Looking back on when I decided to become a nurse, I never expected the process to have taken so long or the journey to contain so many obstacles. However, this experience has really humbled me and taught me the real meaning of patience- no pun intended. Every obstacle I encountered prepared me to be a better person, a better nurse and I am truly grateful for this calling on my life.

The Baccalaureate Nursing Program at NYCCT succeeded in educating me to attain a wide array of knowledge and skills, and as a result I am equipped to provide safe, high quality nursing care. All the courses facilitated critical thinking, leadership, cultural awareness and communicative competence. This course in particular gave me an appreciation for nursing as a profession. I learned the value of interdisciplinary team-work and professional accountability through the online discussions and debates. I also gained a renewed passion for advocacy for change through the advocacy project I worked on during the Kidney Walk. Having given birth to a baby boy during the middle of the semester gave me a profound appreciation for the balance of life and work.  This course also taught me the importance of growth and development and time management-a skill extremely essential for nurses to possess.  The encouragement and reinforcement for life-long learning continues to invoke a desire in me as I am reminded a nurse is never done learning. The RN-BS program fostered an educational environment conducive to learning and encouraged autonomy and self-initiation. The knowledge and expertise that my professors shared taught me confidence in nursing that will help me do extremely well not only at the present time, but throughout my career.