She Followed in Her Mother’s Footsteps and Became a Nurse

Growing up in Jamaica, young Tori McLary watched as her mother, a licensed practical nurse, took care of patients, most of whom were elderly.

She noticed that her mother’s care was very hands-on, compassionate, and holistic. “The doctors mostly wrote prescriptions, but the nurses not only cared for patients, but took the time to comfort and talk with them. I saw the impact that had on the patients’ overall health,” said Tori.  “I decided I wanted to do that, too.”

On May 14, at PCCC’s annual spring Nurse Pinning Ceremony, Tori’s mother welcomed her daughter into the nursing profession by “pinning” her with the gold pin that symbolizes nursing.  

One week later, Tori received her AAS degree in Nursing at PCCC’s 54^th Commencement, successfully completing a demanding and highly respected nurse education program.

“I chose to attend PCCC because I heard amazing things about the nursing program here,” said Tori.  “Everything I heard was true, and PCCC even exceeded my expectations.”

Tori appreciated the intimacy of smaller class sizes at PCCC. “The professors could really get to know the students, and we all felt close to each other.”

Her favorite part of the nursing program was the on-site clinical portion, where students get hands-on experience in an actual healthcare setting.  Tori’s clinicals took her to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Paterson, Mountainside Hospital in Montclair, and St. Mary’s Hospital in Passaic.

“The clinicals are very valuable,” she said. “You can learn a lot from your books and classes, but when you are actually in a hospital and need to apply what you learned, it’s very different.” 

Her favorite class was Anatomy and Physiology with Professor Alisa Leh.  “It was the hardest class I ever had, and I got a “C,” the lowest grade I received at PCCC, but I learned so much and it helped me a lot. I’m really grateful to Professor Leh.”

Beyond her nursing classes, Tori thrived in other courses, especially an English class with Professor Alexandra Della Fera. “I was not a good writer in high school,” she says, “but Professor Della Fera gave me guidelines to follow and good critiques that helped me a lot.”   Now, Tori considers herself a competent writer, and said she still relies on the guidelines her professor provided.

Tori’s deep involvement in college life “started when I saw that the Student Government Association needed more senators.”  She responded to the call.

“In SGA, I had the chance to see the actual impact we can have,” she explained. As a senator, she would meet with students, listen to their input about student life and needs, then bring that feedback to the attention of the person in charge.

“When students had some issues about the food choices in the cafeteria,” Tori explained, “the senators met with Chef Mike, and we worked out a solution. It was good to see that we could make effective change.”

Inspired by getting good results, Tori volunteered with PCCC’s Educational Opportunity Fund, Career Champions, and Wellness Center, all while keeping up with the demands of the nursing program.

Affordability was another reason Tori chose PCCC, and she was delighted to receive scholarships that reduced the College’s already modest tuition even more. “I paid about half of what I would have paid, and I am so grateful for those scholarships.”

Now, the nurse graduate is looking toward her future with ambition. “I plan to enter the workforce and also enroll in the Rutgers-Camden online nursing program to earn a bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN).

Tori’s end goal is to become a nurse anesthesiologist, serving the intensive care and critical care units. 

Looking back over her time at the College, Tori says “I love PCCC. There is a wonderful sense of community here. I did everything I wanted to do and much more. I couldn’t ask for a better first college experience.”

Learn more about the AAS degree in Nurse Education program

Written by Linda Telesco
Photos by Page Saunders