.
• Prepare for interviews: Many nursing programs require interviews. Practice answering common questions about why you want to be a nurse.
• Plan for prerequisites: Make sure you’ve completed or are enrolled in all required prerequisite courses.
• Consider finances: Look into scholarship opportunities and financial aid options.

Remember, the application process can be lengthy, so start early and stay organized. Your thoughtful, well-crafted essay on why you want to become a nurse will be a strong foundation for your application.

Related Article

Essay On Why I Want To Become A Nurse

FAQs on How to Write an Essay About Why I Want to Become A Nurse

How do you write an introduction for a nursing essay.

To write a strong introduction for your nursing essay, start with an attention-grabbing opening like a relevant quote, a surprising statistic about nursing, or a brief personal anecdote. Then, clearly state your purpose – explain that you’re writing about why you want to become a nurse. Briefly outline the main points you’ll cover in your essay. Keep it concise, aiming for 3-5 sentences that set the tone for the rest of your essay.

Why do you dream of becoming a nurse?

I dream of becoming a nurse because I want to make a tangible difference in people’s lives during their most vulnerable moments. Nursing offers a unique opportunity to combine my passion for science and healthcare with my desire to provide compassionate care. I’m drawn to the challenges and rewards of the nursing profession, the opportunity for continuous learning, and the chance to be a crucial part of the healthcare team.

Why am I motivated to be a nurse?

I’m motivated to be a nurse for several reasons. Firstly, I have a strong desire to help others and make a positive impact on people’s lives. Secondly, I’m fascinated by the human body and medical science, and nursing allows me to apply this knowledge practically. Additionally, I value the versatility of the nursing profession – the various specialties and work environments offer opportunities for continual growth and learning. Lastly, my personal experiences with healthcare have shown me the crucial role nurses play, and I want to be part of that important work.

Why do I love to be a nurse?

 Nursing offers the opportunity to directly impact people’s lives in meaningful ways every day. I would love the chance to provide comfort and care to patients, to be an advocate for their needs, and to work as part of a healthcare team. The constant learning and growth in nursing is exciting to me, as is the ability to specialize in areas that particularly interest me. Most of all, I would love knowing that my work as a nurse would make a real difference in people’s lives.

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How to Write “What Nursing Means to Me” Reflective Essay

The “what nursing means to me” reflective essay is something often asked of students entering an accelerated nursing program, a master’s level course for nursing, or some other specialized program. Unlike a nursing school letter of intent or nursing school application cover letter, the “what nursing means to me” reflective essay gives you a chance to state and defend an argument regarding something you feel deeply about, namely, being a nurse. It can detail professional setbacks or successes. It can be a venue to express opinions and criticism of the profession. You can also write about important personal events in the past, before you became a nurse, which had some impact on why you chose this profession. This article will explore the nature of the reflective essay, its essential elements, the structure of an excellent reflective essay and provide examples.

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Article Contents 11 min read

What is a reflective essay.

A reflective essay is like a regular essay, but the subject matter is you. You must state a thesis about yourself and choose a specific event from your past or something similar on which to build an argument supporting your thesis. The main impetus of a reflective essay is to get you to reveal growth and how a particular event in your life changed you, your perceptions, beliefs, and so on.

But there are other things a reflective essay can reveal about you. In the context of writing a reflective essay connected with a nursing school application resume, you can also use the essay to state your larger career goals and ambitions as a nurse and how you see the role changing and evolving.

How does the “what nursing means to me” reflective essay differ from a nursing school personal statement? Part of the answer is that a personal statement can include many different details from the past and does not have to take the form of a standard essay – introduction, thesis statement, supporting arguments. You can write a personal statement without including anything about your professional achievements or anything directly related to nursing. But a “what nursing means to me” reflective essay is the complete opposite. It is aimed at exploring how being a nurse or nursing student has directly impacted your worldview.

Depending on where and why you are asked to write a “what nursing means to me” reflective essay, there may be certain content and style guidelines you must follow, based on that program’s requirements. Some reflective essays use prompts or questions about nursing to give you a starting point for what to write. In these cases, how you write is up to you, but there are certain elements that are key to every outstanding reflective essay that you should incorporate into your writing. Here, we list elements you can include in the body of your essay to create a template of what your essay should look like.

The Inciting Incident 

In university, reflective essays tend to revolve around coursework and materials to show how you’ve interacted with them. But according to many nursing essay writing services , a “what nursing means to me” reflective essay can structure itself around a catalyzing event. A traumatic injury. A death in the family. Moving to a new country.

