“Just get online and take that next step”

“Good afternoon. My name is Cynthia Attaway and I am currently in the Post Master's Family Nurse Practitioner program.

"I want to let you know, one of the reasons why I chose Carson-Newman online program was just a Facebook feed. I had seen a face at our current hospital, didn't know the nurse well, but I was able to get in touch with her and ask her about her experience. She said, go for it. So I took the next step. I saw the feed again and filled out the information, and someone from the university called me back. That is how I took that first step. If you're afraid to take that first step online, that's what I did.

“I've never had an online program until this program”

"I've never had an online program until this program. I wasn't for sure how successful I would be. But with being able to print, re-listen to lectures over and over, Carson-Newman has... Even the professors are getting on Skype and Teams and allowing the students to answer questions, go through case studies so we can get into the SOAP note mode. I call it the SOAP note mode. But anyway, and it gives you a face with a name.

“The advanced health assessment was wonderful”

"Also, there was one opportunity to go to Carson-Newman, and it was for the advanced health assessment. It was absolutely wonderful. You got to meet some of the students, and the beautiful university is nestled in the Tennessee mountains surrounded by beautiful lakes. If I lived closer, I would really want to be there in person. That is one of the reasons I chose.

"Another one is affordability. They'll take these partial payments through each month, and by the end of this semester it's paid for, so you don't have to worry about an arm and a leg of student loans if you can manage those payment plans.

“The way it matches up with my philosophy is each person is a unique being created by God”

"The way it matches up with my philosophy is each person is a unique being created by God. That is in the mission, the philosophy, one little sentence, and we are all unique and we're all created by God. That carries through to your clinical settings to just walking your walk and talking your talk as a nurse.

"The advanced practice is looking at that patient as a unique person, and they have unique circumstances, and trying to accommodate what is so unique about them is going to be a challenge.

"This past week our pastor, he had quoted something by, and he's an exercise guru. His name is Mark Twight, and he said, "Talk minus action equals zero." Declaration of intent is not execution.

“Just take one day at a time”

"So if you're thinking about it and talking about it, just get online and take that next step, because we want you to action and execute. So if you have that passion for just wanting to take an extra step to be an advanced practice nurse, do it is all I can say. Don't look back.

"Just take one day at a time. That's all I can say is take one day at a time. Thank you for listening to me and I look forward to getting through this semester and one more."