Nothing is more rewarding than discovering your passion in life and having the appropriate means to accomplish your desired goals. In my current journey through life’s endless maze of possibility, I strive daily to impact the lives of my patients and their families through the care I provide as a pediatric registered nurse. My decision to pursue a profession that assists others with alleviating pain and suffering came almost effortlessly, however, with a lot of sacrifice and hard work. Experiences remain with us our entire lives; they become our story, and create the chapters of our lives.

A common theme in my past and present avocations is the presence of children. During my late childhood and adolescent years, I often aided with the care of my three younger siblings as my father worked to provide for the family. As infants and toddlers, I assisted with the basic needs of my siblings—food preparation, feeding, diaper changes, bathing, entertaining, babysitting—and earned the title of second mother. I even remember numerous occasions during the night when I woke up to administer breathing treatments through a nebulizer machine to my sister who suffered from asthma. As they grew, I volunteered at several of their school activities, as well as church events, and was very involved in my church youth group. In my sophomore year of high school, I volunteered at my local hospital, on a postpartum/ mother/ baby unit, where I was responsible for organizing linen and making baby cribs. During my senior year, I shadowed nurses and doctors at Texas Children’s Hospital, the premier children’s hospital in the Houston Medical Center. My natural ability to nurture, as I did with my siblings, and after these observing professionals selflessly care for pediatric oncology patients and their families, played led to my decision to pursue a career in healthcare.

I have remained optimistic about my future in respect to my journey in healthcare. Fueled by my love for children, I decided to pursue pediatric nursing and earned my Bachelors of Science degree from The University of Texas Health Science Center School of Nursing at Houston. Nursing is a profession of servitude, and continues to teach me to provide others with the knowledge and tools they need to live more empowering lives. The journey towards earning my nursing degree was very challenging; however, I’m happy I overcame several obstacles and was successful. It is a good feeling knowing that you participated in the successful recovery of a smiling child who can finally return home after weeks in the hospital.

With almost two years of nursing experience however, I’ve developed an admiration to further learn the disease processes my patients present with. To better manage patient care with the most up to date research, in my free time, I participated in a research council, attended nursing conferences, and chaired a research project to better explore these initiatives. These activities exposed the types of questions nurses can answer within our scope of practice, however, limiting my ability to expand my knowledge about diseases. After learning this, I attended several medical conferences to ascertain whether attending medical school would sufficiently address fundamentals in genetics, pediatrics, neurology, and mental health. These experiences have confirmed my interest to purse the knowledge-driven area of diagnosis and treatment of pediatric medicine.

This fall I will return to school and begin another chapter of my life. I will be attending the selective post-baccalaureate pre-health program at Hunter College in New York City to earn the perquisites needed to matriculate to medical school. I am learning everyday what it means to mature into an able-minded individual and I feel privileged that my interest in learning persists. A scholarship from Rehabmart will help me manage my educational costs as I aim to empower others to recover optimal health and quality of life through advocacy and the treatment of the human response.

Essay: Assistive technology

Verbal communication is the use of words to deliver a message. It is comprised of written and oral expression. Combined, the two forms account for 35% of all human communication. Although speech is a learned process innate to the human species, writing is not. The effectiveness of written communication depends on clarity, vocabulary, writing style, and grammar. Most people assume that intelligence is correlated with verbal proficiency. Dyslexia is a reading disability that affects the way the brain processes written material. It affects individuals on different levels but primarily interferes with reading comprehension, writing, spelling, and even speech. For example, unlike physical impediments, dyslexia is an invisible condition that affects 1 in 10 people. Many dyslexics do not have a problem understanding information. Rather, the challenges arise with information transfer: acquiring information through reading, and/or sharing information through writing. A common misconception is that assistive technology creates a crutch to learning; however, assistive technology has proved to be useful in the lives of many people with dyslexia and learning disabilities.

Audiobooks with accompanying readers & text to speech engines

Audiobooks with accompanying readers allow for reading and listening to occur simultaneously. Many students who struggle with reading may compromise understanding simply to finish an assigned reading. Audiobooks help students follow along to novels and texts at an acceptable pace. New words are exposed and students can see as well as hear their pronunciations. Recordings can also be replayed, allowing for sufficient opportunities to grasp needed information. Like audiobooks, text to speech engines are available on the internet. Text can be copied and pasted into them and the engine will read aloud the text. Combining visual and auditory components helps to strengthen areas of the brain that are key to reading and writing acquisition. Over time, the use of audiobooks and read aloud engines increases the readers pace, vocabulary, and comprehension, making reading enjoyable.

Speech to text software

Speech to text software, such as Dragon NaturallySpeaking, is a speech recognition program that translates dictated words into text. After words are spoken, the words appear as text on a screen. Individuals with dyslexia for example generally do not read fast and expressing thoughts through writing is also very challenging. Often, great ideas are jeopardized as people struggle to articulate content into words. School grades can suffer as a result. This technology makes it possible for users to say their thoughts without worrying about how to construct them with words. It also significantly reduces the amount of time spent writing papers. Some forms of speech to text software also aid in correcting grammatical errors. Speech to text software can help improve school performance and therefore, self-confidence.

Livescribe smartpen

The Livescribe smartpen is a tool that aids with note taking. It is a writing utensil with the capacity to record everything that is written and spoken through a built-in camera and microphone. Many people with dyslexia are great observers and listeners. Their ability to listen attentively to what is said or read aloud compensates for difficulties with slow reading and writing. Slow writers or poor note takers can use the pen to record audio eliminating the need to write everything down. You can write less and go back and listen to any part of a recording by tapping your notes. The content from the pen is also transferable to a computer where missed information can be added to written notes. The smart pen is a great tool because it allows for less note taking and more time spent on listening.

Whenever available, technology that supports learning through reading, writing, spelling, and note taking are paramount to the success of individuals with learning deficits. A learning disability affects not only success in the classroom but everyday life. Reduced self-confidence can result as people are labeled stupid or lazy due to their performance. First, we must all accept that everyone will not get to the same place in the same way, and second, accept the changes technology has played in changing the lives of people who struggle to read and write. Educators can play a role in screening students so interventions can be introduced early. Many of the smartest people have some form of debilitating element. However, they find ways to maximize their strengths and creativity while using technology to accommodate their deficiencies. I believe these tools have made a significant impact. Assistive devices cannot replace direct intervention, but with hard work and the right tools, they can alleviate the stress associated with learning deficiencies as individuals work to gradually improve their weak areas.