Nursing panel planned

Students interested in nursing will have a chance to hear directly from people already in the field at an upcoming nursing panel hosted by the CSB+SJU Nursing Club.

The event will be held on Feb. 24 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. in Upper Gorecki and is designed as an interactive Q&A with experienced nurses from a range of specialties.

For students who are still exploring nursing or preparing to enter a program, the panel aims to offer a practical look into what the nursing path may actually involve.

Panelists include a variety of nurses who have different specialties including oncology, CRNA, float pool, pediatrics, medical-surgical, nurse management, OR, PACU &
Proton Beam and Heart Rhythms Service and Device.

CSB senior and Vice President of the Nursing Club Abby Reckinger spoke highly of the upcoming panel.

“The goal of the event is to provide networking and insight into different nursing specialties for nursing students to consider taking in their future,” Reckinger said via
email. “Each nurse shares their journey, what they like about their specialty and the room opens up for a Q and A session.”

CSB sophomore Kyla Smith, a nursing major with a narrative practice minor, reflected on her decision to pursue nursing and her experience in the program.

“My interest in healthcare started early. I first knew nursing was right for me when I was 16-years-old and working as a personal care assistant. Then I joined the military as a combat medic and worked as a CNA too,” Smith said. “These experiences gave me exposure to patient care and confirmed that I was making the right choice by going into nursing.”

She was also drawn to St. Ben’s because of its strong nursing program and learning environment focused on caring for others.

According to Smith, coursework is heavily exam-based and requires consistent preparation before class meetings, and she emphasized that flexibility is necessary because schedules can change often and expectations are high.

Group work is common, and she described the program as tight knit, with students learning a lot from each other.

The biggest challenge, Smith said, is managing the volume of work while building confidence.

“Staying organized is one part, but believing you belong in the program is another,” Smith said. “Over time, gaining confidence comes from preparation, repetition
and support from classmates and instructors.”

Clinical rotations are another area students often want to understand better, and panels like this one are meant to help clarify what those experiences look like.

Early clinical work often includes pediatrics, obstetrics and geriatrics.

Smith said events like the nursing panel give students space to ask about the workload, specialties, clinical rotations, scheduling and career options.

They also allow students to hear multiple perspectives instead of a single path.

She encourages students to get some exposure to healthcare before committing to the major and to build the right mindset going in.

“Panels do not make the decision for students, but they can make the picture clearer. Hearing honest answers, daily realities, and different career directions helps students prepare better questions—and better plans—for what comes next,” Smith said.

Another student perspective comes from CSB sophomore Ceci Freund, a transfer student who previously attended a community college nursing program in North
Dakota and is now completing nursing prerequisites at CSB+SJU.

Freund said her current experience is shaped by balancing school, responsibilities and personal life.

“The biggest challenge for me has been managing stress and the pressure to succeed in such a competitive program,” Fruend said. “I handle that by adjusting my schedule to how I work best, usually leaving afternoons for errands and rest and doing focused homework at night.”

While she has not yet started new clinical rotations in her current program, she says past hands-on experiences showed her how quickly real practice makes classroom knowledge click.

She also leans on people close to her and stresses the importance of not giving up after setbacks.

“Failure often leads to better learning the next time around,” Fruend said.