When Chantal Chine left her home country of Cameroon for Chicago, Illinois, a career in nursing was not part of her plan. For several years, she worked as a finance and administrative manager for a cocoa exporting company, and she already held a bachelor’s degree in English literature and a diploma in computer programming. But her husband decided to pursue higher education in the U.S., and Chantal followed, not knowing how much her own path was about to change.
“My husband is the one who encouraged me to consider the Certified Nurse Aide path, because he had a nursing degree,” says Chantal, who initially saw herself returning to a finance or accounting role. Once she learned she could earn a nurse aide certificate quickly, she figured she had nothing to lose. “I became a CNA in 2007 and worked in a nursing home for about five months before I got a job at Swedish Hospital. I ended up really liking patient care. Everything clicked, and I felt I would always been a caregiver.”
Advancing Her Career and Education
Chantal continued her education in Chicago, becoming a Licensed Practical Nurse in 2010. That led to opportunities to work on the extended care and rehabilitation unit and float across medical-surgical, telemetry, orthopedics, oncology, and other departments as needed. After many years at Swedish Hospital, Chantal wanted to broaden her experience. She moved to another hospital system to work in an outpatient practice and later to a nursing and rehabilitation center’s dementia and Parkinson’s unit.
During that time, she began considering a Registered Nurse emerged. “A coworker of mine had found a school she wanted to attend and encouraged me to do it too,” Chantal says. She finished the Associate Degree of Nursing in 2021.
A Move into Management and the Drive to Go Back to School
Earning the RN credential opened new doors for Chantal. She joined a skilled nursing and rehabilitation center as a restorative nurse, and before long, she was asked to step in as interim assistant director of nursing. That paved the way to a full assistant director of nursing role at a nursing home—and planted the seed of an idea. “I knew I was holding myself back professionally because I did not have a bachelor’s degree,” she says. Chantal began exploring universities offering fully online RN-to-Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) programs and discovered American Sentinel College of Nursing and Health Sciences at Post University. Its affordability and flexibility fit her life and her goals. “I liked that I could continue to work full time and fit school in after work or even late at night,” she says.
Streamlining Her Path and Sharing the Milestone with Her Daughters
Although Chantal’s focus was earning a bachelor’s degree, learning that she could seamlessly continue into the Master of Nursing Science in Nursing- Nursing Management & Organizational Leadership Specialization aligned perfectly with her career focus and a longtime dream.
“I am the oldest of four, and we lost our parents at a young age, so I took care of everyone,” she says. “My three younger sisters all went on to earn master’s degrees in their fields. Before my mom passed away, she said, ‘Educate yourself and you can educate an entire nation.’ This program allowed me to do something I have always wanted to do.”
Chantal pushed herself to complete both the BSN and MSN Nursing Management and Organizational Leadership by the time her daughters graduated from middle and high school in May 2025. Born the same years she earned the CNA and LPN, they have been her inspiration from the beginning of her nursing journey. “Thanks to the SIMPath® program, I was able to do that,” says Chantal, who traveled to Connecticut to attend commencement and celebrate her accomplishment. “I have highly recommend Post and the SIMPath® program to busy parents like me. The instructors were amazing, and the BSN/MSN program is well organized with excellent resources.”
Finding Joy in Care and Purpose in Every Challenge
In 2024, Chantal accepted a position as director of nursing at a not-for-profit assisted living and memory care center that offers independent living, health services, and lifecare options. She’s focused on growing in her new role. “In the short term, I want to gain more experience here,” she says. Long term, Chantal is open to possibilities such as operations leadership. “Whatever I do, I want to stay in nursing as long as I can.”
Her love of the career she chose nearly 20 years ago runs deep. “There is not much I do not love about nursing,” Chantal says. “When someone comes into a hospital broken and leaves with a smile or a patient thanks me for helping them and listening, it gives me joy. This job has taught me patience and compassion and shown me the beauty of seeing people heal.”