If you haven’t been given instructions on what to write about in your “what nursing means to me” reflective essay, then you can choose a specific, life-altering event in your past that had and continues to have an impact on you. Many reflective essays take this path, but you do not have to, especially if you are asked to write about something else.

If you do write about a specific incident, be as specific as possible. Who did it involve? Where did it take place? What was the lead-up like? Of course, if you have word limits, then you can cut out unnecessary parts in your second draft, but for your first draft, you should be as detailed as possible and then make cuts later.

Personal Reflections 

The most obvious point of a reflective essay is to reflect. Nursing school admissions officers want to know how you interpreted, compartmentalized, and dealt with an extreme situation related to being a health care worker, since everyone knows that being a health care worker exposes you to things most people never see. You can talk openly about what you’ve experienced in the nursing profession or during your schooling and, finally, express emotions you were not able to at the time. However, those emotions must also connect with an action you took later on to show that they led to some deep-seated change in your personality or outlook.

Specific Details 

The topic of your essay should focus on a specific time, place, or incident and not stray into generalities. You want to place your readers in a setting they can understand, so that they can see the story as it unfolds. Remember: show, don’t tell. This is your personal story, so enrich it with specific details, like the time of year, the weather outside, some important event that happened at the same time, anything that makes the universal personal.

Your Actions 

After you set the scene with vivid descriptions and a concrete location, you can start to bring yourself into the narrative. Take a step-by-step approach to write about how the specific event unfolded – before/during/after – and make sure to detail as much as you can about each step.

You can write about what your expectations were beforehand and what happened afterward. What was the aftermath like? What did you feel, physically, emotionally? What did you do? Were you in any danger? You can talk both about your physical and emotional reactions but remember that a reflective essay should walk a fine line between being a subjective and objective retelling of a major event so do not go too far either way.

Academic Details/Achievements 

The reflective essay sits apart from other documentation like a nursing school recommendation letter and is not a place for you to recite your professional or academic CV. All the information about your academic achievements (GPA, transcripts) has already been reviewed, so the audience is not interested in hearing about it again.

Your reflective essay is a space for you to encapsulate something about yourself in a calm, measured tone. Of course, you can mention things about school that impacted you personally or an event that took place during your education, but reciting your CV looks boastful and misses the point of the reflective essay.

Too Many Emotions 

The “what nursing means to me” reflective essay can contain many powerful emotions, but the language should always remain coherent and precise. You do not want to dwell on positive or negative emotions but instead, use them to push along your overall narrative. You can explain about how something made you feel, but then transition to what actions those emotions made you take.

Introduction 

The introduction of any essay should present the topic about which you are going to write and hook the reader with an intriguing line. Afterward, you can briefly mention where you are in your career (registered nurse, nursing school applicant, grad school candidate) for context, but most of your introduction should be about the subject matter at hand, like the event you want to talk about or the general themes you want to explore.

You can also present your thesis in the introduction or keep it for a later paragraph if you want to structure your essay that way. After the introduction, you can begin to narrow your focus down to the inciting incident and move closer to finalizing your argument. You can also begin inserting background elements of your narrative like when and where it happened.

Thesis Statement/First Paragraph 

If you put your thesis in the introduction, you can begin positing your arguments supporting it in the first paragraph of the body section. But you can also put your thesis here and begin expounding on your arguments in the proceeding sections. If you are writing about a specific event, this is where you would set the stage for what happens next.

Build your narrative toward a climax by describing where you were, what you were doing, and what expectations you had. When you reveal what happened, use that as a springboard to talk about the aftermath – how the event affected you and what you began to understand about it – which is what will lead you to your second paragraph.

Second Paragraph 

The second paragraph can contain the “reflective” part of your essay, where you unpack the event and examine how it impacted you. You want to mention how you changed and how you began to see things differently while also expounding on the potential growth that this moment presented for you as a person and as a health care professional.

Conclusion 

The end of your essay should tie into the thesis and summarize the best argument supporting it. You can draw from the body section to make the connections between your thesis and the other sections and ultimately land on a conclusion. It should reveal something significant you learned or realized because of that event and how it continues to shape you.

“What Nursing Means to Me” Reflective Essay Samples

“what nursing means to me” reflective essay sample #1 .

