Graduates of CNM: Megan Silva
Megan Silva always knew she was meant to help others and when she decided to enroll in CNM’s Nursing program, she knew she had found her path to a satisfying career with endless opportunities.
“There will always be good paying jobs in nursing and that skillset is applicable wherever you go,” said Megan. “You can travel the world if you want to and still have plenty of job opportunities.”
Megan first graduated from CNM with an associate degree in Emergency Medical Services and launched her healthcare career as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). That fueled her confidence to advance further in the healthcare industry. After two years of helping to save lives as an EMT, she made the bold decision to return to CNM to pursue a nursing degree. Megan graduated from CNM’s Nursing program in 2018.
“I knew I wanted to be able to help people in a way that I could focus on patient care rather than emergency services,” she said. “And I knew that I could apply my EMS knowledge to the nursing field.”
CNM’s highly regarded Nursing program challenged Megan both intellectually and personally. She said that before entering the program, she was unsure about the direction she was taking in life. But the Nursing program helped her see a much brighter future.
“Yes, it was challenging, and yes, there were sleepless nights. But knowing that you are getting a quality education to then actually be able to help people made all the hard work completely worth it,” said Megan. “The program gave me direction at a time when I didn’t know if I really had any.”
Megan chose to pursue an associate degree in nursing because she wanted to enter the workforce sooner rather than later. She said CNM’s program provided her with unmatched clinical experience that she uses today as a Registered Nurse in the Intermediate Care Unit at Lovelace Hospital.
“During our clinicals, we were able to see so many different specialties. We got to see the spinal cord injury unit and pediatrics. We got to see special procedures done in the cardiac cath (catheterization) lab that some floor nurses don’t even get to see,” said Megan.
As an RN, Megan has applied the skills she learned at CNM to her patient care, but said that there is still so much to learn on the job. And her higher education journey of learning isn’t done yet either. Her goal is to eventually become a Nurse Practitioner.
Megan says she faced some financial hardships during her time as a nursing student, so she got a part-time job in retail. She wants potential nursing students to know that no matter what you are facing, you can succeed as long as you are dedicated to your goals.
“You can work while you’re in school. It is possible, I did it,” she said. “It reinforces the ‘hard-worker mentality’ and helped better prepare me to work in a fast-paced work environment.”
Megan has some words of encouragement for those thinking of applying to CNM’s Nursing program.
“My peers came from all walks of life – single parents, former EMTs, military veterans and even former baristas,” she said. “The Nursing program is for anyone who wants to better their future while helping those in need.”
Click here for more information on CNM's Nursing Program!