After eight years in the insurance industry in her home country of Jamaica, Ann Stacie Moodie found herself at a crossroads when she came to the United States in 2016.
“I really liked working in insurance because I like talking to people,” says Ann Stacie, who lives outside of Atlanta, Georgia. “But when I decided to try living in the U.S., the language barrier was hard. I had to learn a whole new way of talking and a new way of life.”
A New Career Path
Her new chapter in the United States inspired Ann Stacie to try something different: healthcare. “I enjoy caring for people, so I got a job as a home health aide, taking care of elderly people,” she says. In 2020, she became a Certified Nurse Aide, which opened the door to a role as a patient care technician at Northside Hospital Gwinnett.
With her sights set on becoming a nurse, Ann Stacie began taking prerequisites for nursing school at Gwinnett Technical College. In fall 2022, she officially started the Associate Degree of Nursing (ADN) program.
Just a few weeks into the semester, tragedy struck. Ann Stacie’s husband suffered a hemorrhagic stroke. She rushed him to the hospital, but he passed away in the emergency room. “The ER nurses were so fantastic, and I saw that they tried everything they could to save him,” she says. “They helped me process his death, and they were caring and kind.”
A Calling to Care for Patients
Devastated as she was, Ann Stacie knew her calling from that day forward was to become an emergency room nurse. She enrolled at the technical college near her and enrolled in an ADN program, attending classes during the day and working the night shift as a patient care technician. “Going to school was very difficult, but I have a daughter I need to stay strong for, and it was also a good distraction,” Ann Stacie says. “I wanted to be a nurse like those who treated my husband.”
After graduating with the ADN in 2024, Ann Stacie accepted a position as a float nurse at the hospital. “I’m part of an amazing team,” she says. Before long, Ann Stacie moved permanently into the emergency department at Northside Hospital Gwinnett, where she works today. “It’s awesome to be there.”
Taking the Next Step: Bachelor’s Degree Bound
Shortly after becoming a Registered Nurse, Ann Stacie began researching Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) programs. “The ADN was the fastest, most affordable route into nursing, but I knew that if I wanted to go further, I’d need a bachelor’s degree,” she says. While completing her associate degree, Ann Stacie attended a Post University information session that left a strong impression. “I didn’t want to go anywhere else. Post was everything I was looking for.”
Ann Stacie was particularly drawn to the 16-week terms offered through the SIMPath® self-paced format at Post’s American Sentinel College of Nursing and Health Sciences. She also appreciated the supportive student success advisors, engaged professors, and the Commission
on Collegiate Nursing Education accreditation of the BSN and MSN programs. Ann Stacie completed the BSN in April 2025.
Sharing Her Experience as a Mentor to New Post University Students
Since finishing the BSN earlier this year, Ann Stacie has encouraged many former classmates from her ADN program to consider American Sentinel College of Nursing and Health Sciences too. She has even been invited by Post to talk with current BSN students as a mentor.
“I had a great experience at Post,” says Ann Stacie. “Although I love working as a nurse in the emergency room, I’m also thinking about pursuing the Master of Science in Nursing – Family Nurse Practitioner Specialization (MSN-FNP). If I do, I’ll definitely return to Post.”
Grateful for the Journey
Ann Stacie’s journey has not been easy, but she remains grateful for how far she has come. “Losing my husband was devastating, but I’ve become an independent person and more compassionate with patients,” she says. “I never take anything for granted. I’m so glad I became a nurse—it’s such a rewarding and reliable career.”
Now a senior in high school, Ann Stacie’s daughter inspires her to persevere through any challenge and never give up on herself. “Her goal is to become a doctor one day,” she says. “She’s told me how proud of me she is for becoming a nurse, and I want to continue to be a role model for her. If she sees me achieving my educational dreams, I know she’ll think, ‘if my mom can do it, I can too.’”