Hailey McNally
B.S., magna cum laude, Nursing, 2021
Burns & Pediatric Trauma Nurse, Harborview Medical Center
“I look foward to being a voice for the voiceless, and practicing civility in my everyday life. I hope to lead by example as an Alfie Scholar and push myself, and others to be the best version of themselves.”
Notable: First-generation student
Civility Research Project: Opioid Epidemic: The Effects of Opiates on Babies
Transfer Institution: Lower Columbia College, Associate of Arts, 2018
Service & Work:
TRiO Ambassador, 2015–2018
PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center Dialysis Clinic, Volunteer, 2016–2019
All Hands and Hearts Natural Disaster Volunteer, 2018
Awards & Honors:
Member, Tau Sigma Honor Society
President’s List
Dean’s List, College of Nursing
Alfie Scholars Cohort 2019
President's/Dean's List 2015–2018
PeaceHealth St. John Scholar 2018–2019
Hailey’s Story
When leaving high school with plans to become a first-generation college student, I was unsure of what career I wanted for the rest of my life. I knew that I wanted to make a difference but was not sure of what career would empower me to do this . I became a volunteer for PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center where I visited patients who were diagnosed with End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD). ESRD requires dialysis treatment 3 times a week for 4 hours each treatment. One dialysis treatment puts the human body through so much, it is compared to running a marathon. Dialysis patients need someone to distract them while receiving treatment, someone to lighten their day. When volunteering, I felt that I was making a difference; I could sympathize and uplift the patients that I was serving. I became very invested in serving others and became a volunteer within the emergency department, information desk, and was able to visit Houston, Texas two separate times and volunteer for hurricane Harvey disaster relief. I have been able to fulfill that piece within myself by helping and advocating for others.
Although volunteering has validated my decision of wanting to become a nurse, my journey in this field has not always been easy. Despite the challenge of not being admitted into a nursing program for the year of 2018-2019, I have continued to pursue this career and expand my knowledge even more. Not initially being accepted into a program came with a lot of doubts, discouragement, and sadness. Despite this, and through the words of encouragement from my mom and TRiO mentors, I did not give up. During my year of reapplying to nursing schools, I became both a medical scribe for Longview Orthopedics and a Certified Nursing Assistant for the Canterbury Gardens which specializes in memory care. The residents that I have cared for while being a CNA have transformed me in more ways than I could have ever imagined. I have an appreciation for many things that are often taken for granted, such as the ability to write this and the ability for you to process what I have written. The guidance and knowledge I have been exposed to while being a medical scribe for Dr. Peter Kung have been incredibly rewarding; I have developed a passion for orthopedic medicine and have considered becoming a nurse in this field.
As an advocate not only for my own education, but for the wellbeing of others, I strongly believe that I will be able to advocate for my patients as a nurse. I feel that this personal strength of being persistent will benefit me significantly in the future as I continue to provide care for others. I strongly believe that the barriers and challenges that I have faced to become a nurse have truly allowed me to grow as a person. I have rebuilt confidence in myself through hard work, determination, and resilience. The struggles and vulnerability of not being admitted into a nursing program have been an incredible learning opportunity. I am grateful to be where I am today.
Goals:
Although I am unsure of what kind of nurse I would like to become, my goal is to make the hospital setting a less scary place for those that I am serving. I hope to bring endless compassion to patients, community members, and strangers in all my future endeavors, both as a nurse and an individual.
On Civility:
A leader for civility sees all people as equal and treats them with the respect they deserve; if this respect and humanity is not being received, this leader will then speak up for those being unheard.
