Retired Nurse Finds Opportunity at University of Phoenix

At an age when most people are thinking about their golf scores, new hobbies, and perhaps travel, Patricia Christensen has her eye on a far more ambitious goal.  The 68-year-old retired nurse is finally working toward the master’s degree she had always dreamed of pursuing.
 
With a nursing career that ranged from working on a remote Indian reservation to serving as Director of Nursing for Tonopah, Nevada, Christensen never found herself near enough to a college campus to earn the degree.  She settled in St. George in 1997, the nearest graduate nursing program was still beyond commuting range.  Then along came the University of Phoenix.
 
A fully-accredited, non-traditional institution of higher learning founded specifically to help working adults earn degrees, diplomas and certificates in many different career fields, the University of Phoenix makes use of the latest educational technology and flexible scheduling to allow students to pursue their goals with minimal disruption to their daily lives.  “I don’t have to cope with traffic and worry about finding parking space,” Christensen says.  “And I don’t have to sit in a classroom surrounded by much younger students.”
 
Christensen was already familiar with the University of Phoenix since her neice and nephew had both earned their master’s degrees from that institution.  And both had become very successful in their careers.  When she noticed the University of Phoenix sign on 700 South in St. George, she lit up.  “I still had to give it a lot of thought,” she said.  “At sixty-eight years old, did I really want to go back to school?”  Finally, she says, she decided to “go for it.”
 
And she’s glad she did.  She is excited to be learning about changes in the field that have transformed nurses into what she calls “mini-doctors” with much more responsibility for assessing patents’ status.  “Forty years ago,” she says, “we were trained to take the patient’s vitals, pass the information on to the doctor, and let the doctor assess the patient.”   The one thing that hasn’t changed, she notes, “is that patient-care is the central focus of the nursing profession.  That’s what kept me going during my career, and that’s what continues to motivate me to learn more.”
 
So far, the biggest challenge, she says, has been the technology.  She has learned to use MS Word, PowerPoint, and other software programs.  That, too, has been rewarding, she notes.  “Learning both the subject matter and the technology has been challenging but fun.  Courses at the University of Phoenix are designed to be interesting and practical, and even though much of the learning takes place via a computer terminal, instructors are always available for any help you might need or just for an encouraging word.”
 
So for Patricia Christensen, golf and new hobbies are being deferred for a while.  As for travel, she has “been there and done that.”  During a break in their careers, she and her husband traveled the world, visiting Ireland, Scotland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Hawaii.  She recently made a return visit to Europe.
 
Christensen’s advice to others her age?  “If you’re physically and mentally able, it’s never too late to earn a degree, whether you’ve ever attended a college or not.”  She urges anyone interested to do what she did—stop by the University of Phoenix office on 700 South and find out what’s available.  “One visit could make all the difference in your retirement years.”
 
ABOUT UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX
University of Phoenix is Utah’s second-largest private university. Campus locations include St. George, Murray, Taylorsville, Pleasant Grove, and North Davis.  University of Phoenix is constantly innovating to help students balance education and life in a rapidly changing world. Through flexible schedules, challenging courses and interactive learning, students achieve personal and career aspirations without putting their lives on hold. As of  November 30, 2008, 384, 900  students were enrolled at University of Phoenix, the largest private university in North America. University of Phoenix serves a diverse student population, offering associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree programs from campuses and learning centers across the U.S. as well as online throughout the world. www.phoenix.edu