After earning a bachelor’s degree in biology, Julia Johnson was unsure of her preferred career choice. Knowing she wanted to work in health care, Johnson took a CNA course and accepted a nurse tech position at a long-term care facility in Osseo.

She quickly discovered patient care was the field for her.

Johnson looked into earning a nursing degree, specifically programs that would allow her to utilize the education she already had, work full-time, and finish with a graduate degree. She found the answer in Viterbo University’s Direct Entry Master of Science in Nursing (DEMSN) program, which allows students who have already earned a bachelor’s degree to earn an MSN in as little as 21 months.

“It’s been an amazing experience,” Johnson said. “I didn’t expect to enjoy the program as much as I have. Our cohort has been like a family, and we’ve all been there for each other.”

Johnson also appreciated the fact that unlike some programs she researched, Viterbo arranged all the nursing clinical rotation assignments. Each allowed her to experience a different area of nursing. Her favorite class was a research course.

“I never had that opportunity as an undergraduate student,” she said. “The course helped me get over my fear of conducting research and presenting. I shared my results at an event at Gundersen Health System, at which the CEO shook my hand and talked with me about my project. That was neat.”

Johnson was one of 19 students in the program to graduate in May. She is now working as an RN at her employer. Now with a graduate degree, Johnson would also eventually like to work and teach, which is “a great way to stay up to date in the field,” she said.

Viterbo nursing faculty member Cameron Kiersch said Johnson has a bright future in nursing.

“Julia consistently demonstrates great capacity to lead and to care for patients and families,” said Kiersch, director of Viterbo’s DEMSN program. “She is a great addition to the profession.”