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Nursing program in high demand Students have only praises
Students have only praises for the course of study, say it lives up to their expectations
Coburn Palmer, Arash Rod / Roundup
Standing outside the Center for Sciences, the aspiring nursing student pauses to take a deep breath before stepping inside to start her new life.
Pierce freshman Stephanie Hernandez strode into the pristine hospital-like environment like there was no turning back.
Hoping to create a better life for herself, Hernandez took the advice of her cousin and started the first of many steps on the road to becoming a nurse.
Pierce College offers a number of different programs and certificates besides general education classes, and one of the most popular ones is the nursing program.
Students who want to be in this program have to complete a number of science prerequisite courses in physiology, microbiology, chemistry, anatomy and psychology in order to qualify.
Nursing is a two-year program that includes four semesters.
“To be successful in this program you have to be really dedicated... You have to put in the time,” said Steven Holden, president of the first semester nursing program students. “It’s more than just majoring [in nursing]. This is a profession.”
Holden, who already has degrees in microbiology and biochemistry, decided to take on nursing to have a more direct relationship with patients.
He applied here because Pierce “has a very high reputation for the nursing program.”
“The teachers here are outstanding. They care about their students, and they want [us] to succeed,” Holden said.
He also admires his fellow students.
“People who get in the program [treat it] as their life... their future... their professional career. That’s why the people in this program are different than the average student,” Holden said.
Students in the program learn about pharmacology, geriatric health, psychiatric health, maternal and newborn care, pediatric health and hands-on training in clinics and hospitals.
“I like the fact that we have a good reputation,” said 28-year-old Amber Nicole Posadas. “It motivates me to maintain that reputation and just to be the best nurse I could possibly be.”
The program takes a lot of discipline and reading and the preparation that the aspiring nurses go through is quite significant, according to students.
It’s also an in-demand program, with some students having to wait for years before getting accepted.
Teresa Siova, 23, waited for two and half years before she got into the program.
Siova, who has had a cousin graduate from Pierce, said she applied here because of recommendations from family and friends.
“Every time I heard about Pierce, [I heard] that it was a really good school,” she said.
In addition to pursuing a degree in nursing, Siova works as a caregiver.
“It is very time-consuming,” said Siova. “I have heard it before, but you don’t realize how difficult it is [until you are actually in this position].”
Claudia O’brien, 43, got accepted into Los Angeles City College’s program before she got into Pierce, but she decided to go to the latter instead.
“I heard a lot of wonderful things from coworkers [in the hospital I work at] and they told me the best choice was to pick Pierce,” she said.
The nursing classes don’t just involve in-class settings, but also clinical settings, said O’brien.
“We go to designated hospitals and have a hands-on experience. It’s a great experience,” she said. “It’s not an easy program but the professors are doing their job to make us good nurses.”
O’brien actually got her associate’s degree in liberal arts in 2005, but came back to school again for this program because it was her dream from childhood.
“They should continue their pursuit if their passion is being a nurse,” she said. “[Don’t let] anything get in your way, if that is what you want.”
