“The feature is about nursing students at Ulster County Community College in New York. I write about what they need to do to become registered nurses. This includes prerequisites, required courses as well as required field work. I interview four students (from various walks of life) as well as the department chairperson. The goal was to educate the reader to exactly how much time, effort and money it takes to become an RN. I also explore the human element – what it takes to work around illness and death on a regular basis. The story satisfies the “strong news-you-can-use focus” requirement in that any young person with an interest in starting a nursing career, or even any middle-aged person looking to change careers, will find the concise information in the article extremely helpful in knowing what to expect. Additionally, since the story has a very positive slant, it may even inspire those who are considering such a career to go ahead and enroll in a college program.”