Things came into focus when I started coughing up blood. Up until then I was sure things would get better and that the danger would pass. Even though a doctor had told me I needed to be hospitalized, I thought nothing was wrong and that I would be okay. I told him to give me some antibiotics and send me home. But from one minute to the next, in the space of a heartbeat, something gave way, and I would not be the same again.

I have been lucky most of my life. I had never been seriously ill or broken anything. I had family members succumb to illnesses, but I hadn’t so much as scraped an elbow. I never thought about my fragility and vulnerability until I was forced to reckon with them when I was hospitalized with pneumonia.

Going to the hospital in an ambulance for the first time was nerve-wracking. I lay in the gurney with an oxygen mask over my face as the paramedics looked at my vital signs. I was feverish, short of breath, and still coughing, so there was barely any time to think or reflect. Things had progressed so fast that I had left my house still in my pajamas.

One of the first things that happened when I got to the hospital was that the attending nurse took my hand and told me, “You’re in good hands now, darling.” It was such a small gesture. She must have done it for everyone who came in, terrified, scared, and lonely. She knew what they were feeling, which is why she said it to everyone.

I spent almost two weeks in the hospital recovering, but that nurse came to see me every day and spent time with me, even with her busy schedule. She made the time. It was after one of her visits that the thought of being like her one day came into my mind. I was in my first year of undergrad and still hadn’t thought about my future.

The experience of being seriously ill made me realize how much we depend on the strangers who have committed their lives to helping the infirm. It is a vital role that nurses play in helping the ill feel whole again, often more so than doctors, because nurses spend more time with patients than any other health care professional.

The nurse who greeted me at the hospital entrance also helped me bring things into focus. Seeing up close the damage an illness like pneumonia can cause was one wake-up call, but the nurse who comforted me when I felt like the world was ending also woke me up. She met my fear and anxiety with compassion and understanding. She created the mold that I now wish to fill with my career and advancement in the nursing profession.

It was bright and sunny the day my mother died. She died in the early morning, and when I looked out the window of her room – she died at home – I could see people waiting for the bus, going on their way to work, completely unaware that I had lost the most important person in my life.

I wanted to go outside, tears streaming down my face, and tell everyone my mother had died. I wanted to spread my grief. I wanted the world to stop and acknowledge my loss. Grief was something new, and I didn’t know how to manage it.

I went on anti-depressants and began to self-medicate as well because I couldn’t stand the pain. I was going down a self-destructive path, and no one in my immediate family knew what to do. It was only through circumstance that my path was corrected before it led farther into darkness.

One afternoon, months after my mother’s death, I was at her house, arranging and organizing her belongings, when the palliative care nurse who had treated my mother at home came by to collect the medical supplies that had been left behind. It was pure luck that I was at home when she came.

I answered the door and invited her in. I explained what I was doing, and she told me why she was there. We went to the kitchen because she said she had some papers for me to sign. I don’t know why exactly, but between putting the kettle on for some tea and signing the papers, I started to cry. It was something I had been doing regularly, breaking down in public or suddenly, without warning. But that day, I showed my vulnerability to the right person.

The nurse, named Sylvia, rose immediately and gave me a hug. She held me as I wept and then began to tell me that she still mourns her sister. Her sister had died from the same illness as my mother and, according to Sylvia, had suffered just as much. Sylvia told me that she had dealt with her sister’s passing by pushing herself through nursing school. She wanted to memorialize her sister’s memory through the work she does every day as a nurse. Instead of letting her sister’s death tear her apart, like my mother’s death was doing to me, Sylvia took motivation from it and committed to becoming a person who helps people transition from life to death.

Sylvia told me that the pain never goes away, but it does lessen and when you are helping save lives and taking care of the most vulnerable people, it lessens even more. That day, Sylvia showed me the heights nurses can reach through their empathy and knowledge, not just as nurses but as human beings. Sylvia’s strength was my scaffold during an unsteady time, in addition to being the light that inspired me to become a nurse myself.

The thoughts in a reflective essay are your own, so you should not shy away from saying as much as possible, like the fact that you were afraid or felt negative emotions like anger, hatred, or despair. This is what the reflective essay is all about. If your essay is about a specific event in your past, then you should write about it in detail. You can allude to it in your introduction and build up to it through your main paragraphs, or not mention it at all in your introduction and reveal it later.

Being any kind of health care worker is demanding and stressful, but it can also be rewarding and humbling. The “what nursing means to me” reflective essay is the perfect way to talk about a moving or troubling incident in the past if you hadn’t had the chance to explore it before. It is not always possible for nurses and other health care professionals to express the emotions that come with the job, and working with a nursing essay writing service can help you craft a truly impressive account of an event that marked you deeply. 

