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I worked as a full-time therapist for the Department of Disabilities and at MedStar hospital in the behavioral unit, but I was stagnant. I needed a boost. Coming to AACC and studying nursing was probably the best decision I’ve made in my life.
I was initially hesitant, because being a nurse is hard work. I didn't know if I was equipped to do it. During orientation, the teachers made me feel very comfortable and told me that all nurses feel like this. That's the time where I said, yes, I can do this.
From day one, my teachers have been invested in my success. Teachers that I had my first semester still check in with me. If you're struggling with something, if you have questions, they're available. You don't feel alone.
I still use my therapeutic communication skills, because this has been a rough year for a lot of people and you don't know what people have gone through. Going to school during COVID actually strengthened how I felt about going into nursing, because you never know what you're going to get. It's definitely opened my eyes to see how nurses stick together, how doctors stick together and just to give me better knowledge about how to deal with things like this.
The people I’ve met at AACC and the community I’ve built have given me the motivation I needed to become an amazing RN.