Running

head: CAREER PATHWAYS ASSESSMENT

Career Pathways Assessment

Kimberly Borders
Old Dominion University

CAREER PATHWAYS ASSESSMENT

Career Pathways Assessment

My father once told me to find a job that would allow me to take care of myself so I
didnt have to rely on anyone else. Nursing has given me that, and so much more. That advice
came from a nurse my high school guidance counselor arranged for me to interview. The nurse
was in her late fortys and was a bit more practical than I was at seventeen, but her input
encouraged me to investigate more. I had become interested in nursing as a career after having
my tonsils out the year before. After getting a job as a cashier in the employees cafeteria while
in high school, a behind the scenes tour of the hospital for new employees cemented my
interest, and I began making plans to make that hospital a bigger part of my life. There was no
great epiphany that nursing was my calling, no fateful life experience that would set my course,
just the innate desire to run toward someone having a problem, rather than away. These small,
but affirming events would start me on a path leading to becoming a Registered Nurse. To
benefit most from the BSN degree program, examining the environments and experiences that
have brought me to this point will help me to formulate goals in this program and beyond.
Pivotal Educational Experiences
Two events in my education, one negative, and one positive have given rise to the
determination that is necessary to reach the goals I have set for myself. In college, many years
ago, I had not come to terms with the extent of study or memorization that would be needed to
succeed. Struggling to make a C in Anatomy, I spoke to my professor, who told me perhaps I
should consider another career. Did he have any idea the flame he had just ignited inside me? I
would show him. To this day, I study hard to acquire knowledge and accomplish things that are
important to me. Returning to school has been exhilarating. How much richer life has become

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since I quit complaining about how little a fine arts and literature class would contribute to
nursing, and discovered Mendelssohns music and the writings of Americas founders. What I
have gained cannot be measured. The confidence that comes from conquering statistics and
chemistry is no small feat either. Having worked with nurses prepared at the baccalaureate and
diploma level, and being a diploma nurse myself, I did not think I would ever admit so freely that
I was wrong to believe there is no difference in preparation. I have changed my mind after
taking classes that equip me to be a more effective communicator, as health care is on a global
stage and I see clearly the changes in preparation in other disciplines that make a masters degree
their entry to practice. I am lucky to have had professors who got my attention, and motivated
me to learn new things, and put them into practice.
Work Experiences and Learning
Working in several different areas of nursing with varying degrees of responsibility have
given me the opportunity to learn from coworkers and patients, and I have also learned a lot
about myself. During my second year of nursing school I began working in a Burn Unit as a burn
tech. Along with the duties of a CNA, the burn tech is also responsible for the dressing changes.
Knowing I was in nursing school, the wise nurses I worked with took time to explain all their
decisions with me so I could benefit from their experiences. From the age variation, emotional
trauma due to loss of body image, frequently loss of home and family members, multiple body
system involvement, and sense of isolation that is necessary to protect from infection, I have
never worked in another environment that delivered more holistic care than the burn unit. I
cannot begin to list the many things I learned from those nurses. I am so thankful I took on the
challenge and didnt let my fear that it would be overwhelming keep me from what was such a
rich environment.

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As a new nurse my first jobs as an RN would be in Cardiac Telemetry units. The heart is
a fascinating piece of machinery and I set out to learn everything I could about it. I became one
of the charge nurses and learned a great deal about making assignments, managing new
admissions, emergencies, and people. Another rewarding aspect of this job was that there were
so many cultural differences within the patient population in Hawaii and I enjoyed learning from
my co-workers and patients, who were delighted to have someone to share their culture with.
One of the biggest lessons learned, is that its not so much the job, but the people you work with.
I would always walk into work with confidence, knowing that whatever happened, working
together, we would handle it. I discovered I loved working in a teaching hospital and would like
to have this opportunity again. This would also be the only time I was part of a union, which was
a mixed bag, at best.
A job on a MedicalSurgical unit would give me an opportunity to see a fascinating
variety of surgical and medical maladies and treatments. One of the most interesting to me was
chronic pain therapy that an anesthesiologist at the hospital was offering. It was stunning that we
can do so much in other areas, but peoples lives are destroyed by chronic pain. I would become
one of the charge nurses, and receive my certification in medical-surgical nursing. While I
should be focused on all of the things I learned, instead, I think about how lonely it felt to work
there. The only time I saw my fellow nurses was at report. It was easy to spend 12 hours passing
each other in the hall and never having time to laugh or get to know each other.
Working in a hospitals PACU would be an entirely different experience. I also crosstrained in the pre-op holding room, and would administer IV conscious sedation in the
colonoscopy suite. The patient population varied from all ages of emergency, inpatient or
outpatient surgery. I loved the business, the open unit and the cooperation between nurses and

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other disciplines. The teamwork and camaraderie I had missed was back. I developed a new
respect for nurse anesthetists, and realized that level of autonomy was not for me. I also
discovered being on call made me so jumpy I could not stand it. It would have been better to
pack a bag and just live in the recovery room during unscheduled hours. Each of these jobs gave
me nursing experience and knowledge that I am eternally grateful for. Each job has also taught
me about myself, and what work environment I thrive in and where my strengths and weaknesses
lie.
Self-assessment
Taking the time to honestly consider strengths and areas of improvement are really an
assessment of ones core values. The most important value is the desire to deliver the highest
quality nursing care, which can only occur after taking this responsibility to heart. A strong work
ethic, and being steady and dependable are qualities I admire most in others and want to emulate.
I believe time has helped mold me into a more compassionate person. I am better able to see the
whole person, not just the illness and injury that needs addressing, but seek to help regain the
fullest life possible. Spending the time getting to know a person, better equips you to support and
encourage them. A strong desire to learn new things has served me well in the past and has been
rekindled. I will have to draw deep from this well to overcome the time spent away from the
bedside. The insecurities that arise and cause me to think, what am I doing? are pushed aside
when I recall some of the best nurses I have been fortunate enough to work with, were also ones
who returned to nursing after years away. The support of an extremely humorous family, and a
community of friends cannot be overstated, no matter what you are trying to accomplish in life.

