Having 12 years of experience as a healthcare assistant has given me the knowledge, determination and ability to live my lifelong dream of becoming a nurse. The nursing role is one of the most challenging, difficult but rewarding roles in healthcare. A good nurse has good communication, shows dedication, works as part of a team showing compassion and empathy when dealing with difficult situations. At the age of 20, I started my first role as a healthcare assistant in a busy London hospital. The role really pushed me to the limit, the work was very demanding, I was under a lot of pressure. This allowed me to focus on the work at hand and gave me the confidence to bring out skills I never thought I had. In a few months of work I have acquired many skills within this job, I have worked with patients suffering from dementia and Alzheimer's. This was a very challenging role, although it was tested and opened up a new understanding within me. Given the nature of the job, teamwork and good communication were a key part of my role, we really had to come together as a team to give patients the best level of care. Difficult situations presented themselves daily, I was able to remain calm, show compassion and carry out my tasks. My next job role was a different aspect of care, I cared for patients in their homes. I was given the opportunity to become a senior assistant, this role allowed me to take on a more managerial role. Supporting my work colleagues and patients was my main role, this role opened up a new experience for me, I was able to organize an entire care team and bring the team together so that I could provide patients with the best care needed. Being a senior has allowed me to experience teamwork and working as part of a team. Since the work is within the community, timekeeping and organizational skills were needed for this