This essay is meant to help you express what is most important to you about being a nurse and reveal how you stay motivated. 

The purpose of the essay is to let nursing school admissions officers know how you understand and interpret the nursing profession and what aspects of it appeal to you the most.

You can structure your essay around a specific event and then describe what happened before, during, and after this event. You can also talk about why this event means so much to you or what about it reflects the best aspects of nursing.

You should think about the reasons you wanted to become a nurse and what about your character or personality will sustain you throughout your career.

The length of your essay depends on the requirements of your particular program or school, since they all have different requirements.

A personal statement is a general background story of why you want to pursue a degree or get into nursing school, but a reflective essay specifically asks you to pick a particular moment and think about how it affected your career. So, a reflective essay is the reverse of a personal statement: rather than relating how personal experiences have shaped your personality, you write about how being a nurse has changed you personally.

A letter of intent looks at how your education, work experience, and anything else related to the nursing profession has prepared you to become a nurse, and also asks what you plan to achieve. A reflective essay does not focus on academic achievements but asks you to interpret a moment in the past. 

Not all nursing schools or graduate programs will ask for a reflective essay. Admission requirements are different for every school, so make sure you know what they are before you apply. 

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How to Write a Nursing Essay - Steps, Tips, Outline, and Example

A nursing essay is a focused piece of writing that develops nursing-related ideas using evidence, analysis, and interpretation.

In most cases, the content and length of the nursing essay will depend on the level of study, course requirements, instructor preference, and the type of nursing specialization you are taking. Nevertheless, you will primarily write nursing essays, including persuasive, definition, descriptive, argumentative, reflective, and narrative essays.

The process of writing an essay on a nursing topic is the same as the typical essay writing process; it entails three stages ( pre-writing, writing, and post-writing phases ), each with its steps. Although nursing is a noble career, everyone confuses the process of being easy. Nevertheless, completing nursing essays for a nursing class can be challenging, especially if you don't have a structured approach. Not to worry, though!

In this writing guide, we walk you through the steps to take, the structure to adopt, the top tips to use, and some topics to consider when writing an academic nursing essay.

Types of Nursing Essays Nursing Students Write

If you are wondering what types of essays, you are likely to be assigned when in nursing college or when pursuing a nursing degree from a university, let's introduce you to some of them. Academic writing is an essential skill for nurses that they require attaining proficiency in their careers. And because it is a crucial part of the profession, you will be assigned to write different essays. Here are different writings that you will do in nursing school:

• Nursing School Essays. These are the essays or personal statements written before joining nursing school. It is written to show your zeal, passion, and determination to be a nurse. It includes "why nursing" essays, "why I want to become a nurse" essays, or "the noble nursing profession." These are written as part of the application process.
• Reflective Essays. Nursing reflective essays entail expressing your feelings, thoughts, and experiences about an event, such as a practicum, hospital experience, shadowing experience, research project, or study experience. You can use reflective frameworks such as the Johari window, Gibbs reflective model, Kolb's reflective model, Era Cycle, or Driscoll's what model. Your personal nursing philosophy paper is also written in a reflective tone.
• Nursing Scholarship Essays. These are essays written to explain to a scholarship-selection committee why you deserve a scholarship to study nursing or to advance your degree.
• Nursing case study analysis essays
• Descriptive essays. These essays describe a process, topic, or phenomenon of interest in nursing practice.
• Comparative Essays. These essays compare and contrast two things, places, processes, and objects. You can be asked to evaluate middle-range theories and compare disease intervention processes, articles, texts, or events.
• Persuasive Essays. These essays entail convincing the readers to adopt a certain viewpoint or take a specific action. For example, you can be asked to write a marijuana legalization essay or an essay on why nurses should be involved in disaster management.
• Expository Essays. Expository essays are five-paragraph essays that explain something or educate/inform the reader. For example, you could be asked to write an essay on the advantages of adopting electronic health systems, why nurses should advance their studies, how to address the nursing shortage, or the legislation and legal requirements to become a nurse.
• Narrative Essays. These are essays that tell a story from the perspective of an individual. For instance, you can narrate how you came to love nursing, your nursing philosophy, or your leadership philosophy.

Nursing Essay Writing Process

A typical nursing essay writing process takes three stages: prewriting, writing, and post-writing. Of course, this also applies when writing a nursing research paper or a case study, for that matter.

