July 14
Katie Goodrow wanted to be a nurse ever since she was a young girl.
So after high school, Katie enrolled in the nursing program at UMass Dartmouth. After a few months of false starts, she realized she was not yet ready for nursing school and withdrew. She pivoted to Food Science and Human Nutrition and earned her bachelors. After graduation, Katie dealt with post-graduation uncertainty and unmet goals, working at jobs that didn’t feel like the career path she wanted to be on. She still wanted to be that nurse she dreamed of when she was a child.
Katie’s mother, Jennifer, had graduated in 2015 from North Shore Community College’s (NSCC) Nurse Education program. Inspired by her mother’s courage and drive to balance responsibilities of family and academics, Katie’s childhood dream of becoming a nurse was reawakened. She had reached a turning point, felt she was finally ready to try to reach her goal and enrolled in NSCC’s Practical Nursing (PN) program.
“The instructors were absolutely amazing,” said Katie. “The PN program was challenging and fast-paced but I always knew help was readily available if needed.” The environment at NSCC was completely different from her previous nursing school – much more intimate, comfortable, and exactly what Katie needed.
In 2022, Katie graduated from the Practical Nursing Program and took the NCLEX PN with confidence, passing on her first try. She now works as an LPN in a primary care office and also came back to NSCC to work as a part-time professional tutor for students in the Practical Nursing Program. In addition, Katie serves on that program’s advisory board.
Her advice to prospective students considering entering the Practical Nursing Program? “Do your due diligence in finding out about the program to make sure it’s right for you,’ she said. “Then check out what support systems and resources are available and utilize them. Expect to work hard. My advice is to absolutely do it – it completely changed my life for the better!”