#MeetUsMonday - Meet RN to BSN Student Syreeta
Meet Syreeta.
Dialysis nurse. Mom to four humans, one dog, and 18 houseplants. An Army wife and fan of audio books, running with her husband, and police dramas. Second-year RN to BSN student who attends class each month in Richmond.
HER PATH TO NURSING
“It’s always been in me to care for people. At 28, my mom was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease. I was nine years old. Kidney disease, and her need for care, had always been part of my life, something I’d watched and dealt with. My mom had a nurse named Linda, whom she loved. The trust she had in her nurses, their care and compassion, and how they changed our lives made me realize I wanted to be a Linda.
"This program is helping me become the person I’ve always wanted to be . . . At 43, it’s helped me turn into the person I was designed to be and opened my eyes to a different realm of nursing, different than what you learn when you’re in school to earn an associate’s degree."
RN to BSN Student Syreeta Cullins, BSN Class of 2025
“It was inspiring: she had very good care. That’s really what it was for me. My mom was on dialysis for 30 years before passing away.
“I’d always wanted to be a nurse, but I got a little off course. I was a wife and a mom and didn’t find the time, though I did a lot of other things. But being a nurse had been my lifelong goal. So, at age 40, I decided to go to nursing school. I attended Reynolds Community College. Then, when I knew we’d be settling in Virginia, I started to think about earning a BSN. Now was my chance to give back to me. I talked to my family, told them it was going to take time and effort, and decided to continue my education."
WHAT THE RN to BSN PROGRAM IS LIKE
“I love that I only have to go in person once a month. I still get the college experience and see my professors and peers one-on-one, without the burden of going two or three times each week. It’s not easy, but it’s manageable. Professors understand we’re working adults. If there’s something I’m struggling with, I can reach out to them. They’ll say, ‘Don’t worry about it today, focus on what you need to focus on.’ They work with you.
“We learn a lot about how to be a nurse leader. It is very applicable to my current role as a nurse. I work five 8-hour shifts each week as a home peritoneal dialysis nurse. I’ve learned more about being an advocate for my patients, how to advocate for myself, and understand that although I may not hold a leadership title, as nurses, we lead for our patients.
“I can’t even put into words the experience . . . I was afraid at first, but everyone at UVA wants us to succeed as badly as we want it. I have no option but to go forth and succeed.
ON BALANCING SCHOOL, WORK, and LIFE
“It’s do-able if you want it. I want it. Was it scary at first? Yes. But the more I did, the more I realized, ‘Syreeta, you can do it.’ No matter what, you can still go and follow your dreams. Age is just a number. And I’m going to go further with UVA. I’m not going to stop; I feel so accomplished.
“I have a husband and four children, three daughters who are in school to be schoolteachers, and a son who’s undecided [on a career path]. On thing we do in our home is say we strive for excellence. We don’t let a challenge get to us. Being a mother and a student, I’m doing homework, mostly on weekends, and we’re competitive with one another. My kids and I say to each other, ‘Let’s see who’s going to have the best grades.’ They see I’m trying hard, and they want to do better.”
UVA SCHOOL OF NURSING IN A WORD?
“ENLIGHTENING. This program is helping me become the person I’ve always wanted to be. Through the learning and professors I have access to, doors are opening for me. I never would have thought in a million years I would’ve gone to UVA; I still pinch myself and can’t believe I’ve done this for myself. At 43, it’s helped me turn into the person I was designed to be and opened my eyes to a different realm of nursing, different than what you learn when you’re in school to earn an associate’s degree in nursing.”
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