Breanna Welch

Literacy Narrative

When I think of what I am literate in, of course I think about reading and writing.

However, I did not think about being literate in something that I have a passion for. Now when I

think of what I am literate in, I think of CNA work. I had an idea of what I wanted to do with my

life around my sophomore year in high school. Every time that I tell someone about knowing so

early they are shocked. However, it was not set in stone that I wanted to become a nurse. It

took the rest of my high school years and a lot of hard work to know for sure.

I moved to North Carolina my sophomore year in high school. It was hard enough to get

used to the new environment, much less figure out what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.

My counselor was there for me from the beginning. She helped me get the classes that I

needed to graduate on time. I remember sitting in her office on my first day at Southeast

Guilford High School. She handed me a list of classes to pick from. She told me to take my time,

but we both knew that would not be a problem. I didn’t want to be there, so I just looked and

picked a class. The class that I picked turned out to be the best decision I made.

Health Science I, was the class that I picked. I had an idea of what it was about, but I still

wasn’t completely sure what I was getting myself into. However, I did hear great things about

the teacher and the class. So, I went ahead and kept it on my schedule. I am so happy, today,

that I did. Health Science I was not the hardest class I have ever taken. I found out that I was

really good at doing health related work. Of course some of the things were difficult, but

nothing was impossible to do. After this class I decided I wanted to continue taking the health

related courses. Next, Health Science II.

Going into Health Science II, again I had somewhat of an idea of what it was going to be

like. This was the last step before the big leagues in health classes at my high school. I knew

that I had to do the absolute best that I could. Everyone adored my teacher Mrs. Watkins. She

was definitely a sponsor in my becoming literate in CNA work. She was the first one to push me

to be my best and go through with this dream that I had to become a nurse.

The last class to take, is the Nursing Fundamentals class. This class is very competitive.

Actually, you must have certain grades, activities, and an interview to even be considered for

the class. Luckily, I was keeping my grades up and decided to start getting more involved at

school. The worst part, though, was the interview. I remember the morning I was coming in for

my interview. I was so nervous and the fact that I had to get up at six o’ clock to make it did not

help at all. My dad had made coffee that morning, like he knew I had to get up so early. Which

was funny, because I didn’t even tell him. I was so thankful, nothing is worse than having a big

interview and being tired during it. I got dressed and had my breakfast and coffee. Before I left I

brushed my teeth, because who wants to smell coffee breath? Then, I grabbed my bag and

jumped in the car.

I arrived at the school thirty minutes early. I really wanted to be there on time. To a

senior in high school, this is determining your future. I practiced with some questions she might

ask. I was pacing in the hall way and hoping no one would walk by and wonder why I was

talking to myself. I finally heard Mrs. Watson tell me to come in, as another student left. I could

not tell whether the look on their face was terror or them being tired. Either way it was not

helping my nerves. I followed Mrs. Watson into the classroom and took a seat in front of her

desk. She then proceeded to ask me how I was doing and talk about how early it was. Small talk

is great, but I was really hoping that she would get on with the real questions already.

Finally, out came the first question. Why do you want to be in the Nursing Fundamentals

class? Of course I said what everyone probably said, to become a nurse. Then she asked

another question that was a bit harder for me to answer. Why do you want to be a nurse? At

the time it took me a minute to think. Why do I want to be a nurse? Why do I want to be

around blood and guts? Why do I want to spend so many years in college and go so in debt?

Why do I want to get yelled at by patients while I try to make them better? Why go through all

the trouble? Obviously, because in the end you’ve changed someone’s life and that’s what I

want in life. To be the person who makes the difference.

By the end of the interview my nerves really did not calm as much as I wanted them to.

The fact the all Mrs. Watson did was smile and say “Have a nice day.” did not help either. All I

could do is just wait now. It took a week for the list go up of who got into the class. It was a

nerve wrecking week. Then, finally I saw the white sheet of paper hanging on the wall with

twenty small names on it. I slid my finger down beside the names until I reached one that

looked familiar. I got accepted into the nursing fundamentals class. I could not hold in my

excitement. I immediately texted my dad, mom, brothers, best friend, and grandma. I never felt

so accomplished. It was an amazing feeling.

