What if your homework had a heartbeat?

For students in Sacred Heart University's nursing program, this is a reality faced though clinical. In the different fields of clinical settings, students get to take what they have learned in the classroom, and apply it to real-life situations.

"Nursing is a great field to go into, it's personally a fulfilling thing for me because it offers great job opportunities to work all over the world in different fields," said junior Amy Barnett.

Barnett said that being a nursing major now is a great opportunity because of the high demand of nurses in the job market. She also said it makes her feel great to be a part of the process of trying to save someone's life.

Sacred Heart's nursing program differs from many other schools with the fact that the clinical program is started sophomore year, earlier than most colleges. In 2000, both the American Association of Colleges of Nursing and the Hartford Institute recognized the Sacred Heart nursing program for it's geriatric nursing curriculum.

"It's really the best place and way to take what we've been learning in class and apply in the real life setting," said Barnett.

Barnett said her favorite experience thus far working in the hospital the emergency room. She said it was "eye opening" to encounter what happens in these situations.

Junior Alice Kessler found inspiration to become a nurse in her uncle who is a volunteer firefighter and EMT. She said nursing was the closest thing she felt she was capable of doing to match her uncle.

"I enjoy nursing because you don't jump from patient to patient, you actually get to have time to get to know the person while you're helping them get better," said Kessler.

In addition to Kessler's full schedule of nursing work, she also is in the Sacred Heart ROTC program, and is on for the Sacred Heart women's bowling team.

Kessler said it's a great feeling to know you are a part of helping to improve the quality of life. She said she's had the opportunity to work in a nursing home for the elderly in addition to working in both a surgery and mental health wing of a hospital.

"It gives me a sense of pride of being able to be doing something that allows me to help people on a personal level," said Kessler.

For junior Janelle Einstein, wanting to work in the medical field has been her dream since she was in high school.

"Now that I am in my junior year, I could honestly say that I could never see myself in any other field," said Einstein, "I love the role of the nurse in hospitals, they provide treatment, education, and also emotional support to not only the patient but the families too."

Einstein also said that having a nursing degree can lead to a variety of job opportunities including working as a surgical, ICU, oncology or pediatric nurse. She said you could work in a hospital and be a surgical nurse, ICU nurse, pediatric nurse or oncology nurse.

"You could work as a public health nurse in which you could work in a school or different community settings," said Einstein, "These types of nurses are the ones who usually set up the blood pressure testing, health screenings and immunizations."

Einstein said as a junior in the program, she has done her clinical rotations in nursing homes, worked on a general medical floor in nearby hospitals, and is currently working in various psychiatric hospitals.

"Each one of these clinicals have been very different experiences and not only have taught me many things about nursing, but also about life in general," said Einstein.