HI! I’M ASHLEY MCGUIRE!

-ABOUT ME-

I am a tiny, energetic, and loving 20 year-old registered nurse (RN) specializing in the area of cardiac. From Birmingham, Alabama, I am the youngest of the family with two older brothers. I was born in the Pinson area, moved to Riverchase after nine years, and then moved to Indian Springs in Hoover where I live now. Originally, I went to public school through seventh grade and was a straight “A” student with perfect attendance, but when my parents and I asked to travel to Europe for 18 days and do schoolwork on the road, we were denied, so my parents pulled me out to homeschool and took me around the world to 55 countries, six continents, and 43 states. I thrived throughout my highschool years seeing the different cultures and graduated a year early to achieve my goal of becoming an RN before I turned twenty years old.

My parents and I are very close and I admire them because my father retired from information technology at 52 years old and my mother retired from real estate at 46 years old. They are where I get my ambition from and I couldn’t ask for better role models. They make me want to reach for the stars, which is why my goals in life are grand. To pursue my dream of teaching others how to excel in the profession that I love, I am in my third semester of Jacksonville State’s Bachelor’s in Nursing (BSN) program to continue my education while I practice on the floor because “the more we learn, the more we discover how much we do not know.” To obtain my RN degree, I attended Jefferson State Community College where I started at 17 years old, straight out of high school. I was told by my dean and professor that I would not be able to finish, that I would fail because I was too young and immature. Nothing made me more proud than to prove them wrong as I graduated with all A’s and B’s and passed my National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) on the first try within the minimum number of questions because “do or do not, there is no try.” After obtaining my RN license, I applied for a job on a cardiac stepdown unit, got the job, and began practicing at 19 years old.

I work at Grandview Medical Center where I get to use my skill set and expand my knowledge of the nursing profession. I love my patients and the many opportunities I get to demonstrate my expertise. It has given me great insight into the world of nursing and shown me how to apply the roles of patient advocate, educator, rehabilitator, and care coordinator. I adore the high-paced setting with codes of cardiac arrest, hemorrhages, and caring for my patients; however, I do enjoy having my slow-paced off days to recover.

In my free time, I go to the gym, run, hike, listen to music, read, and play with my loving Jack Russell terrier. I am a homebody, but greatly enjoy experiencing new places and trying new things. I may come across as timid and shy when you first meet me, but once you open the door for conversation, I am an absolute firecracker!

How I view my profession of nursing:

Personal Philosophy of Nursing Practice NU350 Ashley McGuire