From Aspiration to Impact: How One Nurse Practitioner Found Her Calling

Jessica, a mother of five, knew flexibility was essential when it came to furthering her nursing career. With more than a decade of clinical experience — including surgical trauma, pediatrics, low-acuity NICU, and labor and delivery — she was ready to pursue her long-held goal of becoming a family nurse practitioner.

But with a full-time job and a busy household, Jessica needed a program that could meet her where she was.

“My goal was to find an online program that was flexible because we have five children, and I was still working,” she says. “Going to class every day just wasn’t realistic for me.”

After extensive research, Jessica chose Maryville University’s online Master of Science in Nursing – Family Nurse Practitioner (MSN-FNP) program. She was impressed by how communicative and supportive the professors were throughout her experience.

“I was a nontraditional student. I had a lot of children,” she says. “I was nervous, but it was a fantastic experience. They were very supportive, very available to me.”

Jessica’s decision to go back to school wasn’t sparked by one moment; it reflected her natural leadership and deep desire to make a broader impact in healthcare.

“I loved bedside nursing, but the idea of making decisions, developing care plans, and following patients over time really appealed to me,” she shares.

Choosing the family nurse practitioner track allowed her to care for patients at every stage of life. From her early job in a nursing home during high school to her years in women’s and children’s health, Jessica never wanted to limit her focus to a single population.

“I love pediatrics, NICU, labor and delivery — but I also loved the geriatric population,” she says. “Family practice was the only way to bring it all together.”

Now a proud graduate, Jessica is using her advanced skills to provide comprehensive care and advocate for patients across the lifespan.

Balancing school, clinical hours, work, and family wasn’t easy. As clinical hours ramped up, home responsibilities remained constant — and demanding.

“The biggest challenge was finding the balance between school, work, and being there for my kids,” Jessica says.

Midway through the program, she and her husband adopted two children. She continued her coursework from a hotel room near the NICU, determined to stay on track.

“The professors were incredibly understanding and accommodating,” she recalls. “As long as I did the work and put in the effort, they were more than willing to work with me.”

Despite the challenges, Jessica consistently earned grades above 90 in nearly all her courses.

“You just got to roll with the punches sometimes,” she laughs.

Her journey reminded her of the power of self-compassion and revealed just how capable she truly was. Education, for Jessica, isn’t just about earning a credential. It’s about setting an example and embracing lifelong growth.

She’s already thinking about returning to pursue her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), inspired by her own transformation — and by the message she’s sending to her children.

After graduating and passing her board exams, Jessica accepted a role in family practice in her hometown, dividing her time between family and urgent care.

“The relationships I’ve already built with my patients have made it 100% worth it,” she says.

Her role includes advanced care planning and Medicare wellness visits, where she discusses chronic disease management, lifestyle changes, and end-of-life planning.

“It’s a very humbling place to be,” she says.

Jessica encourages anyone considering the program to go for it.

Inspired by Jessica’s story? You too can pursue your professional and personal goals with the right support. Maryville’s online nursing programs are built to help you succeed on your terms.

Check out our flexible online bachelor’s degrees, master’s degrees, and doctorate degrees, or schedule a call with an advisor today.