Emmanuel's Online MSN Empowers Graduates to Become Leaders in Nursing

As someone who never saw herself continuing her education beyond undergraduate, Cate Agostino G’24 was pleasantly surprised with her experience while enrolled in Emmanuel’s online Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program. 

The MSN program at Emmanuel consists of an integrated and collaborative online format, allowing students to participate together and share ideas and experiences. The program splits into two tracks, education or administration: both providing foundational knowledge in nursing theory, leadership, diversity, policy and more.

The program exceeded expectations, Agostino said. “Having another chance to be a student was a huge confidence booster for me – it was so manageable and throughout I realized – I can do this,” she said.

The Massachusetts native has been working as a nurse at Brigham & Women’s Hospital since 2009, mainly in the Emergency Room, but has switched to working in the Procedural Recovery Room since the pandemic.

Working on the front lines during the pandemic definitely contributed to her decision to pursue her MSN and how she viewed healthcare as a whole. As a group of nurses, she said she and her coworkers were ready for the challenge, but admits it was still a unique experience to be faced with so many vulnerable people during those early months of 2020 and beyond.

“That’s how I spent my shifts – 12 hours outside in a jacket screening people to come into the hospital,” she said. Shortly after that came the MSN: “I kind of applied on a whim. I had no prior interest in going back to school, but I realized that it might not be the only pandemic in my lifetime.”

Agostino hoped she could broaden her viewpoint and knowledge on healthcare as a whole from obtaining her MSN – and eventually be able to approach her role with a new perspective too. She was able to get eye-opening insight from more of the healthcare sector, like the business and financial side of the industry, that a nurse doesn’t quite get from everyday work. She also appreciated the foundation of content she received from her track, gaining valuable knowledge to explore either education or administration in the future.

Earning the degree has opened up a number of options for career growth, she said, whether it be on the leadership or educator side. She continues to recommend Emmanuel’s MSN to the people around her too, praising the program’s manageability and flexibility – which was huge for her while raising her young children.