Nursing is a second career for me. Since early 2012, I’ve worked in a progressive care unit where I provide individualized care to patients diagnosed with cardiac conditions. I enjoy collaborating with my patients, their families, and members of our interdisciplinary team to create tailored plans that ensure we deliver optimum care. The opportunity to help my patients make progress and see them recover from an illness is extremely satisfying. It is one of the things I like most about being a nurse.

I believe hospital readmission rates are one of the biggest challenges we face in the field today. As a nurse, one of my primary goals is to teach my patients the self-management skills they need so that they do not return to the hospital. This is why discharge education, continuity of care, and transitional care are critical parts of a patient’s treatment plan.

I enrolled in the Nursing@Simmons online MSN Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) program full time last spring. As an FNP, I believe I can deliver a unique blend of nursing and medical care with a holistic approach. Today, there are more opportunities for FNPs than ever before.

As an FNP, I intend to deliver patient and family-centered care, while simultaneously engaging in research. Since starting Nursing@Simmons, I have joined the Research Council as well as the Health Equity Leadership Committee. I had no idea that I had such an interest in research until joining the Simmons community.

What makes the Nursing@Simmons program unique is having both synchronous and asynchronous components. I love seeing my classmates and faculty each week on webcam during our live, synchronous sessions where we discuss the self-paced, asynchronous learning material we studied on our own.

As I full-time student, I started my clinical rotations in my third term. The clinical placement specialists were extremely dedicated to helping me find a perfect preceptor match and placement. I am currently working 16 hours per week alongside an FNP preceptor at a family practice.

The faculty and student support at Simmons is the best of the best. I don’t feel like a number in the Nursing@Simmons program. I believe that my hard work and dedication are always acknowledged and truly appreciated.

If you are thinking about continuing your education by enrolling in the Nursing@Simmons online master’s degree program, know that you will be connecting with a strong community. As a Nursing@Simmons student, you will receive support from faculty members and colleagues, who will encourage your growth and professional development. I wish you all of the best in planning your future!

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