Plan carefully. You will typically have between 500 and 1000 words to work with. That isn't a lot of space, so every word has to count. Make an outline of the points you want to highlight. It's likely your outline will be nearly as long as the essay itself. Consider who you are, what you have done in your life and where you want to be in two years. These are the things you want the essay to capture.
Write creatively from the outline. Admissions officers read many essays, and yours needs to stand out. Look through the information in your outline and try to think of anecdotes that will highlight most, if not all, of the key points you listed in the outline. Don't write about your grade point average or facts covered in other parts of the application. Think of specific experiences that have made you the person you are. Use a short, personal story about yourself that illustrates your compassion, dedication and pleasant personality. These are some of the traits the admissions officers will be looking for.
Present your essay professionally, using a sound structure and appropriate format (title; name in upper left-hand corner; one-inch margins; half-inch paragraph indents). Keep your paragraphs short, since the essay itself isn't long. Check for spelling and grammatical errors before you finalize the essay. One mistake in a short essay will make you look sloppy, which is not desirable in a nurse. Attention to detail is key in the final presentation.