Personal Statement:

My name is Rachel Kline. I am a senior at the University of South Florida, and I will graduate in May 2024. During my time at the University of South Florida I have been able to explore many of my passions both inside and outside of the classroom. I am highly involved on-campus and I have enjoyed my time serving in leadership teams on campus. My most significant leadership roles include my time serving as a Resident Assistant in the College of Nursing Living Learning Community, a Peer Tutor Coordinator, Pathophysiology Tutor, and as Vice President of the Bull Nurses for Critical Care Club. In addition to these positions, I also work as a Nurse Technician on the Transplant 1 Unit at Tampa General Hospital. 

In my role as a Nurse Technician, I care for patients either experiencing complications or recovering from kidney, liver, lung, or heart transplants along with patients who have a Ventricular Assistive Device (VAD). This experience emphasized the importance of interdisciplinary teamwork in improving patient outcomes post-transplant surgery , further developed my passion for providing holistic patient care, and gave me the opportunity to make a positive impact in the lives of my patients. 

As a Resident Assistant, I worked in the Pre-Nursing Living Learning Community (LLC) which allowed me to serve as a mentor for first-year students who had the goal of gaining acceptance to the College of Nursing. This position refined my soft skills, such as time management, communication, and interdisciplinary team work. My time serving as a Resident Assistant in the University of South Florida College of Nursing Living Learning Community has allowed me to cultivate valuable soft skills, including peer leadership, time management, project coordination, mentorship, and effective communication all of which are soft skills that translate to the role of an ICU nurse. My prior experiences as a Patient Care Technician, Resident Assistant have prepared me to collaborate seamlessly with a multidisciplinary team in the dynamic Intensive Care Unit setting.

Another significant experience during my time at the University of South Florida was the process of publishing undergraduate research. I presented my research thesis titled "Homeland Security in a Clinical Setting" at five research conferences, earned the 2022 General Disciplinary Award in Health Sciences in the 2022 University of South Florida Undergraduate Research Conference, and published my thesis in The Macksey Journal published by John Hopkins University. 

Outside of my academic and career pursuits, I enjoy traveling, long-distance hiking, and have participated on a competitive rock-climbing team. A fun fact about me is that I have hiked the Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim of the Grand Canyon! I am also an involved member of the University of South Florida Rotaract club where I volunteer with my peers to in multiple community projects around Tampa Bay. 

I am eager to learn and gain hands on healthcare experience. Throughout my nursing education, I have sought out additional opportunities beyond my nursing curriculum. Through these experiences, I have developed a passion for critical care. Motivated by experiences emphasizing attention to detail, effective communication, and adaptability in high-pressure situations, I aim to establish meaningful relationships with patients and families in the ICU. My diverse experiences, leadership, and commitment to patient-centered care position me as a promising candidate for a critical care focused nurse residency program. Eager to contribute, expand my knowledge, and make a positive impact on my patients through critical care nursing, I look forward to discussing how my passion aligns with your institution's vision for exceptional patient care.

Why Critical Care Nursing? 

As a student in the final semester of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program at the University of South Florida, I am eagerly looking forward to embarking on a rewarding career in critical care. My journey into nursing has been shaped by an unwavering dedication to patient care, a thirst for knowledge, and an unwavering commitment to making a positive impact in the field of healthcare. 

During my final semester, I have the incredible opportunity to precept in the Vascular ICU at Tampa General Hospital. This experience reinforced my passion for providing holistic care to my ICU patients. In the Vascular ICU, I have gained a greater exposure to the critical care setting and learned about nursing care for patients with conditions such as abdominal or thoracic aortic aneurysms, pseudo-aneurysms, and vascular dissections. I have also learned about technology utilized in the ICU setting such as CRRT, ventilators, catheters to measure central venous pressure, and arterial-lines. During my clinical education, I had the privilege of immersing myself in a variety of healthcare settings, including rotations in medical-surgical units, the Neurology Progressive Care Unit, the Cardiac Progressive Care Unit, the Emergency Department, the Medical Intensive Care Unit (ICU), and the Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit (CTICU). During these experiences, I have learned that meticulous attention to detail, effective communication, and adaptability in high-pressure situations are essential for success in the critical care setting. In addition to this, I independently sought out additional opportunities outside of my nursing program to explore the role of a nurse working on these units though both in-person and virtual shadowing. Through these experiences, I have developed a deeper passion for working as a member of the interdisciplinary care team in a critical care setting. 

I have actively contributed as a mentor within my nursing program though serving as the Vice President of the Bull Nurses for Critical Care Club. This involvement has enabled me to explore various career pathways within critical care nursing and to determine that a career in critical care nursing is the right fit for me. As a new graduate nurse, I am keen to immerse myself in the intricacies of critical care nursing. My goal is to be an integral part of a collaborative interdisciplinary team and to gain comprehensive knowledge in caring for critical care patients. I want to establish meaningful relationships with my patients and work to provide holistic, evidence-based, nursing care and education throughout a patients stay in a critical care unit. 

My role as a Nurse Technician in the Transplant 1 Unit at Tampa General Hospital was pivotal in shaping my development as a nursing student. This experience provided me with a unique perspective on patient care, as I was responsible for individuals facing a range of challenges, from those grappling with transplant complications to those in the process of recuperating from heart or lung transplants, including patients with Ventricular Assistive Devices (VADs). One remarkable aspect of my role was the constant emphasis on interdisciplinary teamwork, underscoring the need for seamless coordination among various healthcare professionals. This environment required unwavering vigilance and the relentless pursuit of excellence in patient care. Notably, many of the post-surgical patients in Transplant 1 transitioned from the ICU or the PACU and arrived with specific medical needs. These patients would be transferred to our unit with chest tubes, wound vacuums, or Jackson-Pratt surgical drains, highlighting the critical importance of attentive and specialized care.In addition, patients on this unit experiencing medical complications following their transplant, such as organ rejection and infections, added another layer of complexity to our patient population. These individuals demanded continuous cardiac monitoring and pulse oximetry monitoring, sometimes necessitating the use of a heated high-flow nasal cannula to optimize their respiratory function. Throughout my clinical experiences as both a nursing student and as a Nurse Technician in the  Transplant 1 Unit, I had the greatest interest in providing care to patients undergoing surgery and who were navigating the intricate post-operative recovery process related to transplant surgery. 

My fervor for nursing, combined with my diverse experiences and commitment to patient-centered care, has steered me towards critical care. I am enthusiastic about the prospect of contributing to the critical care of patients, continually expanding my knowledge, and upholding the highest standards of nursing practice. My aim is to play an indispensable role in the critical care team, providing unwavering support to patients and their families and making a meaningful impact during their most trying moments. I am both eager and prepared to embark on this journey, steadfast in my commitment to becoming an exemplary new graduate nurse in a critical care unit.