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Involvement with community

Volunteering my time with several community groups has enriched my life in many
ways. On a weekly basis I serve in several volunteer positions. One area is a local middle school
clinic for which the beginning of the school year is especially busy doing hearing and vision
screenings. This has been my first experience with school nursing and I didnt expect to enjoy it
as much as I do. Brushing up on the various insulin pumps, EpiPens, and the most frequently
prescribed medications has been very interesting.
I also volunteer with an organization that supports the military community. Currently, I
volunteer in a consignment shop whose proceeds are split between student scholarships and
welfare grants for groups that assist the local military community. While serving as their
treasurer, I applied for and received the organizations tax-exempt status. Having the opportunity
to work with several different leaders of this organization, I was amazed at how a dynamic,
energetic leader can set the bar very high, encourage others and just how much can be
accomplished. Working with someone who has high standards and rolls up their own sleeves
caused me to work harder and produce a better product.
Additionally, I volunteer in several faith based communities. Every Wednesday morning
I serve as technology support for womens Bible Study Fellowship. Duties include running the
sight and soundboard, and recording the lecture. I fill in as a substitute teacher in the childrens
department of my church as needed. My daughter has recently begun serving the Nepal
congregation by offering reading, art and games while their parents are in service and I have
been working with her once a month. Working with children and their parents has opened my
eyes to some of the difficulties and needs faced by those new to the U.S. and our local

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community. Each of these opportunities to serve others is important to me and I have gained so
much in the way of friendship and the chance to learn a new skill.
Path identified
There are several benefits to earning a BSN. Personally, I have already gained knowledge
in subjects I didnt realize I was so passionate about. This experience has made me even more
curious and determined to fill in the gaps of things that are of interest to me. I am gaining more
practice writing, which will be of use in everyday life. Working with deadlines has helped me
become more organized, not just within my studies but in all areas of life as well.
Professionally, earning a BSN will prepare me for a wider variety of jobs, especially
those that would require more writing and interactions with the community. In addition, if
continuing my education to obtain a MSN is right for me, I will be that much closer and on the
right path. The desire to have a better understanding of how I can best impact nursing is not
going to be quenched anytime soon.
Educational and Professional Goals
Setting goals keeps a person from drifting, whether it involves education or profession.
There are two educational goals that I am working to achieve in this BSN program. One is to
become more proficient in research, particularly in writing about my findings in the correct APA
format. This semester is the first time I have used anything other than MLA, or used a search
more specific than Google Scholar, so I am looking forward to becoming more proficient in both
areas. Another educational goal I have during this program is to write faster and more succinctly.
I feel most comfortable writing when I have several days to work, but recognize I will not have
that luxury in the workplace. The practice, repetition and feedback during the BSN program
should give me ample opportunity to improve.

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Professionally, the jobs I want either prefer or require a BSN degree. Since I have been
away from the bedside, returning to school for a BSN degree will place me in a better position to
obtain the job I desire. After deciding to return to nursing, I was focused on how long it had been
since I started an IV, or inserted a catheter, and began to despair. Then I was reminded that
while the technical skills are important, that is only a small part of being a nurse and I had
narrowed my vision. I must look more broadly, and the BSN program will give me exposure to
less familiar areas of nursing such as community health, than the hospital based experience I
have had.
A Plan to Achieve Educational and Professional Goals
Achieving my educational and professional goals will necessitate a careful management
of time. I have already set aside time to volunteer in the school clinic, and am in a routine of
daily homework. Homework will fluctuate slightly with each semester, but I do not expect a big
change in the time demands. Two of my weekly commitments do not meet in the summer, so I
will have more time available during the condensed class schedule. I have reduced one weekly
commitment that does not involve nursing to a more flexible schedule that accommodates my
homework load. Having to prioritize and temporarily eliminate activities that are good, but not
essential, is one of the hard parts about starting to say, no to others.
Conclusion
The career pathways assessment assignment has made two things abundantly clear: I am
still assessing what area of nursing I want to prepare to reenter, and I know I have the desire and
will to bring something positive to the nursing profession. While I recognize I must pick an area
and move forward to make progress, I am learning new information and refining my academic
skills every day. Being asked to write about what was learned in different jobs, it is clear I have

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been the most content in an open, busy atmosphere with several other nurses working as part of a
team. Just as in my decision to pursue a career in nursing many years ago, I still have not
received any overt signs in the road about which way to go, but this assignment has forced me to
articulate in ways I hadnt before, the environments and experiences that have shaped my
thinking and will continue to help me focus and set goals for this BSN degree program.

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10

Honor Code:
I pledge to support the Honor System of Old Dominion University. I will refrain from any form
of academic dishonesty or deception, such as cheating or plagiarism. I am aware that as a
member of the academic community it is my responsibility to turn in all suspected violations of
the Honor Code. I will report to a hearing if summoned.
Name: Kimberly Borders