For 10 and a half years Melissa Trzaskus had been working as an office manager when she decided that she wanted to pursue a career in something more challenging and rewarding and nursing was the perfect option for her. She was given the opportunity to begin a job where she could help others and do something meaningful with her life and not have it just be about receiving a paycheck at the end of the day. She enrolled at Ambria College of Nursing in June of 2009 and was on her way to receiving the education that she needed to succeed in reaching her goal. Melissa originally decided to attend Ambria because there was no wait list and she wanted to start classes as soon as possible. She also did a lot of research on many nursing schools and was the most impressed by Ambria She started by completing her C.N.A and decided that she wanted to continue to receive her L.P.N and she is now thinking that she will go even further to get her R.N. after she passes her NCLEX exam in a few short months.

During Melissa’s time at Ambria she has come to love the instructors such as Priscilla Rivera who teaches Med Surg. She mentioned that “Priscilla had the highest expectations for us because she sees potential which made us want to try that much harder. She made the class hard because she knew that we were capable of it and because of that we are walking out of the class with so much knowledge. She is making sure that all of her students are well prepared because it will benefit us in the long run.” Melissa also really enjoyed her O.B. class because she would like to be a labor and delivery nurse in the future. She thought it was interesting how the nurse has two patients at the same time, being the mother and the child, and they are both in two separate realms. Being a mother herself, she is able to understand what her patients are going through which only helps her be a better nurse.

When asked if she has any advice for others who are thinking about being a nurse, Melissa stated that “you need to be in it for the right reasons. You should not go into nursing because of the job stability, family pressure, or the money, but instead because you have the drive and compassion and want to help others.” She also said that “it is important for nurses to know their limits and to know what their strengths and weaknesses.” Over the past two years Melissa has made many friends and has learned a lot. She is impressed by the new facility the school has built and mentioned that the accommodations are state of the art. She loves that the school is constantly striving to improve and that “all of the pieces are falling into place.” Because of Melissa’s dedication, compassion, ability to be open-minded, and her drive to succeed, there is no question that she will be one of the top nurses out there.

• Favorite Color: Silver
• Favorite Food: Seafood
• Favorite Movie: The Notebook
• Favorite T.V. Show: Grey’s Anatomy
• Hobbies and Interests: Spending time with her son, reading, and cooking
• Favorite Animal: Dogs
• Favorite Holiday: Halloween
• If you were stranded on a deserted island, what 3 things would you take with: “My son, a pocket knife, and water.”
• If you won the lottery, what would you spend your money on: “I would continue my education to eventually become a midwife, and put most of the money away for my son.”
• If you could have any superpower, what would it be: “I would grant wishes so people in the world who are suffering could be helped.”
• If you could trade places with anyone for a day, who would it be: “Probably Kristen Stewart because she gets to spend all of her time with Robert Pattinson.”
• If Hollywood made a movie about your life, who would you want to play the leading role: Jenny McCarthy