In 1996, Cindy Little asked herself, “What can I do to raise my professional status and advance in my career?” She was working fulltime as a radiology nurse at Anderson Area Medical Center in Anderson, South Carolina when she saw an advertisement to earn her BSN degree in nursing from California State University, Dominguez Hills via the distance learning program. Cindy was a member of the American Association of Critical Care Nurses and saw the advertisement in their newsletter. “I decided to pursue the degree because it was recommended by the AACN and it offered the flexibility I needed,” Cindy said.
The online program allowed Cindy to continue working fulltime and spend time with her three children. Cindy said that after her children were in bed every night, she would log on for school from 9:00 pm until midnight. Initially, she was not familiar with computers but was able to teach herself via the online program. The only part of the program that was not completed online was the clinical. However, she was able to complete that at the hospital where she works and other medical clinics in Anderson, South Carolina. Cindy earned her BSN degree in three years as she continued to fulfill her personal and professional responsibilities.
Currently, Cindy continues to work at Anderson Area Medical Center as a staff development instructor and is a member of the nursing honor society, Sigma Theta Tau International. Cindy said, “The BSN degree was a stepping-stone and will benefit me in the future if I decide to pursue other opportunities or go to a larger institution.” Cindy plans to pursue two graduate degrees beginning Fall 2000, a Master's in Nursing and a Master's in Business Administration. She will complete both degrees online.
Lexy Glover
Lexy Glover, a Surgical ICU nurse at Washington Hospital Center in Washington D.C., recently graduated from California State University, Dominguez Hills with a BS degree in Nursing. Lexy’s journey to earn her degree included several stops and detours along the way. Lexy lived in Ventura, California and was enrolled at CSUDH when her husband announced he received a job transfer and they had to move to the east coast. Lexy asked herself, “How and where am I going to complete my degree?” Lexy did not want to interrupt her studies at CSUDH and couldn’t find many schools on the east coast that offered the type of program and the flexibility she needed. The CSUDH Bachelor's completion degree in Nursing conducted online was the perfect solution to her problem. She could take classes online at her convenience, and the school’s reputation as a leader in distance learning convinced her to enroll. Lexy said learning the technical aspect of the online program was simple.
Lexy and her husband lived in Alexandria, Virginia when they first moved to the east coast. She was able to complete some of the program’s clinical requirements at Alexandria Hospital Center before her husband received yet another job transfer and they moved to Huntingtown, MD, a rural town outside of Washington, D.C. Lexy then began working at Washington Hospital Center in Washington, D.C. where she completed the remaining clinical requirements. When Lexy recently graduated in May 2000, she said, “I was happy to be able to graduate from the same school where I started my degree.” Lexy said the flexibility and convenience of the online program made it possible for her to relocate twice with her husband, work full-time, and complete her degree without interruption.
Lexy originally decided to earn a BS in Nursing because of her goal to become a Nurse Practitioner. The BS degree is a step towards the Master's degree required to become a Nurse Practitioner. She said the BSN degree also raises her to a more professional level. Lexy is a member of the American Association of Critical Care Nurses and the American Nurses Association. She is planning to pursue her Master's degree soon. She would love to complete the Master's degree online. Lexy said, “I recommend CSUDH distance learning program to everyone. I always give the phone number to colleagues and friends who express interest in completing their BS degree in Nursing.”
Janet Calhoun
Janet Calhoun dreamed of earning a BS degree in Nursing but always asked herself, “How would I balance school, a full-time job, and family?” She never imaged that her dream would become a reality until she saw an advertisement to complete her BS degree in Nursing from California State University, Dominguez Hills via the distance learning program.
Janet is married, has a five year-old son and works full-time as a nurse. She said the flexibility and online capabilities were the deciding factors in choosing the Dominguez Hills program. She took classes at her convenience in the mornings, afternoons or evenings. “It would not have been possible to complete this degree via a traditional program on a college campus,” Janet said, “because the travel distance was too far and the class schedules were too restrictive.” Initially, Janet was not comfortable using her computer, but she said the instructions for the online program were very easy and in time she felt completely at ease. Janet was able to complete the clinical part of the program at different medical centers near her home in Keystone Heights, Florida.
Janet was able to earn her BSN degree in two years. With her degree, she was able to move to a better position professionally, currently, working in case management at Putnam Community Medical Center. Janet plans to pursue her Master's in Nursing online at Dominguez Hills beginning in fall 2001.
"I was extremely pleased with Dominguez Hills' distance learning program," said Janet. "The staff was extremely helpful, and the flexibility and convenience of the entire program made it possible to earn my degree without disrupting the rest of my life. I would definitely recommend the program to anyone."
