Online Student Reaches Longtime Goal Through HCU
When Faith Wilson earned her associate鈥檚 degree in nursing at 23 years old, her goal was simply to finish the program and leave school.
鈥淏ack then, my main focus was not excelling,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut this time is different.聽 HCU has really changed that for me. I want the 鈥榞old medal鈥� this time.鈥�
As a nurse for 18 years, Wilson has worked in multiple areas including medical/surgical, pediatrics, ambulatory care, women鈥檚 services and even plastic surgery.
鈥淕etting my bachelor鈥檚 鈥� it鈥檚 something that had been in the making that I wanted to do,鈥� the wife and mother of three said. 鈥淢y youngest was 22 and I had some extra time. I began researching programs, but a lot of them didn鈥檛 work out with my work schedule.鈥�
What stood out to Wilson about聽, however, was the ability to complete coursework on an asynchronous, self-paced schedule. Students have flexibility in their completion of assignments during聽. That meant that Wilson could do no coursework on days when she worked 12-hour shifts, and then work on the course for several hours on days when she had the time.
鈥淔rom the time I placed my first phone call, I have had no issues with HCU as far as registration, payment and course scheduling,鈥� she said. 鈥淎ll I had to do was focus on the schoolwork.鈥�
Wilson entered the program in June 2016. The online program was a new experience, but one in which she adjusted to quickly. She was assigned a program counselor and a nursing mentor. She soon discovered that faculty members and staff typically responded to emails within hours. To her surprise, the online format even allowed for interaction with fellow students.
Her co-workers, Lisa Wilson and Amy Ugokwe, at Medical City Plano Hospital are enrolled in 麻豆视频鈥檚聽as well.
鈥淚 had a lot of hesitation at first because my background has always been sitting in a classroom. I was thinking, 鈥楬ow am I going to get this if it鈥檚 all left on me?鈥� But I was absolutely incorrect. The online program doesn鈥檛 place any limits on you. The way it鈥檚 set up, it鈥檚 like you鈥檙e in the classroom,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he only difference is that the professor isn鈥檛 there reading you things.鈥�
Among the changes in the nursing field since she first became a nurse are updates in medical records and charting technology, and a generally faster-paced environment. Many hospitals now prefer bachelor鈥檚 degree-level nurses in order to retain magnet hospital status.聽 Furthermore, higher-level degrees are commonly required in order to advance.
鈥淭his will give me new avenues to pursue career-wise,鈥� Wilson said. 鈥淗CU gives you all the tools and everything you need to succeed. All of my professors have been wonderful. Houston Baptist is like family, and the faith component there is important to me. I know it鈥檚 making me a better nurse. The program gives a lot of polishing and it鈥檚 elevated my nursing skills. I absolutely cannot say enough wonderful things about HCU.鈥�
Wilson is excited to graduate in December 2017. But she doesn鈥檛 plan to stop there.
鈥淚 can鈥檛 wait to wear my black gown and cute shoes at graduation,鈥� she said. 鈥淢y family is so proud of me, and I鈥檝e shown my sons that if mom can go back to school after all these years, there鈥檚 no reason why they can鈥檛 do well. And, as soon as I finish my聽, I鈥檓 going to take a month off and then start the聽聽(Master of Science in Nursing) program. I went from a student who thought, 鈥業 just want to get out of here,鈥� to 鈥業 love to learn.鈥� HCU has done that for me.鈥