From Trainer to Nurse: Kathleen Geoghegan

I decided I wanted to be a nurse while I was working in personal training. I did personal training with women of all ages, and they often had questions for me regarding their health, or would relay information for me from their doctors. I always felt that as a personal trainer, I was on the "outside" of healthcare, and I wanted to work on a more acute level with people and to understand the science of medicine on a deeper level. Often, my training clients would tell me that they had a pre-existing condition such as cancer, or a heart condition, or a history of stroke, and I would wish that I had a deeper training and understanding of these conditions, and the training to help them on a deeper level than exercise.

I met two women who went through the ABSN program at Regis College, and two friends who completed ABSN programs at MGH. I learned that Regis College had a much more close knit community. I ultimately chose Regis because of its size and location.

I now live in Beaufort, South Carolina with my fiancé. I was hired very quickly onto a general medical surgical unit that is now a designated COVID-19 floor. My experience has been a plunge into the steepest learning curve I have ever experienced. The best part about my time at Regis was the other students. I remember doing assessments on patients, and questioning my skills. I would go out into the hall during clinical and ask another student to be another set of eyes as I assessed a patient, or took their manual blood pressure. I felt that nobody in our cohort acted better, smarter, or more experienced than anyone else, and we could rely on one another at any time! I would recommend Regis College for anyone living in the Metrowest area looking for a small school and some great professors. I have so much appreciation particularly for professors Waldeck and Landers, because they prepared us for the real experience so well. I would also recommend anyone who struggles with test taking who wants to go into nursing, but fears the NCLEX. Regis College does a great job at preparing us for NCLEX with every exam we take, and in addition with ATI.