Note that the time, effort, and dedication required may differ depending on the essay's type, length, and scope.

For example, if you are assigned to write a 34-page essay analyzing a healthcare policy, most of your time will be consumed by research, planning, and writing. And if you are to write an essay on why you love nursing, you will most likely spend less time researching because you are writing it from your perspective. In a nutshell, the three stages entail:

Prewriting stage

• Unpacking the question
• Defining and refining the essay topic
• Creating a title
• Researching and gathering sources
• Developing a thesis statement
• Creating an outline

Writing Stage

• Crafting the introduction, body, and conclusion
• Fixing the in-text citations

Post writing stage

• Editing, revising, proofreading, formatting, and polishing the essay.
• Checking for plagiarism
• Submitting the essay on time

Pre-Writing Phase for writing a nursing essay

Before you start writing a nursing essay, you have to ensure that you are clear about what is required of you

Unpack or Dissect the Question

The first step in the process of writing a nursing assignment is to know the question. You can do this by reading the prompt in the portal (Blackboard or Canvas), email from the lecturer, or PowerPoint slide presentations from class.

Understanding the question helps you structure your approach, limit the scope of your research, and write a nursing paper addressing the prompt. You should look for pointers, signal words, or terms such as evaluate, elaborate, explore, discuss, examine, illustrate, compare and contrast, cause and effect, make a case, etc.

When you get it right from the onset, you can achieve the goal of your nursing essay, which is to demonstrate that you have a better grasp of theoretical concepts and research processes and can write a professionally written paper.

Select a suitable topic

In most cases, you will be given a topic to write about because nursing essays focus on the same issues, unlike other subjects.

 The field is leveled in nursing classes. Nevertheless, due to the differences in communities, states, and nationalities that nursing students come from, you might be allowed to select a topic on your own.

After selecting a suitable topic that is neither too broad nor too narrow, submit it for approval by your professor or nurse educator. Ideally, choose a topic that aligns with the course concepts, theories, and readings. For instance, if discussing healthcare determinants in a specific community, focus on a website such as HealthyPeople to get the facts right.

Use the determinants mentioned in class when benchmarking nursing practice and community experiences.

The same applies to other areas such as anatomy, pathophysiology, epidemiology, care planning, assessment, leadership, education, practice, state laws, advocacy, policy analysis, etc.

When choosing the topic, go for the one you are interested in. Probably select a topic that aligns with your future ambitions/specialization.

Related Article: Nursing Research Topics for Essays and Nursing Papers.

Focus your Research and Select Sources

Once you have a topic, you must research widely from credible nursing sources.

Develop an understanding of the topic, understand what nursing scholars are saying about the topic, and select potential nursing references for your paper.

You can use scholarly nursing databases such as PubMed, Medline, Embase, BMC, the Cochrane Library, or the JBI EBP database.

Limit your search to articles and journals published within the last five years unless you have to reference a seminal work that has not been updated through the years.

Develop your thesis

A common question students ask is whether nursing essays have thesis statements. The response is that, like any other essay, you should include a thesis that announces your central aim or idea.

Your thesis statement should be assertive, specific, arguable, precise, and demonstrative. It should round up the gist of your entire paper.  The topic, supporting, and concluding sentences depends on the thesis statement.

Outline your essay

After creating a reasonable and focused thesis statement, map out a rough structure of your essay. Mapping out your essay helps you understand what falls where and stay focused when writing.

The essay outline should have your title, hook statement, thesis statement, and topic sentences. You will be filling this outline in the next step when writing the paper.

Writing stage for the Nursing Essay

In the writing phase, you must focus on filling your outline with content. Follow the following steps.

Write the introduction first

By now, you have identified the direction you want your essay to take, depending on the structured approach you have selected to answer the prompt/question. The introduction of your essay sets the tone, direction, and scope of your essay. since it is the invitation for your readers and the first contact point, it should grab their attention and then inform them what is to come. The introduction should be 15-20% of the word count. It should entail:

• Hook this is the first sentence in your nursing essay, and it should raise the curiosity of your readers and pique their interests. You can use a statistical, epidemiological, or surprising fact related to the topic. In most cases, when writing essays on disease, epidemiology, and disease processes, shocking statistical/epidemiological facts can do the work. For instance, if you are writing an essay on mental health or illness, state the portion of the affected national, international, regional, or state population.
• Background of the topic the background is where you give the context that helps your readers understand your arguments. Provide an overview of the topic, the importance of the nursing topic, and if possible, explain the complicated terms.
• Thesis statement state your thesis statement as stated in the outline. In addition, the thesis should signal your position on the topic.
• Signposting this is where you map out the content of your essay by stating the content in each section. It is specifically applicable to longer essays.

