Online MSN Graduate Profile

Donna Jeanne Pugh, MSN
Online Nursing School Graduate
University of Phoenix
Co-author of Medical Assisting, A Patient-Centered Approach to Administrative and Clinical Competencies

In 1967, Donna Jeanne Pugh had few choices. When she told her folks she wanted to go to college, back came the answer: "That's nice dear. What do you want to be? A nurse or a teacher?"

With limited options, she chose nursing. Her decision was based on the fact that her only brother was a special needs child. She watched as her parents and medical professionals took care of him, and realized that nursing was the direction for her.

Pugh graduated from University of Virginia with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). More than three decades into her career, she recently decided to enroll in graduate school to obtain a master’s degree in nursing (MSN). She chose the University of Phoenix online MSN nursing program because it was approved by the National League of Nursing, the accrediting body for nursing programs.

The main reason for selecting the online MSN program was the flexibility it offered, said Pugh. While she studies, she also works part time as the Simulator Lab Coordinator at the University of Florida College of Nursing in Jacksonville, Florida. "Because my position required rotating hours, I needed flexibility in a graduate program." Pugh has been able to do her course work even as she travels.

Having been out of the classroom for so many years, she was concerned about the entry exams required for graduate school, but she was pleasantly surprised by University of Phoenix’s policies. "The University of Phoenix’s policy was different from others I had encountered in the past. The admissions staff was more focused on the number of years I had been functioning in the nursing field, my accomplishments as a nurse and author and my recommendations from other professionals than they were on graduate exam scores."

This prompted her to put added faith into the University of Phoenix online nursing program. "I felt valued as a professional. I felt further encouraged to continue to consider the possibility of attending the University of Phoenix."

Using her master’s degree in nursing, Pugh plans to teach a new generation of nursing students. "With a master’s degree in the subspecialty of Nursing Education, I can teach in any university in the state of Florida. I can make a real and tangible contribution to my profession and my state for generations to come."

Pugh is focusing on nursing education in her program. "The University of Phoenix program of Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) with a specialty in Nursing Education is specifically designed to prepare the student to become an educator," she said, adding, "it's also perfectly aligned with my personal goal to further my career as a nursing author and educator."

Early on, Pugh felt inhibited by her age. "I was somewhat hesitant to begin my graduate work at the age of 54. Most of my colleagues were discussing retirement in the next few years," she said.

But her heart was set on becoming a professor of nursing, a dream that her MSN is helping her fully realize.

"As a nurse living in the state of Florida, I feel a very strong need to address the problem of the nursing shortage in my state. I feel that I can help best with this growing problem as a nurse educator, training and educating future nurses for Florida," she said emphatically. "I am excited and thrilled to have finally found the right MSN program for me!" she concluded of the online nursing course.