Step Up and Step Into Nursing

You never get anywhere by standing still. Amber Johnson knows this because she’s spent her life moving forward. She went from being a mother of one applying for basic job positions to a mother of four with higher career aspirations as a nurse. Amber built on her existing associate degree by earning her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) at Herzing University and graduating in 2021.

“I came to Herzing for a lot of reasons. It’s accredited, and it’s allowed me to balance family, work and life in a way that was important to me. Most of all, the team of people here never told me I couldn’t reach my goals or have the job I wanted,” recalled Amber.

And Amber’s goal was to help others.

Helping may sound simple, but it takes time, energy and courage to work in healthcare. You will face some hard days and difficult moments, but there’s also a joy that comes only from being on the frontlines of healthcare.

“The rewards are worth every challenge,” Amber said. “When you are the one who can help someone who has been sick or in pain, and you are the person who can get them the care they need or the answers they’re looking for — that’s an amazing feeling.”

For Amber, it’s all about the people. She loves being around her patients. She wants to do the work and be there when they need her. She tells them, “Call me, bother me, ask your questions. I’m here for you,” and she means it too. Her sacrifices for the job are significant but in a lot of ways no more than anyone else that wants to work where she works. Time with family, time with friends is all balanced by the time she spends working and striving to be the best nurse she can be for her patients.

“You have to step up and step into nursing — this is a fantastic career, and it’s what I’ve always wanted, but it’s never been easy, and it’s never going to be easy,” she said. “If you want to do something — being a nurse or anything else — go for it! But never stop just because it’s hard. Don’t fear the challenges. Getting challenged and then pushing through it is what makes the rewards worth it.”

Amber has learned the importance of time management, the ability to multi-task, having great communication skills and being a listener. Especially in the increasingly remote learning environment brought about by COVID, you must understand how you function best and shape your schedule to accommodate that learning style.

“I want to be a family nurse practitioner — that’s the ultimate goal,” said Amber. “They practice from the womb to the tomb; they assist across all ages, and that’s what I want to do. I want to help.”  While she works towards these future goals, Amber works for a nonprofit community health clinic in Ludington, Michigan.