Many of us started homeschooling to pass on our Catholic faith and get our kids to heaven. But in the back of our minds, when we can think past laundry and dishes and driving kids to activities, we hope they can exert a positive influence here on earth. 

Our guest offers a career track to fulfill that influence in a Christ-centered manner. Dr. Maura Wenzel’s nursing career satisfies her desire to serve, love others as Christ loves, and see Christ in every patient. Her choice may be a perfect fit for your Catholic homeschooler.

Program notes:

Now more than ever, why do we need nurses with a solid moral compass? 

Dr. Wenzel is a Clinical Associate professor at the Catholic University of America’s Conway School of Nursing. As a former U.S. Navy nurse, Dr. Wenzel has experience in many fields of nursing, including surgical, emergency, and perioperative nursing. Dr. Wenzel is passionate about nursing, nursing education, and weaving the Catholic Faith throughout her courses. 

She and her husband and three young children live in southern Maryland.

An inside look at this gratifying profession. 

● What attracted her to nursing?

● What are the emotional or spiritual traits that make the best nurses?  

● How did homeschooling help you develop them?

● What high school courses are most important? 

● What is the difference between R.N., BSN, and APRN?

Why is Catholic University so attractive to Catholic homeschoolers?

Catholic—The beautiful campus, in a very safe part of Washington, D.C., is steeped in Catholic culture. Surrounded by the U.S. Conference of Bishops, next to John Paul II Shrine, there is an abundance of priests and nuns on campus and many opportunities for daily mass.

Professional – An education from an excellent faculty, teaching in a new state-of-the-art nursing building with a floor replicating a hospital wing. Receive a nursing education that clearly emphasizes the role of ethics, values, and spirituality in health care in a city with many partnering hospitals for clinical experiences.

“Nursing is an excellent profession for those who wish to serve but in a much more spiritual way. It is an opportunity to love others as Christ loves and to see Christ in every patient. 

As a young nurse, I found my deep faith in our Lord to be the framework through which I was able to process many challenging patients, situations, and long hours. 

Still, in a much more substantial way, it helped me to persevere through new and challenging medical ethical dilemmas. The world has shifted since my early nursing days, and the challenges we Catholic nurses face now are even more difficult to navigate.” Dr. Maura Adams Wenzel

Resources

Conway School of Nursing

The Catholic University of America

Seton Magazine: Answering the Nursing Call to Duty by Dr. Maura Wenzel 

Homeschooling Information

Seton Home Study School

Seton Testing Services