Discovering the nurse within at ONU
Seeing her mother’s struggles with mental illness inspired Amanda Torres to choose nursing as her career. But she had no idea what type of nursing she wanted to pursue. After experiencing the care of dedicated nurses in women’s and children’s health for the birth of her first child, she knew that was her calling.
“I was looking for a degree program that would still give me time to be a mom to my four children and participate in our family life, and to continue working part-time,” she says. “I found that with the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) degree program at Olivet Nazarene University.”
Preparing for success
In ONU’s ABSN program, Amanda was able to complete most of her coursework online and arrange to do her required labs and clinicals on site. “All my professors and my cohort were very professional, open and honest,” she says. “I felt very welcomed by ONU.”
During the program, Amanda was continually impressed by the great level of empathy and transparency her professors had. Their support and assistance made it possible for her to complete the program. “As a ONU student, I learned to communicate effectively,” she says. “My professors modeled kindness, grace and encouragement for me in the midst of my life circumstances. That has a great impact on me now as a professional.”
Amanda also underscores the well-established and excellent student support services she received as a ONU student: tutoring, library resources, real people to contact for the help she needed, technology assistance so that she was able to use everything effectively in a short time.
Ready for the world
When the time came for her to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX), Amanda felt prepared. “Everything I did with ONU clinicals and instructors set me up for success,” she says. “I felt well prepared for the NCLEX and didn’t take any additional review courses. I passed on the first round.”
Following that positive experience, Amanda decided to continue her education with ONU. Balancing family life and her part-time job, she entered and completed the Master of Science in Nursing: Family Nurse Practitioner (MSN-FNP) degree program. She also passed that board exam on the first round. Her confidence level rose, and she stepped into her new role feeling ready to contribute right away.
Realities of life
“When a nurse walks into a hospital or clinic, you have to put your own emotions, feelings and life problems in a little box and put it away,” Amanda says. “That can be very difficult to do. I quickly understood why a lot of nurses leave patient care and move into other areas of nursing, like research. The pressures of financial constraints, time constraints, ethical issues, insurance issues, patient responsibilities and family responsibilities sometimes interfere with our caring for people.”
Today, in addition to her private FNP family practice, Amanda is homeschooling her four children and coaching her daughters’ cheer team. She also teaches nursing courses and has the honor of being a professor with one of her former ONU professors.
“I will admit that I didn’t choose ONU because it was a Christian university,” Amanda says. “As I attended classes and earned my degrees with ONU, my faith deepened. I now realize that Christian values make a difference for my life and growth. I now include faith, prayer and devotions in my life because I saw that modeled for me in ONU professors and students. That overall influence of Christian values and focus on faith helps everyone we encounter.”
Learn more about the degree programs offered by ONU’s School of Nursing here.
