Overview

Pursuing a career in nursing abroad is a wise decision that will advance your career in the health discipline. But, it all comes down to securing an admission in a reputable university/college that guarantees you great placement offers. Aside from your academic grades and work experience, only a great SOP for nursing can secure your admission. However, most students often get confused about the technical know-hows of writing a good statement of purpose. In such a situation, it is very crucial to make sure that your statement of purpose doesn’t come out as half-baked or incomplete. Don’t worry we’re here to help you out with your SOP for nursing education that awaits your dream college. We have carefully compiled a 4-step guide that includes a toolkit, 2 sample SOPs, and tips and tricks to crack your college application.

Toolkit for SOP for nursing

Here is a quick toolkit for you to understand how to write an excellent statement of purpose for nursing in 4 easy paragraphs.

Action ItemPoints to be consideredExamples
Introduction (motivation and goals)What sparked your interest in nursing?Motivated by elder sister’s career as a practising nurse for the past 6 years
OR
The zeal to make a career by serving people and helping them
What is the unique skill set that you possess?Skills of teamwork, communication, coupled with the ability to remain calm in a hectic environment
OR
Interpersonal skills as an empathetic and hard-working human being
What is the goal that you want to achieve?To become a nurse
OR
To become a registered nurse
Body paragraph I (learning, execution, and impact) Talk about your academic backdropCompleted senior secondary from Amanora School, Pune
OR
Completed high school education from SAI International School, Bhubaneswar
Talk about your professional backdropVolunteered in the Childcare Volunteer Program by the Government of India as a high school student
OR
Volunteered in Ashabaree Elderly Care Home
What have you accomplished during your academic and professional career?Worked with differently abled children, assisted speech therapist and helped children with lip and face muscle exercises
OR
Developed a higher emotional intelligence, learned how to take care of the patients, maintain their health, hygiene and regular check-up reports
Body paragraph II (why course, why university)Talk about the reasoning behind the choice of level of your courseThe bachelors program in nursing will help me understand the essential skills required to become a registered nurse
OR
The diploma program would provide me with the fundamental knowledge of nursing, medical science and hospitality
Talk about the reasoning behind choosing your courseThe broad coursework is specifically aimed at child and adolescent healthcare, which I aim to specialise in nursing
OR
The coursework is largely focused on developing concepts of complex patient care, providing high quality and evidence-based nursing care
Talk about the reasoning behind choosing your college/universityImpressed by the university’s nursing campus, Susan Wakil Health Building, bringing together medical students from various health disciplines and allowing them to collaborate
OR
The university’s option for flexible programs is a boon for me as it will provide me with the opportunity to work part-time while studying making it easier for me to manage my expenses
Talk about the aspects that make you valuable for the college/universityBy becoming a part of the university’s debate club
OR
By participating in volunteer programs, particularly in the Green Impact initiative which is targeted at making the university campus a sustainable and eco-friendly environment
Conclusion (closing statement)Talk about your short-term goalsTo get placed in a well-known healthcare facility
OR
To become a registered nurse and start working in a healthcare facility
Talk about your long-term goalsTo become an independent nurse specialising in child care
OR
To pursue an advanced course in elderly care and become a specialised nurse for the elderly
How do you think your career as a nurse will contribute towards society’s betterment?Contribute to a better tomorrow as I have the opportunity to shape the future of our upcoming generation as a children’s nurse
OR
By continuing to participate in charity and fundraising events for the elderly

Sample SOP for a student with a background in nursing

This is a sample SOP for bachelors in nursing for the University of Sydney.

“Nurses are there when the last breath is taken, and nurses are there when the first breath is taken. Although it is more enjoyable to celebrate the birth, it is just as important to comfort in death.” - Christine Belle

I have always respected nursing as a profession as I believe it to be one of the most fulfilling career paths. My elder sister is a practise nurse who has been working in this industry for the past 6 years. I feel that her success as a nurse has highly motivated me to choose nursing as a career option. Watching a professional nurse from very close has made me familiar with all the challenges that lie ahead on my way to becoming one.However, I am confident that my skills of teamwork, communication, coupled with the ability to remain calm in a hectic environment make me the perfect fit to study nursing to fulfil my goal of becoming a nurse.

My academic background has significantly contributed to help me pursue a degree in nursing. I completed my senior secondary from Amanora School, Pune in medical stream. As I was sure of my decision to become a nurse from a young age, I had a keen interest in science-related subjects and have studied physics, chemistry and biology till my senior secondary. I was also an active member of my school’s debate team and have won several inter-school debate competitions, which I consider an underlying factor contributing to my enhanced communication skills.As a high school student, I volunteered in the Childcare Volunteer Program by the Government of India along with my sister during my summer vacations. While working over there, my role was to give special attention to differently abled children. I used to teach them poems, helped them to draw and danced with them to music every evening. Apart from that, I used to assist the speech therapist and help the children with lip and face muscle exercises. My experience over there, coupled with my dream to become a nurse, motivated me to pursue becoming a nurse specialising in child care.

