For M.S. in Nursing graduate Dana Wallis, there were three elements critical to succeeding as an online graduate student: Good time management; supportive classmates; and timing.
СAPPEverybody at my house needed to be able to bathe themselves, dress themselves, and fix their own food before I could go back to school,СAPP Wallis says. СAPPThat sounds so basic, but that was one of the big deciding factors was everybody had to be able to sustain life without me.СAPP
Wallis originally enrolled in a masterСAPPs in nursing program in 2012, but after having her second child with a three-year-old at home, she knew she wasnСAPPt on a sustainable path.
By putting off her pursuit, Wallis enrolled in the LHC Group СAPP Myers School of Nursing with renewed purpose. She excelled academically, earning recognition in Fall 2023 as the СAPPСAPPs overall Outstanding MasterСAPPs Graduate, while balancing a full-time job and prioritizing her childrenСAPPs important events.
Staying Versatile
Wallis was drawn to nursing for its versatility, and thatСAPPs remained a cornerstone of her career.
When she originally enrolled in college, Wallis explored engineering, but her interest quickly faded in favor of healthcare. A family friend and nursing instructor encouraged her to pursue nursing.
СAPPShe said, СAPPIf you do nursing, you'll still be taking care of patients, but in the long run, you can choose hospitals versus working on doctor's office or even becoming a nurse practitioner. It'll open so many doors for you; just apply.СAPPСAPP
Wallis did and was able to immediately enroll to earn her BSN degree.
That was more than 20 years ago. Since then, sheСAPPs worked in a range of roles: cardiology, nursing management, emergency, skilled care, and school nursing.
Working in management was Wallis' first nudge toward pursuing an MSN program. Seeing the impact of nurse practitioners during and after the COVID-19 pandemic was the final push.
"There were so many healthcare needs that were unmet at the time, and nurse practitioners were filling those needs,СAPP says Wallis.
When a colleague who was enrolled in UL LafayetteСAPPs online M.S. in Nursing told Wallis the program didnСAPPt require GRE scores, she decided the time had come to finish her masterСAPPs degree.
Establishing a Support Network
Wallis immediately knew that to tackle the two-fold challenge of graduate-level coursework and online learning, sheСAPPd need support. She recruited a colleague she learned was also enrolled in the program as an ally.
"He supported me very much in the technical aspect of that first semester, and I was able to help him because I've always been a writer, so I would read his papers and give him suggestions,СAPP says Wallis.
But soon, Wallis didnСAPPt just have a buddy. She had an army of fellow nurses to lean on for everything from study sessions to moral support.
СAPPThere was a group of us who would meet on Teams where we chatted all the time, asked questions, brought up important points, reminded each other about deadlines СAPP whatever it was we needed, we helped each other. Then we would have a live study group if we had tests coming up,СAPP says Wallis. СAPPI donСAPPt think I could have made it through the program without my classmates.СAPP
The support of her peers was compounded by support from graduate faculty and her employers.
СAPPOne of the things that surprised me was the level of support that we got from the program from Dr. Jennifer Lemoine and Dr. Christy Lenahan,СAPP she says. СAPPWe could go to them whenever we had questions or concerns or needs, and they really supported us. They wanted us to be successful.СAPP
As Wallis progressed through her coursework, she was still working two jobs, which meant a lot of late nights reading or completing assignments. When it was time for her to begin her clinical hours, her employers offered her the flexibility she needed to do so.
СAPPWhen I notified my supervisor that I needed to resign to complete the program, she was able to work with my schedule to allow me to complete clinicals,СAPP says Wallis. "And I scheduled my clinical days around my kidsСAPP sports schedules as much as I could.СAPP
Stepping into Advanced Practice Nursing
Before she completed the program, Wallis could already see the impact in her practice.
СAPPYou go from being very focused on whatever the complaint is to considering the whole patient and doing full assessments,СAPP says Wallis. СAPPI could feel that shift over time.СAPP
Now СAPP ever the champion for versatility СAPP Wallis is getting ready to apply her advanced practice full time to provide primary care in one of the stateСAPPs psychiatric hospitals while working part time in an urgent care setting.
СAPPIn the hospital, the psychiatrists handle the mental health care, but IСAPPll take care of their primary care needs: monitor lab work, manage blood pressure, and all of that,СAPP she says. СAPPEven if I love that, I still like the idea of having an urgent care job, because with you get to keep up your clinical skills СAPP suturing and taking care of acute problems. I think that I'll always kind of keep that on the side.СAPP
Advance your nursing practice and your career. Learn more about UL LafayetteСAPPs online MSN degree program.