CPNE and Me: Lakeya Collins
鈥淚 passed my CPNE on February 4, 2018 at 10:36 a.m. with no repeats…it was the best experience of my life.鈥� 鈥揕akeya Collins
An LPN in Augusta, Georgia, Lakeya Collins began pursuing her associate degree in nursing with Excelsior College in 2014 and after years of hard work, dedication, and personal sacrifice, she reached her goal, passing the Clinical Performance in Nursing Exam at Saint Peter鈥檚 Hospital in Albany, N.Y.
Collins knew she wanted to become a nurse when she was eight years old and a dog bite incident landed her in the emergency room. 鈥淭here were ladies dressed from head-to-toe in white and I was just amazed by how nurturing they were, and at that moment I said I鈥檓 going to become one of those; I want to be a nurse,鈥� says Collins. She became an LPN and attempted to pursue her RN, but after the traditional route was unsuccessful, she decided to come to Excelsior.
鈥淚 was in a traditional program, I was overwhelmed, I had three children as a single mother and I was working three jobs,鈥� says Collins, remembering how difficult it was to pursue her associate degree by the traditional means. Her friend suggested Excelsior College, citing its flexibility, and the rest is history.
To study for the CPNE, Collins used all resources available to her. She called Excelsior several times a week, used the Excelsior workshops in Atlanta and Albany, and constantly checked in with staff members at the College. She also studied with fellow students. 鈥淲e did skype, we did anything; we actually would travel and rent hotel rooms and stay the weekend,鈥� explains Collins. Fellow students would travel from three to four hours away, meet at a hotel, and take turns testing each other. 鈥淪omeone would be the CE, someone would be the CA, and we would drill each other non-stop and that was very therapeutic for me passing the CPNE,鈥� she says.
Throughout her journey, Collins credits Excelsior and her children with being her biggest supporters and source of encouragement. She says of Excelsior staff: 鈥淓veryone I encountered was so warm and open, and鈥veryone cared and that made such a big difference; they believed in me when I didn鈥檛 believe in myself. When I didn鈥檛 believe I could pass the CPNE鈥攅ven when I arrived the day of the CPNE and the CA said, you know this is up to you, and at that moment I said, I will pass this.鈥�
She also wanted to show her two children that despite tragedy, good can happen. Collins鈥檚 16-year-old son passed away on April 24, 2016鈥攖he day she took her Focused Clinical Competencies Assessment for the third time and passed. 鈥淎t that moment, I didn鈥檛 think I鈥檇 be able to continue with the CPNE with so many horror stories, and the rumors of not being able to pass it,鈥� Collins says. She spoke with her counselor and after discovering she would receive a 60 percent scholarship, she decided to try for it. She says she used 聽the wait time of one year to focus, to breathe, and concentrate on her studies. 鈥淎t the end, everything made sense; it all made sense when I put it all together and I鈥檓 grateful for that. I learned it, I just didn鈥檛 remember it. It played a part in how I am as a nurse.鈥�
In the end, she was glad to have shown her children what it means to work hard in the face of catastrophe. 鈥淚 wanted to motivate them and I wanted to show them more than tell them that tragedy and hurdles may come, but we have to overcome them no matter what they are in life; you may stop and get stuck at that moment, but as long as you continue over鈥攅ven if you have to crawl over or climb over鈥攄on鈥檛 ever stop, don鈥檛 ever give up,鈥� says Collins.
Before she lost her son, Collins says, her goal was to be content with earning her associate degree in nursing. Now that isn鈥檛 enough. His goal was to become a family practice physician and so that鈥檚 what Collins is going to do.
鈥淚n honor of him and myself, I鈥檓 going to go to school for my nurse practitioner degree, and I鈥檓 going to become a nurse practitioner,鈥� she says. She wouldn鈥檛 be able to do that if it wasn鈥檛 for passing her CPNE. 鈥淚 just want my son to know that we did it. We did it,鈥� she says, 鈥溾�or 23 years I鈥檝e been chasing this dream and鈥t鈥檚 been realized and for that I鈥檓 blessed, I鈥檓 so blessed.鈥�
More CPNE Tips from Lakeya Collins:
鈥淢y advice to anyone that鈥檚 preparing to pass, is that鈥檚 the first thing: you鈥檙e going to pass your CPNE. Take the doubt away, take the fear away, and any negative comments, and remove social media with the negativity.鈥�
鈥淯tilize Excelsior; utilize those content calls, utilize the workshop. I made up in my mind I was going to do the workshops and the care plan class because if I spend $300 on that, wouldn鈥檛 that be cheaper than spending another time for the CPNE?鈥�
鈥淚f you鈥檙e feeling lost or consumed, reach out to someone who鈥檚 motivated, and who鈥檚 ready and willing to pass this the first time around.鈥�
