Master of Business Administration,
Master of Science of Nursing
Infection Prevention and Control Coordinator, Mercy Medical Center
I had earned my associate’s degree and then my bachelor’s in nursing a few years prior and was already working at Mercy Medical Center. When I wanted to go back to school for my Master in Science of Nursing (MSN) I decided to also seek my Master of Business Administration (MBA) at the same time. Elms was one of the few places that offered both.
I decided on Elms instead of other schools because it is smaller and affordable, which was a big factor. And it was convenient. Altogether it was an easy choice for me.
At the time I was working full-time with two jobs, I had two young children, and then in the middle of my degree, I became pregnant with my third. It was not easy and many times I was like ‘Am I crazy for what I am doing?’ My professors were very supportive. They would come up to me and offer one-on-one support, and ask if I was doing OK and if there was anything they could do to help. It’s little things like that that tell you how personalized it is. After my daughter was born, I took a year off, and when I returned the challenges of balancing school with motherhood and working full-time seemed even more daunting. But several of my professors met with me and offered their support. They encouraged me, told me I could do it, and asked what they could do to help me be successful. They truly are in tune with each individual student. And I was able to hang in there and complete my degree because of it.
My MBA focused on healthcare leadership, and it has given me a lot of confidence in myself as a leader. I feel empowered because I know the knowledge that I have. I had years of experience being a nurse, I had leadership roles in the hospital as a supervisor. But I didn’t know what I didn’t know, and I still felt I was not appropriately prepared. As Infection Prevention and Control Coordinator, I have to write policies for the hospital and make sure they are aligned with other policies. I have to work with doctors, nurses, and administrators to see that they understand and follow policy. And I report and make presentations to the Chief Medical Officer at the hospital. I wouldn’t have known how to do that if not for the MBA program. I’m definitely a much happier leader with MBA experience.
Anyone who is looking to advance in administrative leadership or even start their own company, I would encourage them to apply at Elms.