Nursing

Rise Up and Meet the Challenge

NursingApril 23, 2021

Fortis Nurse Profile: Joshua Mullinax

Thirty years ago, the American Nurses Association established National Nurses Week to recognize the essential caregivers who selflessly serve their communities. Each year the celebration culminates on May 12, the birthday of Florence Nightingale, who’s been widely recognized as the “mother of modern nursing.” The past year has tested the resolve and dedication of nurses and nursing students across the country as they served on the frontlines of COVID-19. This week we honor Fortis nursing graduates, students, and instructors by sharing their stories. 

Joshua Mullinax, a recent graduate of Fortis Institute in Nashville, was a licensed practical nurse for three years and decided to go back to school to become a registered nurse (RN.)

“I’ve always enjoyed helping people,” he says. “I’ve always been the person to give the shirt off my back without asking for anything in return.”
Going to school during a pandemic provided the extra challenge of learning remotely, but Joshua handled it with confidence. “Virtual learning during COVID was very well organized,” he says. “Teaching methods didn’t change whatsoever. The instructors never expected us to slack off, and they helped me remain focused.”

Joshua recalls the instruction he received during an important simulation lab that helped him become a more confident RN. “Many people aren’t successful in first attempt because of nerves,” he says. “I didn’t pass and had to retake my capstone course. Professor Marquart came into play. He was a new instructor that semester. He worked with us so diligently and had so much patience. When we did our final simulation, we all passed on the first attempt. We knew we were going be graduating and that the past two years were all worth it. He reminded us that we made it this far and needed to keep pushing. He rebuilt our confidence tremendously.”

After graduating at the top of his class and receiving academic achievement and leadership awards at the pinning ceremony, Joshua accepted a position on the cardiac residency team at Ascension Saint Thomas West Hospital in Nashville. 

“In my new position, I’m most looking forward to advancing my knowledge in the cardiovascular system, helping to save and improve as many lives as I can,” he says. “Cardiology has always been my passion. I feel that God has led me here.”

We are proud of Joshua and other nursing graduates who rose to the challenge that COVID-19 brought and remained committed to using what they learned to improve people’s lives. If you’re interested in starting your nursing journey, contact us to learn more about the nursing programs at Fortis Colleges & Institutes, St. Paul’s School of Nursing and Denver College of Nursing, by clicking here