A Day in the Life of

a Nursing student

Daniel Hargrove day in the life of a nursing student

-With Daniel Hargrove, KU Lakeland

 

The Nursing program at KU provides students with the specialized knowledge, judgment, and nursing skills needed to become a professional nurse. Daniel Hargrove is a KU alumni, having graduated from the AS in Nursing program in August of 2013. Prior to that, he was a member of the United States Army infantry, where he served two combat tours in Iraq, one lasting twelve months, and the other fifteen. Daniel is also a previous member of The Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida (ICUF) Presidential Fellows Program!  I caught up with him to get the inside scoop of what it was like being in the Nursing program at KU.

 What made you decide to go into the field of nursing?

I decided to enter the field of Nursing during an extended hospitalization of my wife at the end of her pregnancy. Luckily, my wife and daughter came out of the experience unscathed. During the hospitalization, I had a lot of interaction with the Nurses that were caring for my family. Seeing the notable impact they were able to have on my family and I, coupled with an excellent three day a week schedule and generous salary, I thought to myself, “I can do that”. Within one month, I was enrolled in Keiser University’s nursing program.

What were some of your favorite classes and which did you have difficulties in?

Although not a nursing class per se, by far my favorite class was Anatomy and Physiology. I had an amazing teacher who was very skilled in elaborating on the nuances of our textbook and any and all of the questions we posed. He definitely helped to turbocharge my motivation for learning.

By the same token, Anatomy and Physiology was by far the most difficult of my classes. The textbook was thick and the details were more than plentiful. This class took more studying than any of my other classes.

How did you get through it?

First of all, I had an excellent teacher. Secondly, I realized that this class was providing the very foundation of my learning for the medical field. Without a thorough understanding of anatomy and physiology, I knew that I would have a difficult time building on the information if I didn’t ensure that it was a solid foundation. Because of my dedication in this class, the following classes that expounded on the information learned in anatomy and physiology were much easier to grasp.

You participated in ICUF last year, can you tell me a little about your involvement as a fellow?

Participating in ICUF was quite an experience. I was able to represent my university in Tallahassee while speaking with many of the senators and house representatives, as well as the governor, in regards to funding and student access to private universities. I met people that I likely would never have met otherwise and got to have a great time representing my school.

Where are you at professionally now that you’ve graduated?

I currently work in a nationally recognized cardiovascular intensive care unit in one of the largest hospitals in the state. I am also back at KU pursuing my bachelor degree in nursing and will be finished this spring. Although difficult, it is definitely possible to go to school and work full time.

What advice would you give to students pursuing a degree in nursing?

Go for it. There are few career fields that provide such a rewarding work and family life balance. In addition, the starting salary of a nurse with an associate degree is hard to beat. It will be a lot of work and take up a large amount of your time but the end result is absolutely worth it. I have a dream job that was only possible with the right education. Don’t hold yourself back from success, instead, push yourself towards it.

Thank you so much Daniel! I really enjoyed speaking with you and learning about your program. I wish you the best of luck in pursuing your bachelor’s degree and in all of your future endeavors! I also would like to thank you for your service to this country and I hope you had a happy Veterans Day!

 

If  you’re interested in learning more about our Prestigious Nursing Program, check out our Accelerated Nursing Program!

As always students, feel free to email me with your comments, questions, concerns, and suggestions!

Your fellow KU student,

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