Michael Guerrero’s journey to nursing started with his family’s experiences, and continued through his nursing education with Concordia University Texas’s ABSN track. Michael walks through what drew him to CTX, his experience as a student, and the advice he wants to offer to future accelerated nursing students.
For many, the nursing profession represents trustworthiness and dependability. After all, nurses have been ranked as the most trusted profession in the U.S. for over 20 years and counting. Nurses are among the healthcare professionals that spend the most face-to-face time with patients. Nursing is a demanding but rewarding profession centered on administering care, advocating for patients, and guiding individuals through some of the most stressful times in their lives. With nursing, individuals with a caring and driven personality can pursue a growing and in-demand profession that offers a wide array of practice areas and work environments.
Michael Guerrero, a graduate of Concordia University Texas’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing track, applied his previous education toward meeting admissions requirements and earned his nursing degree over the course of 16 months of rigorous study. Concordia Texas allowed him to achieve this dream, but what inspired him to pursue nursing and how did our ABSN track help him reach his goal? In this post, we will explore Michael’s story and explain why a nursing education may be more accessible and rewarding than you think.
Michael’s Introduction to Nursing
Michael’s path to becoming a nurse is a personal story, shaped by his family and experiences. His journey began with a strong influence from his mother, then evolved through a deep connection with his grandmother.
“When my parents came over from the Philippines many years ago, it was my mom who went back to school and decided to become a nurse,” Michael said, reflecting on how his mother’s career introduced him to the world of healthcare. “We would go with her to work on days they didn’t have daycare. I was really exposed at a young age to nursing and healthcare in general.”
Choosing to Become a Nurse
The moment that truly sparked Michael’s drive to care for others through nursing came when his grandmother was diagnosed with breast cancer. As her health declined, Michael and his cousins stepped in to care for her daily needs. “It really fell onto the grandkids to just provide that daily care, whether it be baths or medication, making sure she eats, making sure she does her breathing treatments,” he recalled. “I soon realized — this is what I’m meant to do. That’s kind of what called me to nursing.”
Michael's initial career goal was not nursing but medicine. “Interestingly, I actually wanted to be a doctor at first,” he said. However, caring for his grandmother had a profound impact on his career direction. “Hearing her stories, hearing how proud she was of me, and the little things I would do for her… It started to change my perspective on my future,” he said. “She would make little comments like, ‘You’re such a great nurse.’ At first, I used to correct her, like, ‘No, Grandma, I’m going to be a doctor,’ but as days went by and her health continued to decline, I really felt a calling towards nursing.”
It was this encouragement from his grandmother that ultimately made him wonder if he should pursue a career in nursing.
It was really because of her that I took a leap of faith, switched career paths, and gave nursing school a shot.
Michael’s Experience in Concordia University Texas’s ABSN Track
Michael’s search for a nursing school led him to Concordia University Texas. “I was looking for a track I could get into and finish quickly,” he explained. While researching, he discovered the Texas campus through an online search. “It was really a leap of faith,” he said, explaining that Concordia Texas’s faith-based environment was a good fit for him. “I come from a faith-based household, so I wanted to attend a school that aligned with the beliefs of myself and my family.”
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His experience at Concordia Texas has been overwhelmingly positive, especially the support he received from the staff and the collaborative atmosphere among his peers. “Concordia University Texas did a great job fostering an environment that encouraged collaboration among students,” Michael said. “There’s this stigma in nursing school that it’s competitive and dog-eat-dog, but it’s not like that here at all. Concordia Texas sets up clinical groups in a way that you can grow alongside your cohort and develop friendships while growing as a student.”
Michael also highlighted how well Concordia Texas prepared him for the real-world challenges of nursing. “I love the way they increase the difficulty of the courses, and they match that with your clinical setting,” he said. “Compared to a lot of other schools, Concordia Texas throws you into the real world early on. We started our first clinical in our third week of school. You start seeing sicker patients … until the very last semester where I remember I spent most of my time in the critical care setting.”
Reflecting on how the Concordia Texas name is viewed in the field, Michael shared that the school’s reputation has made a difference. When he has told seasoned nurses he received a degree from Concordia Texas, he has seen their eyes light up.
They’ve already had students in the past from Concordia Texas, they’ve seen patterns from Concordia Texas students in the past, and their expectations of Concordia Texas students are held maybe a little differently in that they treat us like we’re already nurses.
Advice on Succeeding as a Nursing Student
Despite the rigor of the track, Michael found balance through his personal hobbies, which helped him manage stress. “It is a very demanding and very difficult track. That being said, the folks over at Concordia Texas really make sure to encourage students to partake in outside hobbies,” he shared. For Michael, playing guitar and basketball became essential stress relief. “My outlet, I would say, is playing music. I love to play the guitar and just jam out whenever I get the chance. I like to sometimes write my own music, experiment with new styles of music, bring my guitar to the park and of relax.” He also plays basketball. “I really like the physical activity, just to get out there, break a sweat, get my mind off of school and relieve that stress before getting back into the study grind.”
Michael’s advice for nursing students is simple but powerful: “I remember one thing that an alumni told us when I was first enrolled. They said, ‘You get as much as you put into it.’ I never really understood that until I finished the nursing program. It really makes sense, because I’ve seen students who go through the motions of school and towards the end of it, it’s almost as if they didn’t gain anything. I’ve seen other students who I feel I can see that they’ve gained everything.”
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As Michael embarks on his nursing career, the influence of his family, his faith and his education at Concordia Texas has prepared him not just to be a nurse, but to be a compassionate caregiver dedicated to making a difference.
Ready to Pursue a Nursing Career?
If Michael’s story has resonated with you and motivated you to become a nurse, now might be the best time to pursue your goals. Our 16-month ABSN track with online didactic coursework, hands-on learning at our high-tech nursing site and clinical practice at local healthcare facilities can offer an efficient pathway into nursing. Contact us today to begin the conversation with an admission counselor.