Tell the World Project for BSN program

[deaconwe, RN]

Hi everyone!

I'm a new grad nurse currently pursuing my BSN, and for one of my projects, I wanted to share why I chose to leave my previous career and pursue nursing.

Back in 2010, I earned my undergraduate degree in marketing and design from a 4-year university. At the time, I thought I had found my calling. I genuinely enjoyed the work, but over time, the 9-to-5 life and sitting behind a desk day after day started to wear on me.

Before my marketing career, I was an EMT, a role I held onto even through college and beyond. When I moved to Northern Virginia after college, I joined a volunteer fire-rescue department, which gave me the chance to make a difference and satisfy my need for an occasional adrenaline rush.

In 2016, looking for a side hustle, I joined the first aid team at a local music venue in DC. I absolutely loved it—it reignited my passion for healthcare and made me start questioning my decision to stay in the marketing world. A year later, I applied for a dream role as a health and safety officer for one of the biggest music festivals in the world, working with an incredible company in the dance music industry. To my excitement, I got the job.

That first festival was a turning point for me. I worked alongside some of the best doctors and nurses I've ever met, and after seeing how I interacted with patients, several nurses asked if I'd ever considered switching careers to nursing. At the time, the idea hadn't crossed my mind, but their question stuck with me.

As the years passed, I found myself increasingly dissatisfied with my marketing job. I knew I wanted to do more—specifically, I wanted to help people. Nursing school was an idea I toyed with, but I wasn't sure if it was feasible. Could I afford to go back to school while supporting myself? Would my family understand? Was I making the right choice?

While I wrestled with these questions, I kept working side jobs on the medical side of the live entertainment industry and running rescue with the fire department. Then COVID happened. Everything changed. Working on the frontlines during the pandemic made me realize that helping people was what truly fulfilled me.

After a lot of reflection, I decided to take the leap and applied to nursing school. Three long years later, I graduated with honors from my ADN program, and I'm now combining my love for helping others with the excitement and chaos I got a rush with while being on an ambulance as an ER nurse.

I'm incredibly excited for what's ahead on this journey, and I'm grateful to finally be living my passion!