Develop the body paragraphs

After writing the introduction, you need to write the body paragraphs of your nursing essay. The body is approximately 75-80% of your essay's word count.

It is where you make arguments, give examples, and provide evidence to support the thesis. You should present, analyze, interpret, and organize the sources when supporting your claims and arguments.

In terms of writing the paragraphs, ensure that each body paragraph has an outstanding topic sentence, supporting sentences, and concluding sentences.

 The first sentence is the topic sentence, which announces what the paragraph is about.

The supporting sentences are where you present the facts, information, and examples from scholarly sources. Make sure to cite the information to avoid plagiarism.

Also, have transition words to help you write an essay with a good flow of ideas.

In nursing, you can use AMA, APA, ASA, or Harvard formatting; ensure you stick to the respective rules.

Write the conclusion

 The conclusion is the final paragraph of your nursing essay. You should write it to include 10-15% of the word count of your essay. A strong nursing essay conclusion restates the thesis, ties together the main arguments, has a call to action, or provides a sense of closure to the readers.

It should have an impactful or memorable sentence that lets the reader develop a strong connection and have a positive impression.

Your conclusion should not have any new facts, concepts, or examples. Instead, it should summarize your essay.

If you have a nursing essay that has a concept map, you can hire a concept map writer from our website and fulfil your assignment on time. 

Tips to help you write better Nursing Essays

As we began by saying, writing nursing essays follows the same steps as the essays you have written before. Apart from mastering the citations and structure and following the above steps to write a powerful essay, you can use these tips to ensure that your paper meets the requirements for the top grades in the rubric.

• Make clarifications early enough . When assigned to write a nursing essay, start by reading the instructions and unpacking what is required of you. Then, if you have any questions, contact your nurse educator or professor early enough.
• Allocate adequate time to complete the paper. To write a top-grade nursing essay, you must allocate enough time to research, draft, edit, and polish your essay. Therefore, completing and submitting the essay before the deadline is advisable.
• Research widely . If you are going to write a winning essay, you need to support your ideas with facts and pieces of evidence. Extract this evidence and supporting facts from nursing databases. Use journals, nurse organization websites, and government websites to support your arguments.
• Write first and edit later . When writing the paper, focus on writing first so that all your attention is focused on writing a paper with a good flow of ideas. Then, you can save everything else for later when proofreading and editing to turn the paper into a final draft.
• Incorporate concepts and theories from class . Nursing studies entail the learning and applying of nursing concepts, theories, and practical experiences. Therefore, focus your paper on these theories based on class readings, discussion posts and responses, and experiences during practice.
• Organize your paper well . As you write the essay, think creatively. Remember to present your facts logically and support your arguments using relevant in-text citations.
• Check for plagiarism . Before submitting your paper, check if it has plagiarism. You can do so using free plagiarism checkers such as Plagscan or Grammarly.
• Format your paper well . Ensure that you format and structure your paper according to the formatting and citation styles highlighted in your essay prompt. If you are unsure, refer to the citation machines or websites.
• Hire someone to write . If you cannot write the essay, hire a good nursing essay writer to write a model nursing essay that can demonstrate how to approach your topic. Then, you can edit, use it as a guide, and write an essay that addresses the prompt.

Related: Writing a nursing diagnosis statement.

Writing a nursing essay helps you develop critical thinking, creativity, and decision-making skills. For instance, writing an essay that applies the clinical reasoning cycle or SBAR communication model will help you know how to apply such models in practice. Therefore, ensure that your nursing essay meets your nursing class's content, structural, theoretical constructs, quality improvement models, and facts.

Related Articles:

• How to write a nurse student resume with no experience.
• Nursing theories to consider for your essay.
• Reasons to join the WGU RN to BSN Program.
• Writing a perfect nursing diagnosis.
• Steps for writing a perfect nursing care plan.

When in nursing school, essay writing is a critical aspect. You can hire a nursing essay writer from our website if you are strapped for time to complete your essays. Our experts can craft high-quality essays on any nursing essay topic of your choice. All papers are written in the appropriate format: APA, Harvard, AMA, or ASA. Check out our entire nursing class help package and make a deal today!

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