RCSJ Alumni, Cazendra Luciano, Embraces Opportunities with the Inspira Edge

Deptford Twp. – Cazendra Luciano, a Rowan College of South Jersey (RCSJ) graduate, is not one to shy away from opportunities. Upon beginning her studies at RCSJ, Luciano discovered a specialized opportunity through RCSJ's Rowan Choice program.

“I wanted to go to Rowan University, and I wanted to live on campus there,” she explained. “But I honestly just couldn’t afford Rowan University at that time.”

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As a Rowan Choice student, Luciano didn’t have to compromise. She was able to live on Rowan’s campus while taking classes as an RCSJ student. She began her studies as a health science major, not necessarily considering a career with clinical roles; however, her plans shifted when the pandemic hit.

“When COVID happened ... my mom pushed me to be a nurse’s aide at Inspira,” Luciano recalled. “... Before you used to have to obtain a certification to be an aide, so she signed me up for classes.”

Though she was unsure about the change at first, she took a gap year, earned her certification, and began working at Inspira Medical Center Vineland.

“That was when all the nurses were telling me to join the nursing program and how there are perks to it,” she explained. “That’s really how I got started with RCSJ’s Nursing Program.”

So, in 2021, Luciano set out for a new opportunity. She began working per diem at Inspira, changed her major, and applied to RCSJ’s Nursing program. Once she was accepted, she was able to enjoy the Inspira premier partnership perks that so many of her co-workers had raved about.

“They told me about RCSJ and Inspira being partnered together, and because I was per diem, I was able to get 50% off my tuition, which helped a lot.”

Luciano’s decision to work as an aide at Inspira during the pandemic also solidified her decision to stick with nursing as a career path, as she discovered how rewarding it was to help others during uncertain times.

“It was really difficult, just seeing everybody so sick, and I think that’s what really triggered me to want to do nursing,” she shared. “I would see how the nurses would interact with the patients and their families, trying to get them through what was happening... that’s what made me want to become a nurse.”

Though Luciano always had some interest in pursuing a degree in healthcare, what originally put her off was the pressure from her family and the stereotypes that corresponded with that.

“Honestly, there are a lot of nurses in my family... I think that’s why I kind of steered away from that, just because, when you’re younger, you kind of want to go against what everybody else is doing.”

But her mom kept up the pressure, and despite doing so, Luciano feels appreciative of how her mother helped her continue on the path to becoming a nurse.

“I’m so thankful for my mom because becoming a nurse’s aide at Inspira really pushed me in the right direction. Being in the hospital and just seeing all these opportunities, it clicked in my head that this was the perfect path.”

Aside from the financial benefits of the nursing program, Luciano also recognized the great amount of support her professors provided.

“Honestly, I could rave about it [RCSJ’s Nursing Program] ...” she shared. “The first year and second year faculty were amazing, but the professors who stood out to me the most were Dr. [Genevieve] Turner... she was very helpful and motivating... and Dr. [Kathleen] Ruffolo, who pushed me towards [working in] cardiac because she was a heart nurse before she became a professor.”

She recalls professors using their office hours, not only to help her study the material, but also to console her through any challenges she faced.

“Sometimes after an exam, if I got a low grade, they would just set a time and be like, ‘Here, send me a Zoom’... They would tell me, ‘You’re doing everything right. You’re going to be okay. We’ll just try harder next time’.”

That reassurance from role models who worked in the career field she aspired to enter made all the difference, and by the time Luciano graduated from the program, she was prepared to begin her career immediately.

“It was so great. As soon as I graduated, I literally had a job lined up on the fourth floor [at Inspira Medical Center Vineland], so I started working right away... I graduated in May of 2024. At the end of June, I passed my NCLEX, and then I started in July.”

She transitioned from working as an aide to a full-time nurse in the cardiac step-down unit, specializing in assisting patients with various cardiac problems.

“My unit is unique...” she explained. “We get really sick patients, but we also get patients that could go home the next day, or patients that are so sick that they need to be sent to the ICU.”

Though her day-to-day might vary depending on the patients she assists, Luciano continuously applies what she learned as a student to her career.

“I work a 12-hour shift. We start at around 6:30 in the morning. I come in and receive a report on four patients... I start off with giving meds right away, assessing the patients, how we were taught in nursing school during our head-to-toe, and just seeing that they’re okay.”

She added, “We [nurses] need to be able to observe well and notice even the slightest change, because a small change can mean so much.”

Luciano’s commitment to her patients was strengthened by the pride she felt working alongside her colleagues in the cardiac step-down unit.

“There’s such great teamwork at Inspira,” Luciano boasted. “My unit especially, it feels like we’re a family.”

Her dedication to her career kept building momentum, and eventually, she decided to pursue a bachelor’s degree in nursing to expand her credentials while she maintained her full-time job.

“Transitioning to earning my bachelor’s degree was challenging because I’m a full-time nurse and I pick up a lot [of shifts], so I needed to really find the time.”

To balance her responsibilities, she transferred to Capella University and began working towards her bachelor's degree online. In just seven months, she earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN).

“It was self-paced,” she shared. “So, it could be as short as I wanted it to be.”

Inspira also offers similar tuition discounts with four-year institutions so that employees can affordably continue their education. For Luciano, the financial opportunity was another no-brainer.

“Capella is also affiliated with Inspira, so I received a 50% off discount for the first semester.”

Envisioning her future, Luciano aims to continue her education towards a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN).

“Eventually, I want to get my master’s degree, just so I could go into leadership, like a nursing supervisor or a nurse manager ... I want to get as much education as I can now, just so I can have that degree later if I need it.”

In the meantime, Luciano’s main goal is to become a travel nurse, taking short-term assignments in various locations to fill in staffing gaps.

“My boyfriend and I plan on going to Florida for our first [travel nursing] job,” she explained. “His name is Louis ... he’s also a nurse and he works in the ICU [at Inspira] ... We were in the same nursing program as well, just different campuses. He graduated at Cumberland ... Now he’s starting his new position to surgical ICU, just so he can get that critical care experience for one year before we start traveling.”

Though the two began their journeys at RCSJ and entered the same career field at the same hospital, Luciano was quick to note the versatility of nursing as a career path.

“There’s just so many different pathways to nursing, and talking with him, it shows you how different each unit really is ... Each unit prepares you for a different role.”

For students considering nursing but still might be undecided about what they would like to specialize in, Luciano offered words of encouragement.

“Just do it,” she urged. “It is so rewarding and so many opportunities open with nursing. You could get a desk job, you could work from home, you could go into law and become a forensic nurse, you could become a labor and delivery nurse ... There’s just so many opportunities that you can take with nursing, and they’ll always need nurses. You’ll always have a job, and it’s great income as well.”

For more information about RCSJ’s Nursing & Health Professions, visit RCSJ.edu/Nursing. For more information on RCSJ and Inspira Health’s Premier Partnership, visit RCSJ.edu/Inspira.