As a non-traditional student, Marianne started her journey at Vermont Tech thanks to a counselor that led her to the nursing program because of her want to help people. “I started out as a music major at ULCA and never finished. My goal was to achieve my 4-year degree and later in life decided to back to school,” expressed Marianne. In 2016 she graduated with her Practical Nursing Certificate (LPN). Marianne continued her studies and received her Associate of Science in Nursing (ADN) in 2017. Then in 2022, Marianne graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). At her graduation, Marianne was awarded with the BSN DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Students from the DAISY Foundation where she received a certificate and pin recognizing her honor. “I was completely taken aback and honored that I received the DAISY award. It was so unexpected because I wasn’t doing anything that any other nurse wouldn’t do. To me, the DAISY award embodies the spirit of the nurse whose role is to have compassion and give the best care to each and every patient” she explained. Marianne expressed, “Vermont Tech is stellar! I cannot tell you how much the nursing program at Vermont Tech has helped prepare me for the many encounters with patients and families while working as a nurse.”
Using Vermont Tech’s 1+1+2 model, which allows for the completion of the Practical Nursing (PN) certificate, followed by the completion of the Associate of Science in Nursing (ADN) leading to eligibility for RN licensure, and culminating with the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN); Marianne noted two professors that helped her through her education stating, “Inge Smith-Luce, MSN/ED, RN-C, NRP, and Carolyn Stannard-Carlo, DNP, RN, were outstanding…their advice and conveying of their nursing experiences during lectures has been so unforgettable. So much so, that I can remember clearly, word for word, their recommendations which was reflected in their years of experience and enthusiasm for the art and science of nursing.”
Marianne is now a RN-II Clinical Nurse at the Vermont Veterans’ Home. She explained her day consists of, “assessing patients, passing medications, implementing treatment and interventions for change in condition, while working as a floor nurse advocating for our veterans and members to make a better day while treating mind, body, and spirit. My favorite part of my job is getting to know our patients, learning their goals, hearing their very interesting stories, including their experiences in the military, while finding out those things that can help them have a better day.” Previously, before becoming a nurse, Marianne homeschooled her children for 20 years while also helping her husband with their jewelry business. Now she expressed, “I am so excited when I am training another nurse, teaching a patient, or acting as a preceptor as I love teaching! I also feel blessed to be able to go to work every day knowing that I am serving people, helping them through hard times, and getting paid for it!”
Marianne’s advice to current/potential students of Vermont Tech is, “learn from those around you, especially the very experienced professors. Vermont Tech has so much to offer, and I am very proud of each and every Vermont Tech student and alumni. My supervisor once said, “I can tell who goes to Vermont Tech for nursing. They really put out high quality nurses.” And I get excited when I run into another nurse who has gone to Vermont Tech.” Marianne further stated, “I truly believe building upon one’s nursing knowledge not only makes for more positive outcomes for patients, but also helps to achieve the trust that the relationship between the nurse and patient needs. I would recommend Vermont Tech to anybody who desires to achieve a nursing career, as I am so happy to have been a part of a College that gave me so much knowledge and support to help me achieve my dream.” (See Vermont Tech’s higher than the national average NCLEX pass rates and our Nursing Program high completion rates).