In August 2016, severe flooding hit thousands of homes and businesses in Louisiana with no warning.
Stephanie Jacobs was among them.
And as the home she shared with her four children took on water, she also found herself flooded with doubt.
Could she keep working two jobs, care for her kids, and earn her BSN degree through 鶹ҹ's online RN to BSN program?
“Freshly divorced, single mom, four kids — just found out the house is mine. And then, boom, it floods,” she says. “I mean, I’d never flooded before. I was working two jobs, keeping the kids in school during the day. I’m living in a tent on the concrete outside of our house because I was afraid of black mold.”
While Jacobs did take time off from school, she re-enrolled two years later to reach her goal.
“I know that furthering my education is going to come in handy no matter what," she says. "I just want to be an inspiration to single mothers to just keep moving forward and show them they can reach their goals."
Stepping up
Motivated by her desire to provide for her children, Jacobs earned her RN license through an associate degree program.
When she saw a fellow nurse working through 鶹ҹ’s online RN to BSN program, she was curious.
“I would come in on an evening shift and she would be finishing up some schoolwork,” she says. “So I asked what she was doing, and she showed me the website, the school, Moodle. I was like, ‘This is so cool. This has got my name all over it.’”
Jacobs enrolled in the program and jumped into her studies headfirst.
“I hadn’t taken online courses before, but it was an easy adjustment. My math instructor over the summer was phenomenal. I maintained constant communication with her,” she says.
A sudden change in plans
Once Jacobs’ divorce was final, her life changed fast. After signing the papers at the end of a long hospital shift, she came home to a flooded house.
"I had four feet of water in the house, but moisture creeps up the drywall another foot or so. I had to gut up to eight feet. The doors were wooden so they swelled to where you couldn’t shut them,” she recalls.
As repairs piled up, Jacobs had to step back and find a new way forward.
“I did have to withdraw from the online RN to BSN program,” says Jacobs. “It was major turmoil. It came with a lot of despair and shock, but my co-workers really showed up for me.”
Paving a new path
Two years later, Jacobs got back on track.
“I was able to re-enroll in 2018, and I did not bite off more than I could chew starting back. I just made sure to take it one class at a time,” she says.
Now, Jacobs uses her training as a nurse manager at a state mental health facility to improve patient care.
“Part of the RN to BSN program’s capstone is to create a proposal for a change,” she explains. “Using the knowledge from the program empowers students to work with others while advocating for change in their organizations.”
Jacobs also dedicates her time to co-training LivingWorks ASIST workshops. The program is meant to build communities that are safer for people at risk of suicide.
Wanting to help meet the need for better mental health care, she’s applied to 鶹ҹ's online MSN program.
“To me, mental health is underfunded. It’s not studied enough,” she says. “I found in my research, many of the studies are in different countries, and the U.S. doesn't really have a lot.”
After so much time and effort, Jacobs is still adjusting to finally earning her BSN degree.
“I finished my coursework early March, and I still check the 鶹ҹ website. It’s like we broke up and I wasn't ready for it to be over,” she laughs. “I'm literally logging in to the portal and just checking for updates. Over the years 鶹ҹ has been a big part of my life and daily routine.”
Ready to take the next step in your nursing career? Learn more about our online RN to BSN program at 鶹ҹ.