Catherine chose Baylor’s online Distance ABSN so she could further her credentials and achieve more autonomy and responsibility as a nurse.

My name is Catherine. I’m a student in the Distance ABSN program through Baylor University.  

Before starting with Baylor's ABSN program, I got my bachelor's degree in biology. I spent a couple of years working as a medical assistant.  

What inspired you to become a nurse? 

My original inspiration for becoming a nurse was due to my passion for helping people. I really liked the capacity of nurses with direct patient care, a lot of hands-on experience with them. I also liked that it incorporated critical thinking and problem solving, and I was seeking a profession that I felt was consistently challenging, something with an environment that I constantly had to adapt to and was fast paced. So that was why I chose nursing.  

Why did you decide now was the right time for a career change and to pursue an ABSN?  

I wanted further credentials to be able to work in the medical field, so I started as a medical assistant. I just wanted to have more autonomy and more responsibility in the field, so I decided that I would pursue a nursing degree to make that happen.  

Why did you decide to enroll in Baylor's ABSN program? How did you hear about it and what was most appealing to you?  

I decided to enroll in Baylor's ABSN program mostly because it offered a distance format, which I really enjoy learning in. It gives me a lot of flexibility with my own personal life. I learn better with independent learning tools in an independent learning format.  

I heard about it through researching accelerated BSN programs in Texas, and the most appealing thing about Baylor's program was the commitment and engagement of the faculty from the very beginning of the process through when I enrolled and how helpful they were. That really drove me to choose Baylor.  

What does it mean to you to be a Baylor nurse?  

To me, being a Baylor nurse means being able to incorporate a commitment to service of others, to providing quality and excellent care, and to really see people as human beings versus just a set of symptoms or signs or lab values.  

Tell us about your experience so far during the on-campus immersion. What is it like to meet your professors and peers in person?  

The on-campus immersion experience has been great for me. Being able to meet my peers has really made me feel like I'm actually in school again rather than just a singular person learning. It's been helpful for making friendships and having support systems. Meeting the faculty has been great because I've been able to see the people that are teaching me and get their real time feedback on [my] clinical skills. 

Tell us about your experience in working with your student success coach to secure a clinical site and a preceptor for your upcoming clinicals.  

The student success coach has been really helpful. She's provided us with all the information that we need to be able to work in certain hospitals. She's been on top of reminding us about deadlines and coordinating everything. She’s been good about checking in with us, making sure that we have all the resources we need to be successful.  

Tell us about your experience through the admissions process. How did working with your enrollment advisor impact your enrollment experience?  

Working with the enrollment advisor was such a blessing, especially when you're making a huge life change like deciding to pursue another career or pivoting your life course. And she made it really streamlined. She laid out everything that I needed to do personally to get in and the steps that I would need to take. She gave me advice on the courses that I was missing and where I could take them. She checked in with me frequently to see how I was doing throughout the application process. I had a lot of anxiety regarding applying, and she walked me through it step by step.  

Tell us about the virtual courses. What are some of the online course features that you find to be the most impactful and engaging?  

The virtual courses have been well organized. Everything is laid out day by day, and every professor has done a great job with scheduling your study days and your homework and your reading for you. If you follow what they've laid out, you will be successful. That's been one of the greatest parts of the virtual courses is that they've set you up for success.  

Why should others consider nursing as a second career?  

If you really like working with people and you have a heart to be in a service field where you get to interact with people, get to know them, and really dedicate your time and energy into making their lives better in whatever way they need, then you should consider nursing. It is a lot of work, but I think it's probably one of the most rewarding professions you could consider.  

Tell us about your vision. What kind of impact do you hope to have as a nurse?  

As a nurse, one of the things I've always prioritized is not just providing good care, but excellent care. I've always wanted to make people feel like they're special. I want them to feel like I went above and beyond in making them feel like a human being. And again, not just like a set of symptoms to treat or a set of numerical values. I really want them to feel like I care about them.