I came across a YouTube video recently, and couldn’t help but share it. Each health professional has a different life experience which draws them to becoming a health professional, but there was something that jumped out at me when I watched this video.

The video is about Jennifer, a registered nurse from Canada, whose mother was diagnosed with cancer and died at the age of 35 when Jennifer was in grade 5 at school. Over the 3 years of her mother’s treatment in the lead up to her death, Jennifer and her sister visited her mother in the hospital many times during that time.

As well as spending time with her mother, during the time she spent at the hospital, Jennifer learned about health care. She was exposed to sickness, pain and death. The nurses helped Jennifer find meaning in her mum’s death. Her childhood experience led her to become a nurse so that she could help others who were in a similar situation.

The thing that really jumped out at me was how Jennifer was able to illustrate a point in such a powerful way. If you think that being a nurse is all about checking pupil responses and blood pressure think again! Obviously yes, you need to be competent with the clinical tasks you will need to do. But you may also have the opportunity to help people through what could be some of the darkest times in their life. And that’s a whole different capacity that comes from within.

Amanda – Founder My Health Career.