Jasmine Payne
Professor Sutton
11:00 Class
June 14, 2011
Pediatric Nursing
My name is Jasmine Payne; I am applying for the pediatric nursing position at Suttonic
Hospital. I am interested in this position because helping people has always been a passion of
mine, and I have always had special interests in children. I am compassionate, patient, and
determined to educate and support families in dealing with their loved ones' illnesses. I have
experience and I am well educated in the job specifications required.
As a pediatric nurse, I provide healthcare to children (infant to young adults). My job
description includes helping families and patients cope with physical or mental disabilities,
education, treatment, and disease prevention. I can work in a variety of settings, including
hospitals, clinics, emergency departments, and doctors’ offices. For the past four years I have
been working at Baylor hospital on the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit floor. While working in a
hospital setting 36 to 48 hours a week, I generally make $62,527 a year working 12 hour shifts. I
have full medical and dental insurance. I take a vacation every year for three weeks in June, and
I request to be taken off the rotation for every major holiday. I am open to working more days or
longer shifts if needed.
Most commonly I provide preventative care to children such as Well Child examinations
and school physical exams. I monitor the child’s stability and progress as well as maintain their
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medical chart in the event that they are hospitalized for any reason. I diagnose illnesses and
provide the families with the information needed to properly handle the child's illness. I also
perform basic developmental screenings, identify and treat common illnesses, provide families
with anticipatory guidance regarding common health concerns, and deliver immunizations.
I am fluent in both American and Spanish sign language. I am a certified nurse for the
developmentally disabled, which means that I have the additional capability of assisting a
disabled child in a home or hospital setting. I am also a certified rehabilitation nurse, meaning
that I have the knowledge and skills to help children affected by chronic illness or physical
disability adapt to their disabilities, and work toward independent lives. I have 2 additional
certifications for working with deaf children. Although I only spent one year working with the
developmentally disabled, I find that the certification is still a tremendous asset to me.
When I was seventeen, my aunt died from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, or ALS, which
is a serious neurological disease that causes muscle weakness which leads to disability and
eventually death. My aunts’ death was the confirmation of my passion for being a nurse. Seeing
her interact with her nurses on her frequent emergency trips to the hospital as well as being an
incompetent family member triggered my interest in nursing. I had a profound appreciation for
the way my aunt’s nurses were able to quickly assess and assist her despite the hovering
melancholy outcome of her condition. I remember feeling so helpless because there was nothing
I could do to help her. I had little knowledge about her disease and what she needed. This
pivotal moment for my family is the reason I became a nurse.
I received my Master of Science in Nursing and Pediatric Nursing Certification from the
TCU Harris College of Nursing and Health Sciences. I am recognized as an advanced practice
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nurse by the Texas state board of nursing, which certifies that my education supersedes the basic
nursing education requirements making me an exceptional asset to my specialty and your staff.
My Pediatric Nursing Certification allows me to work with pediatricians in various settings on a
wide variety of cases. My various certifications paired with my degrees and state recognitions
have allowed me to very versatile in my career and care for children with a wide variety of
illnesses and disabilities.
I also received a minor in Habilitation of the Deaf/Hard of Hearing, which is the deaf
education major. I completed many clinical hours working with deaf children in elementary
schools. This minor in education gave me skills that are in demand because of the growing
population within the deaf community and the lack of skilled workers to assist them within the
work force. Deafness is becoming more common due to accidents, personal music devices, and
the overall neglect of the ear; therefore, there is a growing need for care givers who are able to
adapt and assist the deaf/hard of hearing.
While I was in high school and college I volunteered during the summer at Cooks
Children's Hospital as an intern. I have also worked in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at
Baylor Hospital. My time on the Neonatal Intensive Care floor allowed me to develop the
emotional mindset needed to work with patients with severe illnesses and their families while
also maintaining compassion and a professional atmosphere. Working in both the Neonatal and
Pediatric Intensive Care Units forced me to learn to adjust my work ethic to fit the sometimes
hectic flow of the floor while still being thorough. I was also able to adapt to the demanding
schedule, perfect my bedside manner, and practice proper protocol with patients and their
families.
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Many nurses go on to work in a hospital either as an intern or as an active nurse after
receiving their Bachelors of Science in Nursing to get experience. After a few years of working
is generally when a nurse will decide whether or not they are satisfied with their certification
status, or they want to continue their education to get a better position. The fact that they went
into practice immediately after receiving their degree and have that experience under their belt
makes it easier for them to receive the education they are seeking, thus opening up many more
positions to them because employers want experienced and qualified nurses.
Although I received some experience before I obtained my degrees, nurses who go into
practice after receiving their degree have more hands-on experience than I do. After obtaining
my Bachelors degree I continued my education and got my Masters degree in Pediatric nursing
as well as 2 additional specialty based nursing certifications, and various state certifications. I
may not have as much hands-on experience as the fellow applicants, but I am very highly
educated from one of the most recognized nursing programs in the country. I am a highly
qualified nurse in all 3 of my specialties. I have training and certifications for various specialty
based procedures and illnesses. I am fluent in 2 types of sign language, and I have a certification
to work with patients in both languages. I took the time to not only get a proper education, but to
also cover many specialties that I find are neglected in nursing.
I appreciate the careful consideration of my application. If there are any further questions
or additional information needed please let me know. I look forward to meeting with someone
from Suttonic Corporations.