Brittany Valencia always knew nursing was her calling, saying, “My mom has home videos of me pretending to be a nurse, one in particular that I made my niece pretend to have babies.”
She also saw the hard work it took to become a nurse, because her own mother became a nurse when Valencia was seven. And it was a memory that left a mark.
“I was old enough to remember sitting there, and she worked so hard at it,” she says. “As a single mom, she was able to gain that independence by being a nurse, and that really deepened my desire to be a nurse, too.”
Being a Mom in Nursing School
Soon-to-be nurse Brittany Valencia and her two daughters. |
For Valencia, it’s been a nine-year journey to fulfill her dream of becoming a nurse. She was a teen mom, so she completed her prerequisites part-time, allowing her to raise her oldest daughter, who’s now nine.
When Valencia began the BS in Nursing program at the University of Colorado Anschutz College of Nursing, she learned she was pregnant with her second daughter.
“I told myself I was going to keep going with school until I truly couldn’t anymore,” she says. “If it ever became too much, at least I would know I gave it my best effort, and that’s all anyone can do. But I made it through. Even though the beginning was incredibly challenging, especially trying to balance a newborn while being in the program, I kept pushing forward.”
Valencia says faculty were supportive, accommodating, and understanding of her situation, even allowing her older daughter to sit in on classes. Her classmates were also supportive and would record a class for her if she couldn’t make it.
“I wanted to attend CU Anschutz Nursing because of its reputation. It has such a strong influence in the medical field, and you know you’re getting the best education when you come here and you become one of the best nurses in the field. I know earning a degree from the college will help my future career goals, including potentially earning a nurse practitioner degree.”
“There have been times where I’ve had challenges with childcare or my kids were sick, but with the support of some amazing cohort members and understanding professors, I always found a way to join lectures even if it was over Zoom,” she says. “At first, professors didn't know what I was going through or that I had kids at home, and adding to the already busy schedule, it was important to be transparent and let them know what was going on because they [faculty] want to see every student succeed.”
A Special Graduation
And what does Valencia’s older daughter think of her becoming a nurse?
“She’s so excited for me to be done,” she says. “She’s been alongside me through all of it. She’s cried with me and been excited with me, so we’re happy to cross the finish line. Graduation day is going to be a big deal for her, because I’ve been at this for so long, so I’ll be able to not only become a nurse, but I’ll be able to spend more time with my daughters.”
Graduation is also a major moment for Valencia because she’ll be the first person in her family to earn a bachelor’s degree.
“It’s something I’m very proud of,” she says. “I’ve faced hurdles and challenges along the way, and I feel like this is the ultimate accomplishment.”
It's a finish line her mom helped her imagine, and one she'll cross with her daughters watching.
