Felicia Dellinger is a natural caregiver. The Cape Cod, Massachusetts, native grew up quickly, coming from a broken home where she often looked after her three younger siblings.
She started college in Boston after graduating high school but didn’t dedicate herself to school that year and ended up returning home. “I still had this goal of helping people,” says Felicia. She enrolled in a Medical Assistant program at the local community college and worked full-time at a pizzeria. In 2008, Felicia completed that certificate and started her career in healthcare.
Becoming a Licensed Practical Nurse
Felicia gained experience as the medical assistant and office manager of a spine and pain clinic. Her long-distance boyfriend in North Carolina became her fiancé. When the physicians she worked for referred her to a doctor at Wake Forest Baptist Health who was helping open a new pain management facility for the hospital, she jumped on the opportunity.
In 2012, Felicia moved to North Carolina and continued her medical assistant career. She also returned to school to become a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN). “The day I graduated in 2014 was the day I heard my daughter’s heartbeat,” says Felicia, who had gone through several miscarriages before becoming pregnant. “Becoming a mom and an LPN simultaneously was just beautiful.”
Fulfilling a Longtime Dream to Become a Nurse
When Felicia transitioned into an LPN role at Wake Forest Baptist Health—now part of Atrium Health—she became even more motivated to continue her educational journey. She enrolled in an LPN to RN bridge program at Catawba Community College. It took years of hard work, but Felicia finished her Associate Degree of Nursing (ADN) in 2022. One of the physicians she worked for paid for her education personally. “That was another blessing in my life,” she says. “He shared it was something he and his wife wanted to do for me. He never asked me for anything but to succeed.”
As Atrium Health began to pursue magnet status, Felicia began to research Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs. “I was hesitant at first to go back to school again because it had taken me a long time to get the ADN and become an RN, but I did not want my lack of a BSN to hold me back,” she says. A friend of the family, a nurse, encouraged Felicia to check out Post University and American Sentinel College of Nursing and Health Sciences. “I really liked the program and decided to enroll in February 2023,” she says. Felicia now works remotely in utilization management for Atrium Health and as a PRN case manager for Novant Health. “Pursuing the BSN has allowed me to become a better nurse. I’ve worked in outpatient care for so long, but I’m really enjoying my new role in case management and learning things in school that I can immediately apply to my jobs.”
Plans for the Future
Felicia graduated from Post with a BSN in December 2024. She’s keeping an open mind about her next career moves. “I find my work as a utilization management nurse very fulfilling,” she says. “People who are suffering with pain shouldn’t also have the pain of unnecessary financial burden.”
An Example for Her Daughters
After a year-long pursuit of further educational credentials, Felicia hasn’t ruled out returning to Post University for a master’s degree. “Never say never!” she says. “Right now, I’m very happy where I am but I could see myself returning to Post. The University makes everything convenient, so nurses can get where they want to go with their lives and careers.”
Felicia hopes she is an example of resilience for other nurses thinking about returning to school and her two young daughters. “This is more than just a bachelor’s degree,” Felicia says. “It’s something I did for my girls as much as for my career. It was not easy, but I’m very proud that I did it.”