Veteran pursues passion with nursing degree

Dec. 2, 2021 — DENTON — Often, when someone graduates with a bachelor’s degree, they feel ready to take on the world. That isn’t the case for Josh Pinson, set to graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN).

He made his move to take on the world when he enlisted in the U.S. Army in January of 2007, serving six years and completing a tour of duty in Iraq. Pinson worked as a combat medic and went on to become a licensed vocational nurse (LVN) through an Army program, eventually caring for patients at Madigan Army Medical Center in Washington state.

Growing up, Pinson always wanted to help others. He and his mother endured health issues. He wanted to be the type of person who could help. Becoming an LVN made sense to him. In addition to helping others, he enjoys sharing life stories and talking to veterans.

He wanted to pursue more in nursing though, especially to be able to care for his family. He became a registered nurse before pursuing his BSN through the RN-BSN program at TWU. The father of five is considering a master’s degree in nursing education in the future.

Education is important to him and his family as his wife is also a full-time student. They have balanced the duties of being student, spouse and parent between each other.

“We always seem to be split up doing different things and don’t always get to be together. There’s always someone playing in a sport or something, and school can make it tough,” Pinson said. “But we know what to expect and we’ve been working through it. The balance shifts from her to me or me to her sometimes, but we make it work to provide for our family.

Pinson says his military background helps him stay organized and has helped make him the nurse that he is today.

Page last updated 4:15 PM, December 2, 2021