Jordan Page grew up seeing the impact of healthcare workers firsthand. Through taking care of his sick family members and hearing stories from his mother’s nursing career, he knew he wanted to pursue a career helping others. But his journey didn’t begin with nursing.
Page started an embroidery and screen-printing business in high school that he continued while attending IU Fort Wayne for his first degree in Healthcare Management and Dental Technology. He was drawn to the major but soon realized he wanted more patient interaction.
“Working in the field and getting my degree, I realized I wanted more hands-on work,” he explained. “I wanted to actually get deeper into diseases, what causes diseases, how to treat patients, and the more face-to-face patient interaction.”
After receiving his first degree, Page helped his mother take care of his ailing grandmother. When he expressed that he wished he was able to help her more, his mother suggested he go back to school and pursue nursing, which would give him the opportunity to deal with more serious and complex health issues.
The IU School of Nursing’s Accelerated BSN program at IU Fort Wayne offered the ideal solution. The 16-month program is designed for students who have a bachelor’s degree in another field but want to obtain a nursing degree. Page said it allowed him to reach his goals faster and be surrounded by others in his position.
Now, just six months away from completing the Accelerated BSN program, he is working at Parkview Hospital Randallia on the medical-surgical floor, where he’s found the same supportive and collaborative environment.
“Everyone’s there to help you,” he said. “Even if we’re short a tech or a nurse, people from other floors come and help you out. I’ve learned so much in just the five to six months that I’ve worked there, and I’m more confident as a student as well.”
He shares a drive and motivation with his cohort that makes it possible to collaborate and complete the fast-paced program. Being able to connect with others who are currently working and have previous work experience to pull from is also a beneficial part of the program for Page.
“If we’re studying something as a group, we can be like, ‘Oh I saw this at work and this is how it actually works in the real world,’ and then we can apply that to how we study,” he said.
Previous work experience, such as Page’s business and volunteer work for Junior Achievement have also prepared him for the program by giving a unique outlook and beneficial set of skills. For example, teaching students about entrepreneurship and his business experience prepares him to educate patients on care and treatment plans.
“I had to really simplify what I did with screen printing and embroidery, and when you’re a nurse, you’re going to have to describe medications, tell them how medications start, and how to get better,” he said.
After he graduates in December, Page plans to continue working on the medical-surgical floor. He enjoys the unique and dynamic problem-solving opportunities it provides each day. The Accelerated BSN program has given him a second chance to choose a career path that he’s passionate about and can make a difference.
“I’m really appreciative that this program exists,” he said. “It gives people opportunities that they otherwise wouldn’t have dreamed of.”