Forensic Nurse Specialist Emily Neal Makes the Case for “No Time Like the Present” as She Follows Her Own Passion

Seize the day. That’s the advice of Emily Neal, RN, a forensic nurse specialist and recent graduate of UofL’s online program for the RN-BSN degree.

“The online RN to BSN program at UofL is excellent,” says the recent grad, who, like many other nurses, had put off the decision to advance her degree. Once she joined UofL’s online program, however, the ease and convenience of the flexible format made the transition back to school much easier than she expected.

Her advice to other nurses looking to enroll?
“Just do it.”

“You have to start somewhere,” she adds. “And today is as good as any.”

Neal, who graduated in December of 2015, also expressed her appreciation for the program structure. Of particular note was the ability for nurses in the online program to tailor research topics, assignments and reports to areas of their own specialty.

Neal is a forensic nurse with a passion for child protection and child welfare in Kentucky. As an online student, she was able to apply her coursework to this personal interest. And as a forensic nurse, she could also emphasize this nursing specialty in her courses and key areas of learning.

“Throughout the classes—from the research classes to the health communications classes—the instructors allow students to pick topics that interest them,” Neal says. “You can focus papers and assignments around them, so it creates a more personal learning experience.”

“The ability to customize my assignments to child welfare helps me be a better nurse in my chosen field of interest,” she added.

Neal is excited to move forward in her career with her new degree, and she encourages other nurse who are on the fence to make the jump and enroll. “It’s very doable,” she says. “The classmates are great, the instructors are wonderful. I can’t say enough good things about the program.”

Don’t miss Emily Neal’s interview video about her experience at the University of Louisville and her advice to prospective students seeking their RN-BSN though UofL’s convenient online program.

Learn more about the RN-BSN program here … or explore the many benefits of the online experience on the UofL Online Learning website.