Unlike many, my decision to become a nurse wasn’t planned. In August 2015, I started my senior year of high school. I remember sitting in my first-period class when an overhead announcement played. Our principal cleared his throat and said, “Good morning! For those of you interested in pursuing a career in healthcare, come to the allied health building for a presentation on the LPN dual enrollment program offered by one of our local community colleges.” I thought to myself, “Sweet! An excuse to skip class!” So, of course, I went. Knowing me, figuring out what I was going to eat for lunch that day was more of a concern than anything career-related. The bell rang, first period ended, and I took my time walking across campus. I was the last person to walk into the classroom, and the presentation was already starting. I quietly picked my spot in the back of the classroom, sat down and half-listened to the nursing instructor's talk about the program. With their first PowerPoint slide, I was being dragged out of my hunger-fueled daydream and plopped back into reality. I sat up so quickly that the metal legs of the plastic desk chair I sat in screeched against the checkered, linoleum tiles.

The college offered to cover the cost of tuition for the time we were enrolled in high school. Now I don’t know about you, but that sounded like a fantastic deal to me. If there’s one lesson I’ve learned over the years, it’s that not many things in life are free, and I wasn’t letting this chance pass me up. My mother always said, “Jump at the opportunities that present themselves and trust in your gut." I took her advice to heart. I told myself, "Alright, Carlos, if you don’t like nursing, you can drop out before the end of the year and do something else, but if you do like it, well, then you’ve got it figured out buddy.” Low risk; high reward. So, that’s exactly what I did.

To my surprise, I genuinely enjoyed learning how to care for people, and not only that, but I was also good at it too! I continued the LPN program throughout the entirety of my senior year. Sacrifices had to be made along the way. I let my dream of becoming a professional soccer player go and quit the junior varsity team. My aspirations to become the greatest guitar player ever were cut short when I dropped the guitar lessons I had missed for the past two months. With no idea of what I wanted out of life, my desire to succeed rescued me from the insecurities of my previous failures. I decided I would focus on my career, and nursing is what I would excel at. I graduated from Petal High School in May 2016, and six months later, I graduated from the LPN dual enrollment program at Pearl River Community College. Feeling undefeatable, I skipped all the studying and immediately took the NCLEX-PN a week after graduation. I failed.

For a moment, I thought about quitting. I was locked in my self-consciousness. I doubted my abilities and let my insecurities return. I sought out advice to remotivate myself when I stumbled upon a quote that said, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” Bingo. That was it. I thought I had to struggle alone to be successful, but the message I just received told me otherwise. I took the advice to heart. My mindset changed. I approached those nearest to me and asked for their help. There wasn’t a single person who didn’t welcome me with open arms. I realized that everyone around me was conspiring to my benefit. My confidence was back, and I felt better than ever. I studied every day, and three months later I retook the NCLEX-PN. I passed.

My career started in a long-term care facility. It wasn’t for me. Nine months later, I decided I wanted to leave and go travel nursing. So, that’s exactly what I did. When I came home from traveling, my priority was to hang out and do nothing for a month. Once I was finished with that, my next priority was to find a new job. I applied to the local hospital and joined the med-surg team. I spent the next five years working there. Four of those years were also dedicated to college. I was exhausted, burnt out and ready to put my scrubs away indefinitely. I spent a long time thinking about what I was doing and if it was worth it. I still do.

Whenever those corrosive thoughts sneak their way into my head, I think back to an encounter with a patient I had about three years ago. This experience altered the course of my life, and I’d like to share it with all of you. This individual was admitted to our unit and presented with severe, uncontrollable pain. The patient didn’t speak English and was visiting from another country. I spent hours translating information and explaining everything to the best of my ability. For my bilingual nurses, you’ll know that translating medical terms from your native language to English can be extremely difficult. I stayed vigilant about their pain and advocated for their care. This patient told me they felt that due to their language barrier, their concerns were being dismissed. They were scared to speak up. I worked with this patient for five days in a row. I helped them as if they were my parent. On the fifth day, I helped pack their belongings and handed them their discharge paperwork. Before leaving, they said to me, “Carlos, you treated me with kindness and compassion like nothing I’ve ever experienced. The nurses in my home country are not nearly as kind. You have a beautiful soul. An angel on earth. Don’t let your worries consume you. Continue being the light in the dark. You’re going to do great things.” I took them to their car, helped them in and waved them off. I cried on the way home that night. It was the first time in my career that someone showed genuine appreciation for the care I provided. I wiped the tears from my eyes, realizing that every sacrifice I'd made was worth it.

March 2024 marks seven years since the first step in my journey as a nurse. In those years, I went back to school and continued my education. In August 2022, I graduated from William Carey University’s LPN-to-BSN bridge program. I was immediately promoted to interim charge nurse of the med-surg unit. At this point, I knew exactly what I wanted to do with my career, and it wasn’t management. I packed my clothes in trash bags, threw them in the back of my car and left everything and everyone I’ve ever known behind to advance my career. I moved to New Orleans in October 2022. I’ve been working as a neuroscience critical care nurse at Ochsner Health for the past year and a half. My next step is to take the CCRN exam and apply to CRNA school.

The journey I’ve taken to achieve my dreams isn’t the traditional route. It’s also anything but linear. I took a longer approach and decided to take my time. I wanted to share my story in hopes of inspiring those who feel like their careers aren’t moving as fast as they want them to. Maybe you’re facing setbacks or going through hard times. Maybe you feel lost or like it’s not worth it. Find comfort in the fact that you’re not struggling alone. The support and motivation you need are closer than you think. Remember, the people around you are conspiring in your favor. Whichever route you choose to pursue, be confident in your decision, and never let failure discourage you from chasing your dreams.

My name is Carlos Garcia. I’m 25 years old. I’m a BSN-RN with seven years of nursing experience. I like to sleep with a pillow under my knees, and I hate it when my pillow gets warm, so I make sure to flip it often. If you see me at work, you’ll catch me doing the same for my patients. I take my personal experiences and apply them to other aspects of my life. I approach situations from a logical perspective and use critical thinking to get me out of any situation. Thank you for taking the time to reminisce with me. I hope one day I can reciprocate. Until then, thank you for choosing nursing, and most importantly, thank you for being you! Happy Nurses Week!