Please introduce yourself and tell us what program you’re studying.

Hi, I’m Genevieve Norton. I am currently pursuing an Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Saint Joe’s College of Maine.

Tell us about the virtual ABSN courses, what are some of the features that you find to be the most engaging?

One of my favorite classes right now is an online simulated patient care course because it's for anyone who hasn't had any experience talking with a patient, or actually doing a health assessment on a patient, it guides you through it.

So, the virtual health course was able to give you some of that exposure?

Yeah, the virtual classes, especially our health assessment course, has been very helpful to have practice on being able to hear abnormal heart sounds and abnormal lung sounds in comparison to normal sounds that we would hear for any other healthy individual.

What was your professional background prior to starting Saint Joseph’s hybrid ABSN program?

I’ve worked as an EMT for the last four and a half years, and it’s been so rewarding. During the pandemic, when Massachusetts had a state emergency order, we were able to learn to administer vaccines. I was running a lot of vaccine clinics throughout the state with a lot of nurses, and they suggested, [that I] should … think about applying for nursing school. When I heard from Saint Joe’s, I was like, that's the one, I'm going to go there.

What inspired you to become a nurse? Do you have a personal story that you can share?

When I was in high school, I was a junior staff at a local Boys and Girls Club. One of the things that they would have us do was different training days. It was like speed dating with different professions. And one of the women that came in was a labor and delivery nurse. I was talking with her, and thought, I could really see myself in that role, or at least in nursing in some aspect. As I'm talking with her, I think: “I want to do this.” I think I've always wanted to do it; I just wasn't sure what steps to in order to do so.

Why did you choose Saint Joseph's College of Maine for your Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing?

Distance. Mostly distance. I like the state of Maine, I just thought it was a better option for me.

How have the Saint Joe’s hybrid ABSN faculty been?

Good, good. I really like talking [with them] and they do a pretty good job of explaining, hey, this is what I'm asking, can we set up a time to talk about it? It was really nice to actually talk with the professor one-on-one and have a better idea of what things I do well and focus on the things that give me a little bit more trouble. So, the faculty have been really personable.

Walk us through how you're feeling about the Saint Joe’s ABSN on-campus immersion. Have any moments stood out for you so far?

It's been really fun to see how everybody else goes about doing their patient care. Not in the sense that we're doing any of the processes differently, but how we each approach a patient and what we each bring to the table when it comes to talking with patients. Some people have been in healthcare jobs for quite some time. Some people, this is their first time ever doing hands on testing… with the manikins.

Tell us about your experience through the Saint Joe’s hybrid ABSN admissions process. How did working with your enrollment advisor impact your experience?

I loved working with Megan. She was great. Throughout the whole admissions process, she was always on top of it…saying: “Have you gotten this in? Have you done this?” She was available anytime I had a question. It was very good to have someone just continuously checking in.

What advice do you have for potential students considering Saint Joe’s hybrid ABSN?

It’s hard, but I know it will be worth it.

How do you plan to make an impact on your community as a nurse with your ABSN degree?

I always like to go for any opportunity that I can. So, if that means serving my community through home health, or through a local clinic, that's fine with me.

Tell us about your vision. Are there any specialties or populations that you want to work with?

I've done emergency medicine for the last four and a half years; I think I want to be an ER nurse. I [also] want to do labor and delivery, and maybe become a certified nurse midwife, but … I want to go through the labor and delivery portion of our clinicals before seeing where it takes me.

How do you feel about the quality of your classes, peers, and professors at Saint Joe's?

I think they [have done] a really good job. We've all been very dedicated, it's great that we are able to communicate. Classes are difficult, but that's to be expected. And it's been nice to communicate with the professors… and feel like we're being heard.

What excites you the most about your ABSN nursing journey?

I'm ready to be able to have more scope of practice and more options. I think I'm most excited about not being stuck in one type of nursing, I can go and do different specialties with my [BSN].