Dana recently graduated from the Columbia College Nursing Program where she obtained an Associate’s in Science in Nursing Degree. Dana has also passed the NCLEX-RN and obtained her Registered Nursing license. Dana is now practicing as an RN with SSM St. Mary’s earning $23.92 per hour with full benefits.
Prior to beginning nursing school I was a stay at home mom doing in home daycare. Once I applied to nursing school, I decided that it would no longer benefit me and could not work with my school schedule to stay home. I closed my daycare and went to work for my dad at The Butcher Shop while waiting to hear back about if I had been selected to be in the RN program.
During this time I had also applied for a tech position at hospitals. Shortly after, I received my acceptance letter from Columbia College and then was offered a Tech position at SSM St. Mary’s.
My Journey started out with no prior medical experience, but I knew that God gave me the dream and this is what I’m meant to do. No one in my family had been in the medical field.
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During school I continued working as a Tech for SSM on the Med/Surg unit. I went to school Monday thru Thursday. Friday was my major study day. Saturday and Sunday I worked. I did all of this while being a newly single mom of 3 kids, plus juggling their after school activities. It was not easy and it was by the grace of God that I could do it all.
I am very thankful for the help that I received from the Job Center. It really all goes to show that if you look and try and it’s really your calling, then you can do whatever it is you are working towards. My journey was not easy, but with help and determination I made it through!
Now I am still working for SSM on 4 West Med/Surg as a daytime RN! I still can’t believe I am here, but I am. I am coming out of school with very little debt. Whatever my grants didn’t cover, the Job Center paid!
This was an amazing opportunity to be picked for and I can’t truly even express how thankful I am to have had the opportunity to work with Jaci and the Job Center.
-Dana