Viridiana G. graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from WCU-Texas in 2022, but her nursing journey started long before that, when she became a licensed vocational nurse (LVN) in 2015. As an LVN, Viridiana worked in a variety of settings, starting out in home health, then working as a vaccine coordinator for the Texas Vaccine for Children program, before taking on a floating role at Parkland Health’s community outpatient clinics. She worked with patients of all ages, helping them prepare for their clinic appointments and administering vaccines.
With ambitions to become an RN, Viridiana enrolled in the nursing program at WCU-Texas. At the time, she had a solid idea of her end goal. “I always knew I wanted to work in the NICU after graduation,” she said. However, life had other plans, and during her time at WCU, Viridiana ended up falling in love with a different nursing specialty: emergency care.
“Simulations and clinicals had a large influence in my chosen specialty. Being exposed to the different specialties and learning of each one throughout clinical rotations helped make my decision to step out of my comfort zone and choose a specialty I didn’t think I wanted to be in but now love.”
After graduating, Viridiana accepted an RN position in the emergency department and she said, “I can’t see myself anywhere else.”
Keep reading to learn more about Viridiana’s nursing journey.
WCU: How has WCU helped you get to where you are today in your career?
Viridiana: West Coast helped me achieve the knowledge, confidence, competence, and safety needed to thrive in my career.
WCU: What has been the most incredible part about your job so far?
Viridiana: Getting to be a registered nurse is a dream come true. The most incredible part is finishing a shift feeling accomplished, and feeling like you made a difference in someone’s life no matter how small or even helping save a life when all the odds were against them.
WCU: How does your job connect back to your coursework at WCU?
Viridiana: Every shift relates back to coursework at WCU. I always find myself in a situation where I look back and think of the time we discussed the disease process, the skill, the procedure, or even had a simulation on the topic at school. I’m able to connect that knowledge to what I’m doing at my job.
WCU: What advice do you have for students who want to follow your path?
Viridiana: Don’t give up. You will have many moments during the course of the program where you will want to quit and feel that you can’t do it but stick with it. You can and will do it. If you fail, get back up, focus on the light at the end of the tunnel. In the end, it will be worth it.
WCU provides career guidance and assistance but cannot guarantee employment. The views and opinions expressed are those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs or position of the school or of any instructor or student.
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