Congrats to Susanna Hodge for recently being accepted into ECU’s Nursing Program!
Name: Susanna HodgeYear: Sophomore Major: Nursing
HC: What made you decide to come to ECU?
Susanna: I never met anyone that attended ECU who didn’t enjoy it and wasn’t a die hard pirate fan and that spoke volumes to me!
HC: Why did you choose nursing?
Susanna: I did gymnastics when I was young and was very aware of the muscles and bones of the body. I loved learning about injuries and the recovery process and decided that I wanted to be a physical therapy. Then I took anatomy in high school and realized that I was interested in more than just the musculoskeletal system of the body and was intrigued in health overall. After shadowing in an Intensive Care Unit, it was very clear that nursing was the field for me!
HC: What are your future goals?
Susanna: I intend to work in a hospital after graduating ECU with a BSN degree, but I am not sure which unit I would like to be in yet. Eventually, I would like to go back to school and become a Nurse Practitioner though. That is the end goal!
HC: Is it stressful being in the nursing program while being involved in Greek life?
Susanna: I have learned a lot about time management these past two years and am ready for the added stress that will come with being in the nursing program and being an active member of Greek life. I am the assistant membership director for Phi Mu, which of course adds meetings and events to my schedule, but I enjoy being busy. Next year will definitely be busier and more stressful than any semesters previous, but I am excited to take on this new challenge!
HC: What advice can you give other aspiring nursing majors?
Susanna: Try to get as much experience in the field as you can, whether that’s shadowing or a CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) program. Shadowing can give you so much insight into the nursing field and will definitely help you decide if this is actually what you want to do. Working as a CNA this semester has already been such a great experience and allows you to go ahead and master the most basic nursing skills that will be used for the rest of your career. Most importantly, keep your grades up! Those chemistry, anatomy, and microbiology classes are rough, but you can do it and just remember it will be so worth it when you get to wear those purple scrubs. :)