Marina An has traveled a unique road to become a nurse. She came to the United States from Russia about seven years ago. In Russia, she had worked in a variety of fields including civil engineering, human resources, accounting and business. Because her credentials were not valid in America, she faced a dilemma about which career to pursue. Her sister, an anesthesiologist in Russia, suggested healthcare. Marina found that, unlike in Russia where a nurse is considered a maid of the physician, a nurse in America is an independent professional who requires a broad scope of knowledge and skills. She began working as a nurses aid while pursuing nursing education at Western Technical College in 2009. She learned about being in a healthcare setting while advancing to a nurse technician, LPN and completing her ADN in 2011.
After becoming a Registered Nurse, Marina set the personal goal of becoming a highly qualified professional in order to provide the best and safest care to clients. She realized with the increasing complexity of healthcare and rapidly expanding body of nursing knowledge, she needed a deeper knowledge of nursing practice, management and leadership skills. Marina is now a student in the UW-Green Bay BSN@HOME online track seeking her Bachelor of Science in Nursing and is employed by Norseland Nursing Home, Westby, WI and at Mayo Clinic Health System Franciscan Healthcare, Sparta, WI. She fines that the online program allows her the flexibility necessary with her busy schedule of work, family and studies.
Marina is an excellent example of the diversity of our student population that enriches learning for everyone in the program. If you would like to be featured in an upcoming student profile, contact Jan Malchow, Manager of Student Outreach at malchowj@uwgb.edu. For more information about our Professional Programs in Nursing, visit our website at http://www.uwgb.edu/nursing.
An excellent story I can use it in my career coaching sessions. I have a Brazilian friend in a similar position, who is waiting to start her training right now.