“I had never considered healthcare as a profession. It just didn’t cross my mind, which is weird because in all honestly, I can’t imagine myself doing anything else.”
Joshua Jensen graduated from Sarasota High School and like many recent graduates, wasn’t sure what to do next. “I really had no set plan after high school because I didn’t know what career path I was going to take. It wasn’t until my dad suggested nursing that even thought about it.” After looking into Practical Nursing at Suncoast Technical College, Josh was intrigued, agreed with his dad’s suggestion, and enrolled in the program.
First day jitters and not knowing what to expect, Josh attended his first class at STC. “It didn’t take long for me to realize that this was exactly where I was supposed to be. I loved everything about it, especially the instructors!” Starting off with the basics, Josh learned how to properly wash his hands and put on gloves, gradually moving on to more challenging material, including physical anatomy. “The human body and all of its organs and their functions can be overwhelming. It’s a lot to learn. The method my teachers used to help me understand the material was so much more engaging and effective than a standard boring lecture was the best!”
Josh says his Practical Nursing Instructor had students shape clay into different organs to learn in a more hands-on approach. “My experience was phenomenal. All the instructors were extremely knowledgeable but more than that, they knew how to effectively share that knowledge with us.”
After graduating from STC, Josh got his bachelor’s degree and RN at Keiser University. He is currently employed at Doctors Hospital in Sarasota. He works on the Orthopedics Floor and admits that even though he works weird hours (7:00pm to 7:00am), he absolutely loves everything about his profession, including having four days off per week. When asked about his experience at STC, Josh said, “I feel like I learned more in the LPN Program at STC than in ANY other program I took.” He is extremely thankful to his dad for the advice he gave him and says if he could offer any advice of his own it would be, “Anyone can do anything. You will get through it and come out better on the other side. Don’t ever let anyone scare you by telling you that what you want to do will be too hard. Also know that this field is awesome and there is always an opportunity to work…especially now.”