Kimberly Elaine Marshall (Davis)

I had heard great things about the school. I heard not just about its success rates for students passing the NCLEX, but also about the professors forming connections and bonding with their students. That was important to me, so that was one of the things that made me prioritize FIU Nursing. One of my first professors, Dr. Yvonne Parchment, was wonderful and made us laugh. I had her for three or four different classes across the semesters. She was great at connecting and giving us stories from her time in nursing. She made it more than just a class. The clinicals stood out for me. She'd have us do bed baths on mannequins in the classroom, and then we'd be with her in clinicals at the actual hospital. We took those same skills and used them on real people. She was great at reminding us that they were real people. We weren't just doing a bed bath - we were connecting to human beings. She helped us remember that these people were sometimes in the worst times of their lives in the hospital. She made sure we treated them with dignity and respect, and that stuck with me throughout all of my years of nursing. FIU Nursing was my first step toward the career I'm still in. It definitely molded me into a clinical professional and an empathetic person. It helped make sure I clearly understood the entire scope of nursing. We weren't just helping to heal bodies - we were also assisting in bringing comfort to people at their worst hours. The professors were compassionate. We had to do rotations in community health nursing and psychiatric nursing, and those really helped mold me into the nurse I am.