How To Write a Nursing Personal Statement (With Example)

You may need to submit a personal statement with your other application materials to get into a nursing course. A good personal statement can convince a nursing course to admit you. It's important that your personal statement shows admissions committees why you're a good candidate and highlights your unique credentials. In this article, we discuss what a nursing personal statement is, what they include, outline the steps for writing your statement and provide a template and example for you to reference.

Related: How To Become a Nurse

What is a nursing personal statement?

A nursing personal statement is a short essay that you may write as part of your nursing course application. It may complement your grades, experience and other qualifications by providing a more personal aspect to your application. In your personal statement, you may discuss your dedication, passion and work ethic, and it can be an opportunity for you to highlight why you're interested in this specific nursing course and how your unique qualifications make you a good candidate for the course.

Related: How To Write an Attention-Grabbing Personal Statement

What to include in a personal statement

Here are some important things to include when writing your personal statement for a nursing course:

Education

Discuss your previous education experience relevant to nursing. For example, you may mention the relevant GCSEs and A levels you have, or you may discuss related certifications or training you've completed, such as CPR and first aid. Consider writing about the practical skills you learned through your education and why they inspired you to pursue nursing.

Volunteer work

Consider including information about your volunteer experiences, particularly those related to nursing or caring for others. While volunteer work isn't a requirement for admittance to a nursing course, including this information may demonstrate your commitment to nursing and helping others. Provide information about where you volunteered, the responsibilities you had and what you learned from the experience.

Work experience

Mention your previous work experience. If you don't have work experience related to nursing, look for opportunities to discuss how your experience helped you develop skills that may be helpful in nursing. For example, if you've worked in a retail shop, you might discuss how your position helped you learn about teamwork and responsibility and ways you can apply these skills in nursing.

Relevant skills

Describe skills you have that have helped prepare you for your nursing career. This is a good opportunity to discuss soft skills, which are intangible skills related to your work ethic and personality. For example, if you're comfortable making decisions under pressure, you may provide an example of a situation when you made a good decision in a stressful situation.

Read more: Nursing Skills: Definitions and Examples

Personal motivation

Think about sharing your personal motivation for pursuing a career as a nurse. This may help the person reviewing your personal statement with a better understanding of who you are. For example, if your mother was a nurse and her passion for her job inspired you, this emotional connection may be an interesting and powerful addition to your statement.

Unique traits

Highlight unique traits that may make you an excellent nurse or candidate for a nursing course. This may be an especially good idea if you're applying for a specialised nursing course, such as one requiring you to care for children or people with disabilities. For example, if you're applying for a paediatric nursing course, you may discuss your experience with and passion for working with children.

How to write a nursing personal statement

Follow these steps to write your own personal statement:

1. Research the course

Research the nursing course and the particular university that offers it. This allows you to learn details about the course and university so you may identify specific reasons why it appeals to you. Be sure to research all courses and universities you're applying for, and customise your personal statement for each of them accordingly.

Related: Types of Degrees and How They Can Influence Your Career

2. Read the directions

Review the course application for instructions about what to include in the personal statement. Some universities provide specific topics to write about, so it's important for you to understand the prompt. This also demonstrates your attention to detail and ability to follow directions.

3. Think about your motivations

Think about your experiences and motivations for becoming a nurse. This can help you create a list of everything you want to mention in your statement or choose the most compelling topic to select as the focus of it. However, be sure to compare your chosen topics to the instructions to ensure your statement meets the application requirements.

4. Tell a story

Telling a story in your statement helps make it personal and potentially more memorable for admissions professionals who review it. Consider including an anecdote to introduce your passion for nursing, and try to reference this throughout your statement to structure your essay as a story. For example, you may write about a specific situation that helped you realise you wanted to become a nurse.

5. Review before you submit

Once you finish writing your statement, read it to ensure it makes sense and accurately conveys what you want the admissions committee to know about you. Consider reading it out loud to verify it's easy to understand and be sure to look for errors. Think about asking a trusted family member, friend or teacher to review your statement and provide feedback on improving it.

Personal statement for nursing template

Use this format as a template for writing your personal statement:

[Begin your first paragraph by sharing an anecdote that connects to why you want to be a nurse.]

[Discuss your work experience, educational background and relevant certifications.]

[Add a paragraph about your specific skills, and provide evidence to support your claims about having these skills.]

[Explain why you're a good candidate for the course.]

[Conclude your statement by discussing why you're interested in this specific course and connecting this back to your opening anecdote.]

Personal statement for nursing example:

Review this example and use it as a guide for creating your statement:

When I was growing up, one of my favourite things to do was visit my Grandmother. She lived in a nursing home a few miles away from our home, and my mum and I would walk to visit her a few times a week. As I got older, I would stop by on my own after school. We got to know the nursing staff very well, and they always greeted us by name and made us feel welcome. When my Grandmother became sick, the nurses did everything they could to help her and ensure she felt comfortable. To me, they were superheroes, and they're the reason why I want to become a nurse myself.

In school, I've focused on maths and science, especially biology, chemistry and physiology. This helped me learn more about important topics that will help me as a nurse. Since I was a teenager, I've worked part-time at my local supermarket, helping me build important interpersonal skills that a good nurse needs. Also, although my Grandmother passed a few years ago, I've volunteered at the nursing home where she lived since then. I enjoy helping the nurses however I can and visiting the residents.

Both my work and volunteer experience have helped me build good skills for a nurse to have. Working in the supermarket requires me to work with others and complete a variety of different tasks. At the nursing home, I've learned more about providing patient care and the importance of attention to detail. For example, sometimes I help with meal distribution, and it's my responsibility to be sure that I give the right people the correct food based on their dietary restrictions.

My passion for helping others and ensuring they receive the care they deserve is why I believe I will be an excellent nurse. I'm comfortable working in nursing homes and with older patients, and I'm excited about the possibility of becoming a geriatric nurse. I believe I already have the heart and passion a nurse needs, and I look forward to the opportunity to continue developing my skills.

The nursing course at this university appeals to me because of the ability to choose my desired speciality to study. Similarly, my Grandmother attended this university to study the teaching course, making the opportunity to study here even more special. I look forward to using my connection with my Grandmother to study from the best in the field and to build a rewarding career that helps others.