Kayla Richmond was in the process of completing College of Saint Mary’s Practical Nursing Certificate (PNC) program last summer when she realized that she wanted to further her education. Then, she learned CSM was adding an LPN to BSN program, offering an accelerated fast track for nurses to earn their bachelor’s degree and become registered nurses in two years.
“I jumped on it,” said Richmond, who enrolled in the program in fall 2023 after earning her certificate in practical nursing the previous May. “I love it here so much that I didn’t want to leave.”
Kayla, 27, started with the PNC program because she could enter the workforce quickly. Her role as a single mom to a 2-year-old boy drove the decision.
“It also allowed me to determine that nursing was the right choice for me,” she said.
After becoming a licensed practical nurse, Kayla began working in the emergency department at CHI Health Immanuel. She learned she liked acute care and thinking quickly on her feet during her clinical rotations.
“Emergency care is such a broad thing,” she said. “There are so many opportunities, and every day is something new. There is always a challenge, but I also get to care for people in their most vulnerable times.”
Kayla felt that the PNC program prepared her well for the workforce. “You learn a lot of information because you’re covering everything,” she said. “There is a difference in the scope of practice between an RN and an LPN, but it’s important to know at least a general basis of anything you could encounter. I feel like the professors prepared us to handle any situation.”
As a single mom, Kayla said she felt supported by her classmates, the faculty and staff. “There were times I was struggling last year. I had a lot of personal things going on in my life, but nobody let me give up,” she said. “There is so much care here for the students, which was really impactful for me.”
Being in the program and working with many different women from different backgrounds helped Kayla learn outside the curriculum, too.
“I realized a lot of the barriers to healthcare. That’s something that I try to keep in mind at work,” she said. “There are a lot of people we see who come to us for more primary or urgent care visits, but we might be the only healthcare they have.”
Kayla will wrap up her general education requirements in May. She’ll begin nursing classes this fall to finish her bachelor’s degree. The Omaha native is quick to recommend CSM to her coworkers or anyone interested in nursing.
“I’m always encouraging them to look into our program here,” she said. “I think it is important for people to know they can return to school even if they are single moms. I tell people they will be supported and I don’t think this an experience you can get at other colleges.”
