Dorothy Miller, PhD, MPH, MSN, RN, CNE
Department Chair, Health Sciences
Growing up, I knew I wanted to become a nurse. I imagined myself working in a hospital and taking care of people at the bedside. I could see myself wearing the starched white uniform and old-fashioned white starched nursing cap. However, I knew that for me, it would be a tough battle to become a nurse. I had several strikes against me accomplishing my dreams. Firstly, I did not personally know anyone who was a nurse. Having a role model can be a powerful tool in helping you visualize your dreams. Secondly, I was not great at math or science. In fact, my high school counselor told me that because of my grades, I would never become a nurse and that I should choose another career path. The third strike against my becoming a nurse was that I am from a very rural and impoverished background. None of my family members had ever gone to college and both of my parents only had an elementary school education. Finally, I am a Black female. Although Mary Eliza Mahoney became the first Black female to graduate from a nursing program in 1878, the field of nursing remains predominantly white.
According to Schunr (2020), there are approximately 4 million Registered Nurses (RNs) in the US. The statistics demonstrate that 7.8% of RNs self-identified as being Black or African American (non-Hispanic); 5.2% are Asian; 10.2% are Hispanic; 2.7% categorize themselves as two or more races; and 0.3% are American Indian or Alaskan Native. According to the statistics, 73.3% of RNs are White. As my high school counselor mentioned, the odds were against my becoming a nurse! Fortunately, I was born with tenacity and the unmitigated audacity to refuse to give up!
I achieved my dreams, are you ready to achieve yours? Have you been placed on a waiting list?
What can the St. Andrews University Nursing Programs offer you?
Pre-Licensure Bachelor of Science Nursing Program
- Our faculty has over 100 years of combined nursing experience
- We have small class sizes.
- We have available slots with NO WAITING LISTS!
- We have fully updated simulation and clinical skills labs.
- We are fully accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
RN-BSN Completion Program
- Block transfer credit
- No additional math or science courses required
- Finish your Bachelors degree in 9 months
- Credit for having an active RN license
- Fully online, flexible
- Slots available and enrolling now
What are you waiting for? Visit us or call us today!
If You Dream It! You Can Achieve It!
References
Kays, H. (2022). Breaking barriers: A history of Mary Eliza Mahoney. Retrieved https://www.aanp.org/news-feed/breaking-barriers-a-history-of-mary-eliza-mahoney
Schnur, M. (2020). U.S. Nurses in 2020: Who we are and where we work. Retrieved https://www.nursingcenter.com/ncblog/may-2020/u-s-nurses-in-2020