Upon further research, I applied to the University of Sydney’s Bachelor of Nursing (Advanced Studies) program to help me understand the essential skills required to become a registered nurse.The university’s broad coursework is specifically aimed at child and adolescent healthcare, which is a plus point for me as I aim to become a nurse specialised in child care. Each module in the coursework will help students to develop an in-depth understanding of the real life experiences of illness that various patients go through on a daily basis. This will help to enhance the emotional quotient of a nurse, which I believe is an essential quality to become one. In addition to this, the university’s nursing campus, Susan Wakil Health Building, which brings together medical students from various health disciplines allowing them to collaborate has left an extraordinary impression on my mind. I would be an asset to your university by becoming a part of the university’s debate club alongside my studies.

I believe that earning a bachelor's degree from the University of Sydney will shape my dream of becoming a professional child nurse. On my journey to achieve my dreams, my short term goal is to get placed in a well-known healthcare facility where I can apply my clinical skills and learn how to practise professionalism in the medical field.After gaining sufficient experience, I wish to gain enough expertise to become an independent nurse specialising in child care. By becoming an independent nurse for children, I believe I can contribute to a better tomorrow as I have the opportunity to shape the future of our upcoming generation. I aspire to become a competent nurse who understands the needs and problems of patients to drive them towards speedy recovery. I feel that I am deeply passionate about nursing and this dream of mine can only be achieved with a degree from the University of Sydney. and making decisions.

Sample SOP for a student with a different background

This is a sample SOP for a diploma in nursing for the University of Melbourne.

“You treat a disease: you win, you lose. You treat a person, I guarantee you win—no matter the outcome.” - Robin Williams

The quote given by Christine Belle resonates with my decision to pursue nursing. Despite being someone with an academic background in STEM, I intend to transition into nursing. My decision to change streams wasn’t made at random; it was a result of my cumulative experiences over the past two years. As my mother has been battling with a prolonged illness, I have spent a lot of time in my life, especially for the last two years, sitting at a hospital bedside, which has made me observe the workings of a hospital closely. During the time that I spent over there, I used to silently observe how the doctor would come and check on my mother and go away in a few minutes. At the end of the day, it was the nurse who used to check on my mother from time to time, provide her with medicines, and keep her hopes high. I developed a lot of respect for the nurse, as she used to work relentlessly day and night even when the doctor had taken leave and gone back to his place. A short conversation with her reminds me of what she told me: “Even though I am paid for my work, I believe there is a greater cause to my work, and that is my patients’ recovery and their smile when they leave, which makes it all worthwhile.” When my mother got discharged from the hospital, she had immense gratitude for the nurse and gave her blessings. It was then that I decided to become a professional nurse and make a career by serving people and helping them. I believe that my determination, coupled with my interpersonal skills as an empathetic and hard-working human being, will help me strive for excellence on my journey as a professional nurse.

During my schooling at SAI International School, Bhubaneswar, I have been a good student and have scored well throughout my school years. With the prospect of getting an engineering degree, I opted for subjects such as physics, chemistry, and mathematics in high school. However, upon realising the need to build a career as a nurse, I enrolled in a correspondence course in biology from The National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS). My course in biology has equipped me with the knowledge of biology equivalent to a high school diploma.Alongside my course, I also volunteered at Ashabaree Elderly Care Home, where I used to spend time with senior citizens who were battling with loneliness and chronic illnesses in their lives.As a volunteer, I learned how to incorporate the practice of taking care of them, maintaining their health and hygiene, and submitting regular check-up reports. However, the most valuable learning from 1 year of working was the skill to handle challenging situations without becoming emotionally distressed. This, in turn, developed my emotional intelligence, which is believed to be a crucial skill in the nursing profession. My work experience solidified my determination to continue my journey to become a nurse.

With my educational and professional background, I believe that a diploma in nursing from an Australian university would provide me with the fundamental knowledge of nursing, medical science, and hospitality. For the same reason, I have applied to the University of Melbourne’s Graduate Certificate in Nursing Practice program to advance my career as a nurse. I was particularly drawn towards this program because the coursework is largely focused on developing concepts of complex patient care and providing high-quality, evidence-based nursing care. In addition to this, the university’s option for flexible programs is a boon for me, who, as an international student, will get the opportunity to work part-time while studying, making it easier for me to manage my expenses. I feel that I will be a valuable addition to the university by participating in volunteer programs, particularly the Green Impact initiative, which is targeted at making the University of Melbourne’s campus a sustainable and eco-friendly environment.

