Terri Smithwick RN

Hello, my name is Terri Smithwick and I live in Holly Springs, Mississippi. I’m an RN and I do case managing for a local hospice here in my hometown. I wanted to receive my RN degree because I’m single and I would see the RN’s paycheck compared to my LPN paychecks and I knew that it would make my life so much easier.

I tell all my girlfriends about Rue. In fact, I have three friends now that are going through the Rue program. I wouldn’t have done it any other way. I loved it.

The study materials were so organized and helped me be organized. I’m not an organized person, but with the way Rue has everything laid out, it was easy for me to keep my education pointed in the right direction because of the organization that they had put down for me.

The Rue team was just so supportive of me. Anytime I had a question, they always were there to help me - especially when I was taking my chemo. 

I would be so sick and I would call and they would just be, “Keep on trudging – you’ll get there!”

The flexibility of the study guide that Rue offers really helped me a lot - because having my mother live there and having my health problems right in the middle of it - I would have had to drop out of any other traditional school. So, it was really nice that when I didn’t feel like studying, I really didn’t have to. On my good days during my chemo, I could just study and make up for the time when I wasn’t studying so much.

I’ve been a hospice RN now for two years and I just love it. I would have never had that opportunity if it hadn’t been for Rue’s help.

The educational materials that Rue offers are just wonderful in keeping you focused on what you need to do next and keeping you organized. Without that I could have never finished the program. It was so easy for me. It was easy because Rue has spent so much time and effort getting the materials and the organization set.

I know that going through Rue – you know, we’re so busy with our lives – and going through and finishing your education is time-consuming. But I promise if you’ll just focus on your education and the study materials that Rue provides, when you get through, it’s so rewarding. And when you get those paychecks you’ll really be excited.

So, just keep on trudging, and just stay focused on your work and after you get through with your RN, everything will kind of calm back down and you’ll be able to enjoy financial freedom, independence and relaxation.