When Duwayne Campbell moved to the United States in 2022, he brought 19 years of experience with the Jamaica Defense Force as a medic and nurse.
“I worked at a military hospital and was trained to care for the soldiers and their families, so eventually I was allowed to attend the Kingston School of Nursing-Midwifery in Jamaica,” he says. He became a registered nurse, then completed the school’s one-year midwifery program in 2013. During school, he met his wife.
An Opportunity to Work in the U.S.
Duwayne’s wife aspired to work in the U.S., and she applied to an agency to become an international travel nurse. By then, the family had three children. “After completing the credentials evaluation, testing and licensure requirements, she got a contract to work at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, Pennsylvania,” says Duwayne. She started her new job at Geisinger, and he joined her shortly thereafter.
The decision was not easy, however. Duwayne was giving up a great military and nursing career and leaving the only home he had ever known. “It was the right thing for all of us,” he says. His children were excited to move to a new environment, and once Duwayne got them all settled, he turned his attention to launching his career in a new country.
A Job at Geisinger Medical Center and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Pursuit
Duwayne pursued the necessary qualifications to gain employment in the U.S. and applied to nursing positions at Geisinger, too. His experience helped him land a job on the medical-surgical floor. There, a coworker friend told him about American Sentinel College of Nursing and Health Sciences at Post University and the online RN to BSN program.
Although Duwayne had earned an Associate Degree of Nursing in Jamaica, he had always intended to return to school for a bachelor’s degree. “It wasn’t required for my job at Geisinger, but I wanted to have that accomplishment on my resume,” he says. “My wife and I value education and wanted to set that example for our children and a standard that they will hopefully aspire to themselves one day. I felt it was important for my career going forward.”
Enrolled at Post University
After researching Post University, Duwayne liked the online format and the affordability of the Bachelor of Science program. “I looked around at other colleges, but I felt the best about Post,” he says. He started the BSN in fall 2022.
He has enjoyed school so much that he is thinking about continuing on for a Master of Science in Nursing – Family Nurse Practitioner Specialization now that he earned his BSN in 2024. “When I was a nurse in the military, I really loved taking care of the troops and their families,” he says. “As a nurse practitioner, I feel I could give more of myself. I could have more autonomy and expand my capabilities and my role as a nurse.”
Grateful for the Support
This year, Duwayne and his wife bought their first house in Pennsylvania. He has been given additional charge nurse duties and sees more opportunities for growth in his future. “I’ve become a better nurse, and I’m so glad for that.”
Duwayne and his wife are used to supporting each other and taking turns to focus on their careers. She earned a BSN after moving to the U.S. while Duwayne supported her goals, and she did the same for him. “She’s been very supportive and is always the one encouraging me to keep going,” he says.
That is not his only cheerleader, however. “My student success advisor and the professors at Post have been awesome,” he says, “My advisor checks on me all the time, and any time I reach out, she responds almost immediately. The teachers are dedicated and so passionate about their work. Post is a great institution that I would recommend to anyone wanting to grow in their career, and I’m so grateful.”