The year I graduated from high school, my mom graduated from Lansing Community College’s Nursing Program. I don’t remember necessarily ever wanting to be a nurse. I saw my Mom become a nurse. No other career was appealing to me, so I figured “why not? Nursing is familiar to me and my mom seems to like it”. I had the same human anatomy teacher at LCC that my Mom had two years prior. I found this out during class when the teacher told a story about the study habits of a previous student and the teacher was impressed especially because this student had 8 kids! Yes, did I mention my Mom had 8 children to care for while she went through nursing school? My mom and I shared numerous teachers throughout our time at LCC. We still talk today about some of the good and bad teaching styles of the teachers we shared.

Nursing school was life changing for me. I emerged with a promising career helping people, job stability, good pay, and I was a part of the nursing community. I am so lucky that I actually like being a nurse! I enjoy utilizing a unique set of skills, as a nurse. I enjoy searching databases for the latest information to apply to my practice. I enjoy dressing wounds and hearing junky lung sounds! I enjoy managing medications simultaneously with tending to the emotional needs of my patients. I enjoy holistically caring for my patients and being a nurse is an integral part of that.

After graduating from LCC, I then attended the University of Michigan- Flint (thank you University Center!) and obtained my bachelor’s of science in nursing degree. In 2018, I graduated from Walden University with a master’s degree in nursing and I am now a board certified family nurse practitioner! My mom also went to the University of Michigan- Flint and in 2022 she graduated from Walden University and is now a psychiatric nurse practitioner. 

My mom and I attended the same colleges and universities and shared many of the same instructors. We are very different nurses, though. I have experience in med-surg, surgery, and family medicine while my mom has worked in psychiatric facilities her whole career! It is very special to me that my mom and I share this connection of nursing. We became nurses together and I  believe it strengthened our relationship along the way and it continues to be a source of connection for us.