Students Yvette and Sophie: A Mother-Daughter Dream Team 

On a typical evening at their Las Vegas home, Yvette and her daughter Sophie clear off the kitchen table, spread out their textbooks, and dive into study mode. Laughter usually slips in between the flashcards. Sometimes, it’s Sophie making up a silly mnemonic to remember a tricky concept. Other times, it’s Yvette quizzing Sophie and pretending to be a very dramatic patient in need of care. 

For them, nursing school isn’t just a challenge — it’s a shared adventure. 

Both are students in Galen’s Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program, motivated by a mutual calling to help others. “We want to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives,” says Yvette. “Nursing is both a career and a calling. We get to blend compassion with science and critical thinking.” 

Not many nursing students can say they have a family member as a classmate. For Yvette and Sophie, choosing to pursue nursing together gave them both courage.  

“We knew if one of us had doubts or tough days, the other would be there for encouragement,” Yvette says. “It felt like walking into it with a teammate instead of walking into the unknown by yourself. We are our own dream team.” 

Nursing school can be demanding, with long lectures, clinicals, exams, and late-night studying. But Yvette and Sophie keep each other motivated.   

When stress piles up, they remind each other of their “why” and reward progress with little celebrations — grabbing boba, splitting sushi rolls, or treating themselves to mani-pedis after a tough term.  

“It’s been a blessing,” Yvette reflects. “We pull strength from one another and celebrate even the small victories.” Sophie adds, “When one of us feels overwhelmed, the other steps in with encouragement.”  

While having a built-in support system is a definite plus, they say there’s an even bigger advantage to going through nursing school with a loved one — it’s just more fun.  

Their study sessions sometimes turn into game nights, full of smiles and quirky memory tricks. “We laugh, quiz each other, and sometimes even make up silly mnemonics to remember tough concepts,” Yvette says. 

They practice skills on each other, turning their living room into a mini-clinic. “We make our CPE practices fun. We are each other’s practice mannequin,” Sophie laughs. 

They’re also grateful for the way their Galen instructors make learning more hands-on. “I think Galen actually takes the time to help students learn the material and prepare them to incorporate what they’re learning into real life,” Sophie shares.  

In between study sessions and hard work, Yvette and Sophie remind each other to pause and reset. At home, a wall calendar marks the countdown of school days and makes space for short road trips to recharge. “It feels good to be in school with my best friend!” Yvette says.  

After graduation, Yvette and Sophie plan to begin their careers as registered nurses. Yvette is drawn to women’s health, while Sophie would like to go into pediatrics. In the long term, they hope to explore travel nursing once they’ve built strong foundations in their specialties.  

More than career goals, though, they want to inspire others who might be scared to go back to school later in life. “We want people to see our story and know that it’s never too late,” Yvette says.  

For this mother-daughter duo, their nursing education will be a journey they’ll always share. And with each milestone — whether it’s a passed exam, a road trip, or one day, a graduation stage — they’ll be crossing it together.  

Whether your motivation comes from family, a lifelong dream, or a desire to make a difference, Galen College of Nursing can help you turn that passion into a career. Explore our PN/VN program, Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program, or 3-year Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing (BSN) program and take the next step toward your future in nursing.