USCL Nursing Graduates Preparing To Enter Workforce Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

LANCASTER, S.C. — USC Lancaster is celebrating its largest number of graduates ever in the Bachelor of Science Nursing program.

Twenty four graduates will soon join the workforce amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

CN2 spoke with two of new nurses about what’s next for each of them.

Dillon McDonald and Brittney Staton say they’ve known they wanted this career for many years now. They’re both inspired to become nurses because of their own personal experiences with family illnesses.

They both agree that USCL’s nursing program was tough, juggling classes and clinicals, but they’re ready to join medical professionals on the front lines who’ve been battling COVID-19.

“I think it’s definitely a scary time because there’s a lot of uncertainty of like when it’s going to end, if it’s going to end, if it’s going to come back,” nursing graduate, Dillon McDowell, said. “Every year now is there something that we’re gonna have to deal with in future years, which is a good possibility that it is. But, like I said it’s something that we kind of signed up for to be on the front lines to deal with that kind of emergency situation.”

“And I know I can speak for me as well as my other colleagues part as well as this just ready to get out there and help during this pandemic because it is very draining on nurses that are in the field,” nursing graduate, Brittney Staton, said. “And I don’t know a lot, but we have that passion in us to be able to help others and so we’re just wanting to push through and be able to get out there and to not work for us so that we can help others. And I think that’s what keeps me going and what keeps me inspired to know that I’m not only going to be helping the patients that are suffering from this but also helping to take off some of that burden from some of those nurses that are actually out there putting their lives on the line.”

Brittney and Dillon say they have a passion for helping others and believe going into their field amid a world pandemic will actually be a rewarding experience.

They say helping other medical professional and patients during this time will be a benefit to everyone.

Previous articleGet To Know Coach Hudgins: Northwestern Track & XC
Next articleMom Loses Daughter In Motorcycle Accident, Pleads For Drivers To Pay Attention