In Shreveport, Louisiana, April Scott balances a demanding career with a web of responsibilities.
By day, she cares for patients as a charge nurse in the medical-surgical ICU at Willis Knighton Pierremont.
By night, she juggles her commitments to family, church, and earning her BSN online 小蝌蚪APP each demanding a piece of her already packed schedule.
小蝌蚪APP淚t小蝌蚪APP檚 a lot of life to juggle as I try to reach different goals,小蝌蚪APP she says. 小蝌蚪APP淏ut I know that having the BSN degree will help me to get other certifications in the field.小蝌蚪APP
As Scott nears completion of the online RN to BSN program through the 小蝌蚪APP, her drive to excel in both her career and personal life continues to define her journey.
A Journey Reignited
Scott小蝌蚪APP檚 journey in higher education began with a promising head start.
Thanks to dual enrollment courses, she graduated high school in 2013 with several college credits already under her belt.
Excited to pursue a career in nursing, Scott enrolled at an area community college. However, her path took an unexpected turn.
小蝌蚪APP淯nfortunately, I didn小蝌蚪APP檛 pass in my last year of nursing school, so instead, I graduated in 2017 with a degree in science,小蝌蚪APP she says.
But this setback didn小蝌蚪APP檛 deter her; she turned it into motivation. In 2020, Scott returned to her passion and earned an associate degree in nursing.
Once established in her new nursing career, Scott found that she was hungry for more development and began the search for a flexible program that could fit her demanding lifestyle.
小蝌蚪APP淚 had been shopping around for an online degree program, but quite a few of them had way more course requirements than what UL Lafayette required,小蝌蚪APP she says. 小蝌蚪APP淭hey were similar, but UL Lafayette小蝌蚪APP檚 program was a more convenient fit.小蝌蚪APP
In 2022, Scott took the jump and enrolled in UL Lafayette小蝌蚪APP檚 online RN to BSN program.
小蝌蚪APP淚 really enjoy the online delivery, especially now that I小蝌蚪APP檓 a full-time RN. It just works best for me,小蝌蚪APP she says. 小蝌蚪APP淲ith me not living in Lafayette, it can be difficult not being able to just go to the office and talk to somebody, but the advisors have been really good about keeping me up to speed on everything and checking on me.小蝌蚪APP
Mastering the Balancing Act
Professionally, Scott小蝌蚪APP檚 responsibilities span far beyond her role as a charge nurse.
小蝌蚪APP淥n top of taking on the position of charge nurse at work, I participate in various committees, and there are other certificates that I小蝌蚪APP檓 pursuing at work that require me to do things on my off days,小蝌蚪APP she says.
She also dedicates much of her time to her family and church.
小蝌蚪APP淚小蝌蚪APP檝e really had to help take care of my siblings, doing a lot for them and for my parents,小蝌蚪APP she says. 小蝌蚪APP淎nd I小蝌蚪APP檓 one of the leaders at my church so I do quite a bit with the youth. With my mom being the pastor小蝌蚪APP檚 wife, a lot of times I would have to go to her and just be like 小蝌蚪APP楬ey, I小蝌蚪APP檓 going to need to take a break on this because I have schoolwork.小蝌蚪APP櫺◎蝌紸PP
To succeed as an online student, Scott had to become a master of time management.
Her secret? A meticulously organized calendar.
小蝌蚪APP淚小蝌蚪APP檇 always start off the semester by filling out my entire calendar with due dates and everything so that I小蝌蚪APP檓 not surprised by anything,小蝌蚪APP she says. 小蝌蚪APP淚 make it a habit of checking everything frequently so that I always know what小蝌蚪APP檚 coming up in the next week, whether it小蝌蚪APP檚 schoolwork or any extracurricular things, it小蝌蚪APP檚 just a matter of trying to stay ahead of the game.小蝌蚪APP
Beyond keeping herself organized, Scott has also learned to embrace leadership.
In her role at Willis Knighton Pierremont, she gets to tap into the management skills she developed in the program.
小蝌蚪APP淎s a charge nurse, I小蝌蚪APP檓 in a position to use those management skills we小蝌蚪APP檝e been taught and I小蝌蚪APP檝e even seen my own managers incorporate some of those skills,小蝌蚪APP she says. 小蝌蚪APP淚t was very interesting to see that side of nursing. It kind of makes you want to pursue higher positions at your workplace just to get on the management side of things.小蝌蚪APP
Reaching New Heights
With her BSN degree within arm小蝌蚪APP檚 reach, Scott is eager to climb higher, drive greater change, and impact more lives. 小蝌蚪APP淚 would like to continue in the position I小蝌蚪APP檓 in as charge nurse,小蝌蚪APP she says. 小蝌蚪APP淏ut I小蝌蚪APP檓 hoping to open more opportunities at my job with my degree.小蝌蚪APP
Looking forward, Scott views her BSN as just one milestone in her educational journey.
小蝌蚪APP淚 intend to pursue my master小蝌蚪APP檚 degree in nursing and possibly even my doctorate, but we小蝌蚪APP檒l see how the master小蝌蚪APP檚 goes,小蝌蚪APP she says.
And while she decides on her future plans, Scott encourages her peers in the program to stay resilient.
小蝌蚪APP淭here小蝌蚪APP檚 always going to be ups and downs, and you小蝌蚪APP檙e going to have those days where you just feel like this isn小蝌蚪APP檛 worth it or you don小蝌蚪APP檛 want to do it anymore,小蝌蚪APP she says. 小蝌蚪APP淪tick with it. It will be worth it in the end, and you will be proud that you did it.小蝌蚪APP
Ready to advance your nursing career? Learn more about our RN to BSN online program at the 小蝌蚪APP.