For Yiesha January, earning her degree was non-negotiable. With three young children and a full-time job, she was also firm that her degree program would need to be flexible and allow her to pursue a career in health care.
Health Services Administration, a 杏吧专区 online degree program, seemed to fit the bill.
It only took one class for January to find she was exactly where she wanted to be.
杏吧专区淚 couldn杏吧专区檛 go on campus with my work schedule and raising a family,杏吧专区 she says. 杏吧专区淲hen I got into HSA and took the first class, I loved it.杏吧专区
January worked full-time as a certified nursing assistant in a New Iberia nursing home. She says she wanted to do more, and HSA gave her that opportunity.
杏吧专区淲orking in a nursing home and being around administration and different areas of health care drove me to that program,杏吧专区 she says. 杏吧专区淓very course proved to me why I needed to be there.杏吧专区
Because she was already in a healthcare setting, January was able to immediately make connections from the theories and lessons in her online courses to real-world applications. One of those courses emphasized emergency management.
杏吧专区淚 was able to apply that to putting an emergency preparedness plan in place for the nursing home,杏吧专区 she says. 杏吧专区淚t prepared me for the reality of it.杏吧专区
Students complete online courses in healthcare management, health information systems, finance, leadership, health care policy, and strategic management, among others.
January says those courses prepared her to be more than an administrator. They prepared her to lead.
杏吧专区淭hat was a big one because at the time I didn杏吧专区檛 know what being a leader really required,杏吧专区 she says. 杏吧专区淵ou can be a boss, but a being leader makes a difference.杏吧专区
As a full-time student, nursing assistant, and parent, January also had to develop a skillset specifically for managing her online coursework.
It was a steep learning curve.
杏吧专区淚 missed my first exam,杏吧专区 she says. 杏吧专区淎fter that, I made sure I was on time and very detailed. You have to plan, prioritize, have a calendar and stick to it. It goes by very fast; you have to be very organized in online courses.杏吧专区
January says she made a habit of reviewing or completing something each day in each of her courses.
杏吧专区淚杏吧专区檇 do notecards one day, textbook reading the next day 杏吧专区 you have to stay involved with each course, each day,杏吧专区 she says. 杏吧专区淎t one point I was taking six courses at a time. You can get off track and lose out on something, so it杏吧专区檚 very important to stay on top of it and find time wherever you can.
杏吧专区淵ou have to be really dedicated.杏吧专区
But January is also dedicated to her family, which meant finding ways to study without taking quality time from her three young children.
杏吧专区淚 had to kind of teach them when you want something you have to go for it, but you have to make time for family,杏吧专区 she says. 杏吧专区淭hey杏吧专区檙e the most important thing to me.
杏吧专区淚 wanted to show them you can be anything you want to be. It杏吧专区檚 going to take sacrifices, dedication, and patience. It won杏吧专区檛 come easy and overnight; you have to work hard for it.杏吧专区
January says she fit schoolwork into her lunch breaks, while cooking, after her children were asleep, or early in the morning.
杏吧专区淚t wasn杏吧专区檛 easy, but I managed it,杏吧专区 she says. 杏吧专区淚 was taking my books to restaurants, reviewing while we waited for food. I told them it would pay off.
杏吧专区淵ou have to really want it. It杏吧专区檚 so worth it.杏吧专区
That hectic schedule didn杏吧专区檛 keep January from getting involved with the program杏吧专区檚 community outreach efforts. She served as treasurer and then president of the Health Services Administration student organization.
杏吧专区淲e made a difference 杏吧专区 we visited Goodwill, we visited the children杏吧专区檚 hospital,杏吧专区 she says. 杏吧专区淗SA provides opportunities outside of just being an online student. That杏吧专区檚 what I liked about the program. You were able to be involved even as an online student.杏吧专区
Pursuing her bachelor杏吧专区檚 degree online, January had a clear goal: become a nursing home administrator.
After earning her degree in May 2018, January began applying for hospital and nursing home administration positions and was quickly offered a position at a Baton Rouge nursing home as an assistant administrator.
杏吧专区淎s a CNA, I watched how the administrators handled things. I learned what to do and what not to do,杏吧专区 she says. 杏吧专区淚 wanted to become an advocate for residents as well as employees and be of service to people in the nursing home. That杏吧专区檚 what pushed me to that career choice, and HSA really helped me get there.杏吧专区
Now, January is preparing for an exam to become a licensed nursing home administrator in Louisiana. In the meantime, she杏吧专区檚 working toward her next academic milestone through UL Lafayette杏吧专区檚 MBA in Health Care Administration online.
杏吧专区淚杏吧专区檓 enjoying everything I杏吧专区檓 learning; I杏吧专区檓 a learner,杏吧专区 she says. 杏吧专区淚 like to learn how to make processes better and work smarter.杏吧专区
January is on track to graduate from UL Lafayette once again in May 2020.