Jecinta’s passion for excellence in patient-centered care all began at her father’s pharmaceutical store in Nigeria. At age six, she already knew about first aid and wound care.
One day, she returned from school and didn't find her father sitting at his usual place. She quickly went to the back of his store and saw him lying on one of the benches—but he didn't notice her presence.
“I remembered my mum calling some church members to pray for him,” recalls Jecinta. “A few hours after the prayers, he couldn't feed himself as he was shivering. I didn't know what to do.”
Jecinta and her family rushed him to the hospital, where he sat breathing profusely. Sadly, he died right on Jecinta’s lap. A few years later, her youngest child endured a neurologic injury of his right shoulder/arm at birth due to a difficult delivery. She wished to be able to find solutions for future patients, and an prosthetics/orthotics undergraduate program in the United States served her passion and expertise.
“Overall, I would say my dad’s death, my son’s condition and that of other kids, and all the patients I had encountered drew me to the nursing field,” she says.
A Calling to Patient Care
Back home, Jecinta was on clinical posting as part of her academic work to educate community members on the benefits of vaccination against poliomyelitis.
While in the community, she met some people affected and who solely depend on family members for mobility. During the same period, she had her first daughter with an injury to one of her neck muscles. A few years later, her youngest endured a neurologic injury of his right shoulder/arm at birth due to a difficult delivery.
While managing her son's condition, Jecinta met other kids with similar issues without adequate care, due to misconceptions about the injury and inappropriate treatment. She was quickly inspired to help her community.
“Because of this, and the increased incidence of mobility issues I saw in the community, I enrolled in the prosthetics/orthotics program to better position myself to help my community; hence, one of my reasons for coming to the United States. My mission remains intact.”
Surrounded by Caring Counsel: MSJ Faculty & Staff
Jecinta was fortunate to receive a scholarship to attend college in the U.S., where she enrolled in her prosthetics program.
After receiving her bachelor’s, Jecinta worked for several months with veterans and mobility issues, but knew that her assistance could be much greater by becoming a nurse. She prepared to excel in her nursing master’s program where she channeled her passion within her studies to acquire new nursing skills. She chose Mount St. Joseph University after reading its positive reviews.
“I said to myself, ‘With nursing experience added to my previous experience in orthopedics, I could give complete (holistic) care to patients, especially those with orthopedic issues,’” she says.
She began in MSN-MAGELIN, an accelerated pre-licensure entry-level master’s degree program offering the shortest path for college graduates who want to enter the field of nursing.
Things were moving well until there was a change in the government of her home country Nigeria; this created financial hardship. Her family was going to support her through the program, but the exchange rate collapsed, and their savings were less than what she needed to complete the program.
Balancing her desire for academic success, paying her tuition, and being a mother to her three children created tough challenges. She was dis-enrolled from the program right before the fall semester was to start.
“During the break [after summer classes] I thought about how I could get things fixed before the semester started,” she says. “On the first day of the fall semester, I got a text message from one of my course mates reminding me of the courses due. My heart started racing because I knew I wasn't registered; I couldn't access Blackboard.”
During this period, Jecinta leaned on prayers to God and counsel from the Dean of Nursing, The Center for Mission & Belonging, and Financial Aid to guide her in overcoming adversity with the Heart of a Lion to sort out funding.
“I went to the administrative office to speak with Jill. I felt relieved after speaking with her. Hours later, I got a call from Dr. Vale. We spoke briefly and agreed to meet the following day. I got to her office the next day feeling anxious because I didn't know what to expect. She welcomed me with a smile that calmed my nerves. I smiled and laughed while talking with her - it's been a while since I did this. She told me to get in contact with Mr. Everett Todd. Sister Karen was involved, although I didn't have the opportunity to speak with her. So, with the help of God, Sister Karen, Dr. Vale, Mr. Everett, Dr. MacPherson, and Jill Hulsman, I got connected back to classes, and I look forward to graduating in a few weeks.”
She felt relieved and eased—as if a burden was lifted off her shoulders.
“Executing the guidance I received, and persevering through the tough times helped me successfully complete my program. I have learned not to let tough times quench my vision, but to rely on my dream to overcome tough times.”
After graduating from the Mount, Jecinta’s advice for others is to keep on pushing, and to never give up on a dream—a little more effort could be all that is required to reach that goal. She will continue to put her passion into action through her dedication to the healthcare field, so that she too can make a difference in the lives of her surrounding community.
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Interested in MSN-MAGELIN?
The MSN-MAGELIN program offers the shortest path for college graduates who want to enter the field of nursing. With a 2-year career outcome rate of 100%, this program provides plenty of opportunities from a dedicated nursing faculty.
Interested in learning more? Check out our MAGELIN program page here.