Nicole Toomey ntoomey@email.arizona.edu | 480.580.

9983

November 6th, 2019

Banner Thunderbird Medical Center

5555 W Thunderbird Rd,
Glendale, AZ 85306

Dear New Graduate Nurse Coordinator,

My name is Nicole Toomey and I am writing regarding the new graduate nurse position at your facility. I
am a highly motivated and hard-working individual with a passion for providing care to those who are unable to
care for themselves. Banner Thunderbird Medical Center offers a program that aligns with my passion for
working with children, and I am eager to provide the best possible care to all patients at Banner Thunderbird
Medical Center. I will be graduating from The University of Arizona in December 2019 with a bachelor’s degree
in nursing, and I am confident that my skills of time-management, attention to detail, and therapeutic
communication will allow me to contribute to the needs of your organization. I have been in contact with Taylor
Weidner, a Registered Nurse at your facility, and I am more than excited to apply based on what I have heard
about Banner Thunderbird Medical Center.

I always knew I wanted to be a nurse. However, it was not until I spent time volunteering on several
different units at Phoenix Children’s Hospital that I knew I needed to be a nurse. For much of my time spent at
Phoenix Children’s, I worked as a Team Escort for the Animal Assisted Therapy program. Every day as I
walked throughout the hospital, my intention was to put a smile on the faces of the patients, their families, and
staff. There, I walked room to room introducing myself and the fluffy sheltie named “Raleigh” to every patient
on my list for the day. Many patients hadn’t seen their pets for weeks and were ecstatic to have Raleigh
wagging his tail and enjoyed cuddling with him on their bed. This helped them to forget their environment and
diagnosis, even if for only a few minutes. Some of the children would turn down having interactions with the
therapy dogs, simply because this was their only opportunity to say “no,” while in the hospital. They could say
no to us, but not to the numerous needle pokes and treatments they received every day. Incorporating animals
as a form of therapy for both mental and physical benefits assisted me in viewing these children as individuals
and not merely a diagnosis.

Throughout my time volunteering with these children and their families, I gained skills to aid in
communicating and caring for patients, going beyond simply delivering medications, performing assessments,
and educating patients and their families. I enhanced my ability to communicate effectively with children of
different developmental stages and respected that each child is unique in adjusting to being hospitalized and
coping within an intimidating and unfamiliar environment. I will be a successful registered nurse post-
graduation due to my passion and empathy of caring for children, and their families, coupled by the wisdom
gained through volunteering and my rigorous education received from The University of Arizona’s College of
Nursing.

My desire for continual learning throughout my career combined with my hard-working mentality make
me the ideal candidate for a position at Banner Thunderbird Medical Center. As a candidate, I am committed to
providing patient centered care and advocacy, supportive teamwork, and respectful leadership. I can be
reached at (480) 580-9983, or via email for any further required information. Thank you very much for your
time and consideration of my application.

Sincerely,

Nicole Toomey