Hello, my name is Melissa Amaro. I recently returned to school in January 2023. I was accepted into a LPN to BSN program. I’ve worked the last 13 years as a licensed practical nurse (LPN) at a local hospital; which I’ve been employed for 20 years. I’ve always wanted to become a registered nurse (RN) I’ve just hit some hiccups along the way. It took me a bit to realize what I wanted to do, and then as I pursued that I became a young mother. I have been raising my two sons who are almost grown. In fact, my oldest son just moved out to Portland, and my second son will graduate high school next June. So when I got my LPN , I immediately went to work and focused on raising my family as a single parent. During the years I applied to bridge programs, and there was a lot of applicants applying for the same programs. In the meantime, I realized I had to repeat some courses because they had either expired or they were no longer being excepted as a prerequisite. I had done a survey regarding an LPN to BSN program that was sent to me through the Columbia Basin College. I watched their website for any news of the program. When it was finally open to apply to I got my my paperwork in order and applied! I actually found out on my birthday that I was accepted into the program. I am currently getting ready to start my third quarter, which is a summer quarter. It has been quite an adjustment to get back into student mode and writing papers and doing clinical. I have been working during this time and will continue to work because not working is not an option. Even though it’s stressful and a juggling act I am still excited and feel blessed that I have finally been able to further my education. I’m excited about the possibilities that will be available to me once I obtain my RN license. I hope to work in intensive care and maybe a per diem job in behavioral health. I’m not gonna lie the financial security will help to alleviate stress of living paycheck to paycheck and once caught up I can also help my sons with their education whether it’s college or vocational school. I want to help them reach their goals sooner than I have been able to reach mine. Thank you for your consideration.

Hello! My name is Melissa Amaro. I am a single parent to two sons. They are 21 and 17 years old. I became a single parent the end of 2008. I was also in a Licensed Practical Nurse(LPN) program during this time. I’m not kidding when I say it was the most difficult time for me. I was going to school full-time and working full-time plus going through custody dates and of course taking care of my children. I co-parented my kids along with their father until the end of 2016. Since then it has been my sons and I. My children were my motivation to keep going. They still are. After finishing the nursing program I focused on taking care of my kids and working in my new role as a LPN. I tried over the years to get into a bridge LPN to Registered Nurse(RN) program, but so was everyone else. I couldn’t afford to start a RN program from the beginning. I didn’t want more time to be taken away from my kids. I am currently enrolled in a bridge nursing program. It is a LPN to BSN program and I am in their first cohort at Columbia Basin College. I am so close to accomplishing my goal of becoming a registered nurse. I know having my RN opens the doors to many possibilities for job employment in many different areas. As an LPN I am limited not to mention the financial security I will have once working as a RN. I will be able to help my sons with their education whether it be college or a vocational school. I plan to make a positive impact through my education and becoming a RN by volunteering with local organizations. I have an interest in intensive care and behavioral health, but have an open mind to all areas of nursing. In the fall I will be doing community nursing for school. My instructor is in the process of setting me up to work with Union Gospel Mission. This will give me a better understanding how healthcare operates in this setting and great experience that I look forward to using in the future. I was able to travel prior to the pandemic to Peru for a missions trip. I was part of the medical team that went to Iquitos, Peru. I would love to do more missions trips in the future, as well as volunteer in our communities here in Yakima and the Tri-Cities.

The nursing industry interests me as a career choice because I have always had a heart to help others. Ever since I was a young child I participated in fundraisers, such as American Heart Association or Multiple Sclerosis, where I would read books for donations for the cause. As I grew up helping others was something I was passionate about. I started my healthcare career as a nurses aide shortly after having my first hospital experience as a patient which was when I had my first son by C-section, so it was also my first surgery. It was after that experience that I realized I wanted to go into healthcare as my career. I started attending community college and focusing on my nursing prerequisites. I finally got into an LPN program at Heritage University, and then I focused on working as an LPN and raising my family. When I felt ready to go back to school to get my RN. It was really difficult to get into a program. Also some of the programs wanted me to start from the beginning or prerequisites had to be re-taken because they had expired. I’ve been working as an LPN for the last 13 years. I finally got accepted into a LPN to BSN program and I feel very blessed to be able continue my career to my long-term goal of becoming a RN. Volunteering experience I’ve had as an LPN was I was part of a Missions Me trip to Peru in 2019, and I was part of the medical team. So for a week I helped the local people of Iquitos, Peru, and it was very humbling to see all the people that came out to be seen by our physicians and our healthcare team and to help them with their healthcare concerns. I have been in good health however, in the spring of 2021 my mother was diagnosed with uterine cancer. She felt the need to keep this diagnosis to herself at the beginning before she informed my siblings and I. My older sister, who is a registered nurse and myself took my mom to her appointments with my older sister being in charge. Being on this side of healthcare as the patient’s family member gave me a perspective how to be more informative, compassionate, and to just give better care to those who are facing a difficult diagnosis such as cancer. I know that once I obtain my RN, I want to stay at bedside nursing in ICU or Behavioral Health. I would also like to volunteer on missions trips, internationally, but also volunteer to underserved communities within the states.

I first decided to go into nursing after the birth of my first son. It was my first hospitalized experience and also my first first surgery. I had previously taken a nursing assistant course at the persuasion of my best friend, and my sister who was already an RN also encouraged me to go into nursing. After my time off I applied to a nursing home, and worked there before getting hired at a local hospital. Twenty years later, and I am still employed at that same hospital. I have gained experience over the years working the medical floor. I have floated to other departments such as Maternity, ER, PACU, and more recently the Behavioral Health department. I have worked a couple of per diem jobs at nursing homes and an assisted living facility. I also took part in a missions trip to Peru in 2019, and was part of the medical team. This was a great experience to help the local people of Iquitos. I continued with my college courses and had my second son. I finished my AA and applied for nursing programs which were very hard to get into. I was accepted into the LPN program at Heritage University. After completing the LPN program in 2010; I took time off of school to focus on raising my sons as a single parent. When I felt ready to continue my education it was very difficult to get into a bridge program. I am currently working on advancing my nursing career through a LPN to BSN program. I am very excited to be in this program as becoming a RN has always been my long term goal. I encourage other coworkers to advance their careers and education, and to be an example that it is never too late to reach your goals! By obtaining my RN license I will have a larger scope of practice than I currently do as a LPN as well as more job opportunities. I plan to make a difference in my nursing career by continuing to work in a hospital setting as a bedside nurse; working directly with patients. I hope to make an impact everyday in my workplace and in the care I give my patients. The nursing shortages only seemed to worsen during the pandemic. I plan to stay in Eastern Washington. Now that my sons are older; I also want to go and volunteer more in underserved communities and internationally.