It was finally the first day of Nursing Fundamentals class and yet again I was nervous.

Mrs. Watson had retired and a new teacher was coming to teach us. Nobody knew anything

about the new teacher, except that her name is Mrs. Bailey. We barely even knew each other. I

remember thinking that there is no way I can work with people that I don’t know, I can barely

make friends. What I didn’t know then, was that I would not only learn how to work with

strangers, but also how to work with people I do not like. This woman with a bright red face

walked in the room and greeted everyone with a kind hello. We could all tell that she was

nervous, but we were too, so it was all okay. From the get go we got along. She was teaching

for the first time and I was learning CNA skills for the first time. We really helped each other

out.

We started skills right away and I loved them. They were not easy at first, but once I

learned all of the steps I knew I would do great. Every day we would learn a few skills at a time

and also some medical abbreviations. The skills aspect of becoming a CNA is very important, but

also the mental aspect as well. You cannot just know how to physically do something, you have

to use your mind. That part did, however, come pretty easy to me. I was very pleased with that.

The first semester we were in the classroom the entire time. We would practice skills on

the manikins and on each other. Working so closely with everyone did bring out the cliques.

You quickly learned who you got along with, who didn’t like you and who you just could not

work with. With that became fights and arguments. When I think of a conflict I had while

becoming literate, I think of just that. Having to work in pairs the entire time, sometimes you

would get paired with someone who you could consider an enemy. You had to work with them,

because in the nursing field, you are not always going to like your coworkers. Your job counts

on you doing good, quality work, so you just have to suck it up.

After you get past the conflict and realize you are all here for the same common goal,

you find a way to push aside your differences and work together. This really counted when it

came to the second semester. We worked in the nursing home for the entire second semester

leading up to getting our CNA. To get your CNA you have to have so many class hours and so

many clinical hours. We would go and actually do what CNAs do. Working with residents and

doing what needed to be done. As long as it was not out of my level of education, we could,

and would do it.

I really enjoyed my time in the nursing home, because of the experience. It was so

amazing to see the joy on the residents faces when we would come to take care of them. They

loved to have us there and we loved to be there. However, it was not always sunshine and

rainbows. The jobs could get bad and very irritating, but if you don’t learn how to handle the

bad things and bad days of being a CNA then I don’t believe that you are fully literate.

Learning just that helped me to set in stone what I wanted to do with my life and to

continue my journey to become a CNA. This meant putting in a lot more work to prepare for the

CNA exam at the end of the semester. We left the nursing home a couple weeks before the

exam. We stayed in the room and all that we would do if practice skill after skill. If you messed

up you had to start all over. When I say it looked like a tornado tore through the nursing room I

mean it. There were clothes, gloves, stethoscopes, wash clothes, blankets, wheelchairs, etc.

everywhere. Through all the mess our teacher still found a way to cheer us on and give us all of

her love and support.

When it came to the day that we took our CNA exam, everyone was nervous. That day

we put all the differences aside and came together as a class. Helping one another get through

and have encouragement. We cheered each other on as we walked back to the testing room

and when someone came back we asked how it went and how they felt. I believe that this is

what got everyone through it. Even sitting there anxiously waiting for the results we were

holding hands and almost crying with people we swore we didn’t like the day before. We didn’t

care, we just all wanted to make it. Thankfully, everyone received their CNA that day. It had to

be one of the happiest days of my life. I felt like I could actually do something with my life. It

was amazing.

Mrs. Bailey had to be the main factor in me becoming literate in CNA work. She started

off the year not knowing what she was doing, and so did I. She became a friend and some one

that I could go to if I was feeling bad or was doubting myself. There would always be a smiling

face there to help us. Even through the tough times she was having she never put it on the

class. We were like a dysfunctional family. Half of us did not like the other half, but Mrs. Bailey

hated that we did not get along. She would always try her hardest to push us together and try

to settle the differences. In the end she made us all better women, CNAs, and eventually

nurses. As our class motto said, “These smiling faces and helping hands, could one day be your

lifesaver.” I will believe this and keep this with me. This is why I became literate in CNA work

and why I am continuing on to change the world as a nurse.