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Paige Harrawood, '17

Paige Harrawood, '17

Degree: Bachelor of Science

Major: RN to BSN

Graduation Year: 2017

Role: Registered Nurse

Employer: Daviess Community Hospital

"When I was looking at schools, everybody said, “VU is like the Marine Corps of nursing.” It’s a hard program, but they have to be – to make sure you’re the best nurse you can be. They are very thorough in how they teach students. It helped me become a better nurse."

Emergency room nurse Paige Harrawood experiences a great sense of joy and fulfilment when she recognizes former patients.

“Whenever I go out in public and see someone I helped save, and I see them living their life with their family, it’s a really good feeling.”

Currently an ER nurse at Daviess Community Hospital in Washington, Indiana, Paige has always had interest in helping people. It led her to pursue a nursing education at Vincennes University. She graduated from VU with an associate degree and bachelor’s degree.

“When I was looking at schools, everybody said, “VU is like the Marine Corps of nursing.”

“It’s a hard program, but they have to be to make sure you’re the best nurse that you can be. They are very thorough with how they teach their students. It helped me become a better nurse, and learn the way of prioritizing what needs to be done, how I can spot things that are wrong with patients, and how I can talk to patients.”

After completing her associate degree in 2014, Paige went to work as a nurse, but she knew she wanted to further her education.

She enrolled in VU’s Registered Nurse (RN) to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). The online program was perfect for Paige because she was able to work full time, while getting her bachelor’s degree. She graduated in 2017.

“It’s a very flexible program. I was paying out of pocket. I liked how I could take a couple classes at a time, get my degree in a timely manner and still work full time at a nurse.”

The personal attention she received from her VU professors made an impactful difference in her education.

“I really enjoyed the professors. They are really supportive, and it’s good to have that kind of feedback. They aren’t afraid to tell you if you were doing something wrong or what you should improve on. You get those bonds with some of your professors and you just don’t forget it.”

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