My whole life, my father has been a paramedic and a firefighter and his experiences in health care along with three of my grandparents needs support in the end of life care helped steer me toward a career in nursing. Ultimately, I chose to pursue a career in nursing through being diagnosed with HIV in 2011. The journey with my health and experiences with nurses and in community health have been pivotal in my desire to eventually work with LGBTQIA communities through advocating for sexual health practices that are realistic and attainable.
Since the first day of classes, DUSON has maintained a message of collaboration, teamwork and innovation through evidence-based practice. Everything we do in research and clinical-based practice needs to be based on findings published within the past five years to ensure relevance. DUSON uses evaluations extensively throughout every class, program and event they have to constantly evolve and stay ahead of the curve to ensure they don’t become stagnant or outdated. I feel that when I graduate I will have the necessary knowledge to be successful in today’s healthcare realm and in the future of nursing.
DUSON provides an abundance of resources and student organizations to help you succeed. Every organization I’ve been involved with from Spectrum, Nightingales and being a student ambassador has helped me create a professional identity—one I never expected would have been part of this experience. At DUSON you do more than just show up to classes and learn to become a certified nurse. The faculty help you to grow and teach you how to think like a nurse all while lifting you up when things get hard and even encouraging you when you need that extra push. I’m still growing through this experience, but when they say they only pick the future leaders—they mean it and they live it.