Should I Go Back to School For Nursing?

By Mary Robinson
Adjunct Faculty, College of Nursing and Health Care Professions

When I was 6 years old, my grandmother died of brain cancer. Seeing how kind and awesome the nurses in the hospital were to my grandma made me want to be a nurse. From that point forward, I knew I wanted to go into nursing. I thought to myself, "should I go back to school for nursing?" Today, I teach courses at Grand Canyon University in the RN to BSN program.

Educating Nursing Students

The College of Nursing and Health Care Professions at GCU is really unique because of the caliber of its students. In my classes, I try to mix it up so it’s not boring. I love using LoudCloud to teach online classes because it’s consistent and really makes the students do their research, which I believe will help them learn the material better.

The staff at GCU are amazing and professional, making them very different from many other places I’ve worked. The students at GCU are such hard workers, and I believe that will lead them to be great nurses. I also feel that the school’s Christian perspective and the beliefs of many of the students will help them become better nurses and help them care for patients.

Why Should You Consider Going Back to Nursing School?

If you are considering going back to nursing school, I say the sooner, the better. Education can be expensive and time-consuming, so if you can do it while you’re young, it is so much better. I once had a 71-year-old student in one of my classes who told me how much he wished he had gone back to school when he was younger.

The most challenging thing about advancing your education is that as you get older, it gets harder to find the time and energy to go back to school. Kids, family and career definitely get in the way of school. It is not for the faint of heart. On the flip side, going back to school is also incredibly rewarding. I love my job as a professor. To become a professor, I needed to challenge myself and stay a step ahead of my students. In this way I can challenge myself as well as the students I am teaching.

The most important lesson I hope to prepare my students with is to never stop learning. If you are stagnant, it doesn’t help your patients. Going to seminars and keeping up with the latest trends will allow you to continue to grow and learn, making you the best nurse you can be.

Are you ready to advance your nursing education? Find out more about the online nursing programs at GCU by visiting our website or contacting us using the Request More Information button.

About College of Nursing and Health Care Professions

The College of Nursing and Health Care Professions is comprised of diverse health care disciplines, including nursing, health care administration, athletic training, public health and health care informatics. We are united by the common goal of training the next generation of health care professionals and leaders to effectively address health care challenges. The content of this blog includes perspectives on current health care topics, discussion about health care trends, a showcase of successful alumni and faculty and posts about our passion for our respective fields.