Earning a diploma from the University of Melbourne will help me become a registered nurse and practice nursing in Australia. Owing to which I will be able to fulfil my short-term goal of becoming a registered nurse and start working in a healthcare facility.In the long-term, my goal is to pursue an advanced course in elderly care and become a specialised nurse for the elderly. In addition to this, I am committed to contributing to society by continuing to participate in charity and fundraising events for the elderly. I envision making meaningful contributions to both the healthcare industry and society, which I believe will only be possible because of my diploma from the University of Melbourne.

How to write an SOP for nursing

Here is a comprehensive explanation on how to write SOP for nursing given below sectioned into 4 different paragraphs.

Introduction (motivation and goal)

One thing that you must keep in your mind is that a good introduction can either make or break your statement of purpose. Keeping this in mind, begin your introduction with a hook line that grabs the reader’s attention. Then, talk about your inspiration to work in the field of nursing and state your long-term goal that you wish to accomplish through your career. Next, move on to discussing your unique skills which show that you’re the perfect fit for your chosen course in nursing.

Checklist for writing introduction:

  • Hook (quote related to nursing)
  • Source of motivation
  • Long-term goal
  • Reason to pursue the course
  • Unique aspects about your personality
  • Future goals

Body paragraph I (learning, execution, and impact)

The first body paragraph mentions your academic and professional background and highlights your accomplishments during the same. In this paragraph, you need to share a slice of your life and not go into the detailed explanation of your life experiences. Rather, try to fit 2-3 important accomplishments that you’ve achieved in school, college, or at your workplace. The impact of these accomplishments will display your strengths and weaknesses as a prospective student establishing your identity other than your scores.

Checklist for writing body paragraph I:

  • Academic accomplishments
  • Professional accomplishments
  • Strengths and weaknesses
  • Impact of all the cumulative experiences
  • In case of a fresher, talk about internships and volunteerships

Body paragraph II (why course, why university)

The key to writing good points is to get into greater detail of the college/university. The more you know about your chosen college/university, the better you’ll be able to write about it. Explaining a thing or two about the institution, will show the admissions committee that you’re eager to be a part of them. Just make sure that whatever you write has to be specific, devoid of any generic information about the campus or course. In addition to this, list your qualities as a student who can contribute to the institution apart from academics.

Checklist for writing body paragraph II:

  • The skills and knowledge you know related to nursing
  • Why this particular college/university?
  • What do you like about the college/university?
  • How can you be a valuable addition to the college/university?

Conclusion (closing statement)

The best way to end your SOP in a fresh manner is to not reiterate what has already been said. Instead, you can focus on your journey as a nursing student ahead. This paragraph should include your short-term and long-term goals that you wish to achieve in the next few years. Though thinking outside the box is highly appreciated, we recommend that you stick to realistic and practical goals that you’re sure that you can achieve as unrealistic goals might make you sound childish and impractical. It’s critical that you also mention your contribution to society as a nurse that displays your value of working for the community

Checklist for writing conclusion:

  • Path to achieve your career goals (short-term and long-term goals)
  • What after the course (long-term goals)
  • Contribution towards the society

Wrap Up

Our guide on writing a SOP for nursing will simplify your nursing application with a quick of our toolkit and samples. In order to appeal to the admissions committee, make sure that your SOP must have a strong opening and concluding statement along with detailed first and second body paragraphs. With all the tips and tricks mentioned, you will be able to write a compelling SOP that will position you as a perfect candidate for your chosen college/university.

FAQs

Why choose nursing as a career?

A career in nursing not only promises you a future with secure financial stability but also job satisfaction at the same time. A survey carried out by the hospital nurses reveals that around 53.7% of nurses found their jobs to be fulfilling. By becoming a nurse, you can make a bigger impact on the lives of people around the world. The diverse career opportunities from hospitals to community settings, providing emotional fulfilment, make it an ideal career choice if you’re seeking for a career graph with purpose and growth.

What is SOP written for?

At the most basic level, SOP is not simply a perfect essay, it is a way to convey your thoughts correctly on paper that describe your life. It is a chance to share your accomplishments more than just numbers including your life experiences in your own words to the admissions committee that demonstrates your capabilities. Moreover, it is your chance to outshine other applicants who are equally qualified as you.

How long should a statement of purpose be?

It is advisable to write a statement of purpose in around 600-1000 words in case the word limit is not stated in the college/university application guidelines.

What should be the tone of an SOP?

It is very important to carefully think about the kind of tone that you wish to use, as it sets your SOP in the right direction. The best way to make sure that you’re using the correct tone is to write in a formal yet conversational tone, avoiding the use of any informal or colloquial language. We recommend you to not use flattery or flowery language that only targets praising the college university; instead, state concrete facts that represent why you actually wish to be a part.

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