Please tell us who you are and what you’re studying.

My name is Rebecca Fogg and I currently attend the Saint Joseph’s College of Maine ABSN Nursing program.

Please tell us about your professional background prior to starting the Saint Joes ABSN program.

I don’t have a lot of medical background. Most of my background comes from working in the service industry. I do have a couple years of childcare, so I got to experience working with people.  

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

I think of nurses as super caring and being the face that patients see and base their experience on. So, for me, it was really important when finding my career that I wanted to be something that people remembered. And that when they have a good experience, they're like, "Wow, I had a really awesome nurse and this is why my experience was so great, and this is how they changed me and how I felt better." [Nurses] spend the most time with patients. They get to know you, they remember you, and that is something that I really wanted. I wanted to be the happiness in people when they're visiting a very scary place.

Why did you end up choosing Saint Joe's College of Maine to do the ABSN program?

When I was looking for a program, I called three or four different programs to get insight on… what they offer. I called associate's program, bachelor's, master's and this program really struck out to me because …of the amount of help that you get throughout the program. That's really important to me, being able to have resources when I need something. The NCLEX was another [reason]. The percentage of people passing the NCLEX from the school was really high. So, they take pride on how they educate their students and [are] successful.

Can you tell us about your experience through the ABSN admissions process? How did working with Megan impact your enrollment experience?

Working with Megan… was great. She [helped] me to get into this program, so it made me feel like I really belonged here and that she really wanted me.

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

I was really nervous for the on-campus immersion. But this has actually been the best experience out of the whole program so far. Everybody I have met has been so awesome. I can tell that we have a great group of nurses here. Learning all of these skills can be really scary. But the professors and the teachers, who have walked us through it, have been … really helpful. They answer all your questions and get you really comfortable… before clinicals.

Tell us a little bit more about the quality of the Saint Joe’s hybrid ABSN classes, your peers and your professors. What has that been like?

My peers so far are amazing. I have never experienced such a great group of people ever. Everyone is so nice, so compassionate. The faculty has been great as well. Dr. Charitable, she will walk you through step-by-step so you understand everything. She really wants you to find success in your career, she wants you to understand what you're learning, and she's been really awesome.

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

The most engaging resource during our classes [is] the virtual patient care simulation because it gives you an actual patient with an issue. They lay out what you need to ask to figure [the issue] out, and at the end of it, you write a nursing diagnosis. It [helps] you understand why [they’re] having these symptoms and why they're experiencing this in a way that it makes you understand what's going on.  

What advice do you have for potential students who are considering enrolling in Saint Joseph’s hybrid ABSN program?

I would say definitely do it. I was really nervous because I got a bachelor’s, and I didn't know if I [should] go back to school. I knew I wanted to do something else because I wasn't happy with my career then. I knew I wanted to do nursing, but [not] a four-year program. I want to be a nurse now. This program really stood out to me because it's 15 months.

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

My impact as a nurse--I think I'd probably have to go back to what I was speaking about earlier; I want to be the thing people remember based on their good experiences. I want to be the light in all the darkness that they see when they come in, because it's really scary and they need something to remind them that they're going to be okay.