Juleen F. didn’t begin her career in nursing. In fact, she spent a dozen years behind the scenes in healthcare, working as a medical laboratory technician. But it was during one unexpected experience in the field that her path shifted.
“It wasn’t until I started doing bone marrow biopsies at Jackson where I connected more with the patients that I became more in touch with my human side,” Juleen said. “Then I realized, hey, I can do this. I can connect with people.”
With that spark, Juleen enrolled at West Coast University-Miami and began pursuing her nursing degree, a journey she completed in the summer of 2024.
“When I came to West Coast, it was already settled that I wanted to become a nurse,” she said. “What I appreciated was that the anatomy and physiology I took here was specific for nursing. It helped a lot. I’m a new ICU nurse now — all my cranial nerves, I learned them in depth here.”
The nursing-focused curriculum, she said, stood out from her past academic experience. From anatomy to math and even English classes, everything was structured to support future nurses.
“All the classes were structured for nurses,” she said. “The math was based on nursing skills, med math, calculations. The English classes — all the papers were on nursing topics. Even the anatomy and physiology included case studies to help us think critically.”
But beyond the academics, it was the campus culture and community that made the biggest difference.
“What separated it from going to another university was that everybody on campus was a nurse,” she said. “We all looked to each other for support and guidance. That was a big deal for me.”
Balancing school, family, and a full-time job was no easy task. Juleen, a mother of three, said discipline and time management were key to her success.
“If you really want something, you’ll do it,” she said. “You still have to juggle that house life, school life, and work life. But it can be done.”
Despite the challenges, Juleen never wavered in her commitment.
“I was passionate about it,” she said. “Got up every morning, came to classes, didn’t miss a clinical. I wasn’t a magician, but I was juggling a lot.”
Looking back, Juleen called her experience at West Coast University “awesome.”
“Every school has its hiccups, and your experience is what you make it to be,” she said. “I took advantage of every opportunity. I took advantage of my nursing school — nursing school didn’t take advantage of me.”
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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