I enrolled in a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program right out of high school. When I finished my BSN, my plan was to enroll in a master’s program but I was not sure what I wanted to do. I loved working with cancer patients at the time and immediately began to work on a difficult unit with patients experiencing complex medical problems.
Soon after that, I moved to Arizona and immediately took a position on an oncology floor. My nurse manager soon asked me to consider a relief chair nurse position. Within a year, I was the full-time charge nurse. This began my interest in leadership and mentoring others.
Through the next several years I found myself in roles with increased responsibility and scope. I realized that my passion was nursing leadership and knew that if I wanted to continue my career, I would need to go back to school.
Within three years of starting my MBA, I became a chief nursing officer and pregnant with my second son. It was very difficult to be in school while pregnant and in a high-profile position; however, I was part of an incredible leadership team that was eager to lift me up and give me a hand .
The skills I learned afforded me the ability to see the “big picture”. The most rewarding experience I had in my leadership role was being able to make a difference in my organization, improve patient outcomes, and be part of mentoring others.