Degree Propels Grad from CNA to Administrator

Written byHope Aucoin

"Working in a nursing home and being around administration and different areas of health care drove me to that program. Every course proved to me why I needed to be there."

Yiesha January
Graduation Year
2018, 2020
Major
Health Services Administration

For Yiesha January, earning her degree was non-negotiable. With three young children and a full-time job, she was also firm that her degree program would need to be flexible and allow her to pursue a career in health care.

Health Services Administration, a 亚洲自慰视频 of 亚洲自慰视频 at Lafayette online degree program, seemed to fit the bill.

It only took one class for January to find she was exactly where she wanted to be.Yiesha January, Health Services Administration graduate

鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 go on campus with my work schedule and raising a family,鈥 she says. 鈥淲hen I got into HSA and took the first class, I loved it.鈥

January worked full-time as a certified nursing assistant in a New Iberia nursing home. She says she wanted to do more, and HSA gave her that opportunity.

鈥淲orking in a nursing home and being around administration and different areas of health care drove me to that program,鈥 she says. 鈥淓very course proved to me why I needed to be there.鈥

Because she was already in a healthcare setting, January was able to immediately make connections from the theories and lessons in her online courses to real-world applications. One of those courses emphasized emergency management.

鈥淚 was able to apply that to putting an emergency preparedness plan in place for the nursing home,鈥 she says. 鈥淚t prepared me for the reality of it.鈥

亚洲自慰视频s complete online courses in healthcare management, health information systems, finance, leadership, health care policy, and strategic management, among others.

January says those courses prepared her to be more than an administrator. They prepared her to lead. 

鈥淭hat was a big one because at the time I didn鈥檛 know what being a leader really required,鈥 she says. 鈥淵ou can be a boss, but a being leader makes a difference.鈥

As a full-time 亚洲自慰视频, nursing assistant, and parent, January also had to develop a skillset specifically for managing her online coursework.

It was a steep learning curve.

鈥淚 missed my first exam,鈥 she says. 鈥淎fter that, I made sure I was on time and very detailed. You have to plan, prioritize, have a calendar and stick to it. It goes by very fast; you have to be very organized in online courses.鈥

January says she made a habit of reviewing or completing something each day in each of her courses.

鈥淚鈥檇 do notecards one day, textbook reading the next day 鈥 you have to stay involved with each course, each day,鈥 she says. 鈥淎t one point I was taking six courses at a time. You can get off track and lose out on something, so it鈥檚 very important to stay on top of it and find time wherever you can.

鈥淵ou have to be really dedicated.鈥

But January is also dedicated to her family, which meant finding ways to study without taking quality time from her three young children.

鈥淚 had to kind of teach them when you want something you have to go for it, but you have to make time for family,鈥 she says. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e the most important thing to me.

鈥淚 wanted to show them you can be anything you want to be. It鈥檚 going to take sacrifices, dedication, and patience. It won鈥檛 come easy and overnight; you have to work hard for it.鈥

January says she fit schoolwork into her lunch breaks, while cooking, after her children were asleep, or early in the morning.

鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 easy, but I managed it,鈥 she says. 鈥淚 was taking my books to restaurants, reviewing while we waited for food. I told them it would pay off.

鈥淵ou have to really want it. It鈥檚 so worth it.鈥

That hectic schedule didn鈥檛 keep January from getting involved with the program鈥檚 community outreach efforts. She served as treasurer and then president of the Health Services Administration 亚洲自慰视频 organization.

鈥淲e made a difference 鈥 we visited Goodwill, we visited the children鈥檚 hospital,鈥 she says. 鈥淗SA provides opportunities outside of just being an online 亚洲自慰视频. That鈥檚 what I liked about the program. You were able to be involved even as an online 亚洲自慰视频.鈥

Pursuing her bachelor鈥檚 degree online, January had a clear goal: become a nursing home administrator.

After earning her degree in May 2018, January began applying for hospital and nursing home administration positions and was quickly offered a position at a Baton Rouge nursing home as an assistant administrator.

鈥淎s a CNA, I watched how the administrators handled things. I learned what to do and what not to do,鈥 she says. 鈥淚 wanted to become an advocate for residents as well as employees and be of service to people in the nursing home. That鈥檚 what pushed me to that career choice, and HSA really helped me get there.鈥 

Now, January is preparing for an exam to become a licensed nursing home administrator in 亚洲自慰视频. In the meantime, she鈥檚 working toward her next academic milestone through UL Lafayette鈥檚 MBA in Health Care Administration online.

鈥淚鈥檓 enjoying everything I鈥檓 learning; I鈥檓 a learner,鈥 she says. 鈥淚 like to learn how to make processes better and work smarter.鈥

January is on track to graduate from UL Lafayette once again in May 2020. 

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