More than just professional growth, it is the idea of bringing about relevant change in the nursing profession and the healthcare delivery system that primarily motivates me to pursue graduate studies. I have been working in the hospital for almost two years now and it has occurred to me that my experience as a bedside nurse can be an impetus to formulate sound, relevant, and evidence-based health policies. These policies can potentially affect the nursing profession as well as the population it caters: the sick and healthy individual, family, and community.

Ideally, theories are put into practice. However, theories do not necessarily prescribe practice. They facilitate the understanding of the practice. Bedside nurses are faced with the challenge of putting not only theory but also evidence into actual practice. The reason behind this is two-fold: (1) there is no enough evidence to support policy change, and (2) there are no existing policies that support it or existing policies do not necessarily allow it. This understanding of the current state of nursing policy research in the country deeply motivated me to pursue graduate studies. It is my hope that taking this graduate course will help me move closer to fulfilling the career path I wish to take – one that’s anchored in translating research or evidence into health policies.