We asked Viking Danissa Arias DeJesus '24, who comes to Salem State University from Nahant, about her experience in the Salem State School of Nursing.
What are you studying at Salem State?
“I am majoring in nursing with a minor in biology.”
Why did you decide to study nursing at Salem State?
“I have always wanted to go into nursing since I was little and I knew Salem State had great opportunities and a great nursing program.”
What has been your favorite nursing course at Salem State so far? Who taught it?
“My favorite class so far has been NUR110 by Professor Amy Wachsmuth. She is really great and I really enjoyed her teaching methods. This class has educated me on some really interesting topics.”
What kind of nursing career do you plan to pursue? Is there a nursing specialty you are interested in?
“I plan on becoming a nurse practitioner either in pediatrics or OBGYN, and possibly before that become a traveling nurse.”
Describe your experience in Salem State's School of Nursing. In what ways have your courses prepared you to be a nurse?
“I haven’t had many classes for nursing yet but the ones I have had really showed that nursing isn’t as hard as some people make it out to be. You just have to be really focused and motivated to do your work and have a desire and need to learn.”
What have you liked most about studying nursing at Salem State?
“I have liked the wide variety of different classes I can take while still completing the required classes. All of the classes have been very interesting.”
What has it been like to study and/or work in the nursing field during the COVID-19 pandemic? What challenges have you had to overcome?
“In my first year, most things were all online and it was hard to meet people and get used to distance learning. But now that things are more in person, it’s been really great to have been able to meet people, especially the people I will be taking more nursing classes with and graduating with.”
What do you love most about nursing in general?
“I love helping others. I have always been a nurturing ‘people person,’ and I feel like nursing is just a part of who I am. It’s also great that you can do so, so much with nursing, and there will always be a variety of things to do. Nursing is also an always-changing profession, so you’ll always be up-to-date and educated about people and the world.”
What advice would you give to future nursing students?
“Have an open mind and prepare yourselves for the workload. As long as you keep organized and don’t let yourself get behind on your work, it won’t be so bad and scary. Also, another bonus is that there will always be a need for nurses and there will never be enough. All the work you are doing now will all be worth it, and it’ll be extremely fun!”
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Learn more about the Salem State University School of Nursing.