Preparing for the front lines of the pandemic: Nicolette Locklear’s Story

Many practical nursing graduates at Robeson Community College have been busy preparing to sit for the National Council Licensure Examination. One student, Nicolette Locklear, is hoping that all of those endless nights of studying over the past year will pay off when she takes her exam later on this month.

Another thing that has been on Nicolette’s mind this month: COVID-19.

In Robeson County, the number of positive COVID cases has skyrocketed and local hospitals are filled at capacity.

“It is very scary to know that I am going to be starting out as a new graduate during a pandemic,” said Nicolette. “We have been dealing with this ever since we started in the program, but I feel that this has prepared me more for the profession.”

She adds, “The practical nursing program has been one of the most challenging things that I have done in my life, but it has also been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.”

Nicolette says that she is ready for the front lines of pandemic, saying that nursing is where she needs to be.  

“I come from a family of three medical doctors and two OBGYNs,” says Nicolette. “Healthcare has been instilled in me.”

The youngest in her class, graduating at just 20 years old, Nicolette came into the practical nursing program as a certified nursing assistant (CNA). It’s a credential that she earned while in high school through career and college promise classes.

“I have always been one of those to take things and go a step further,” said Nicolette. “The CCP classes were free, so I thought why not take advantage of that opportunity.”

Nicolette says she was thankful to have had the opportunities to explore careers in the medical profession while in high school, saying that it gave her a basic foundation in healthcare.

“I have always wanted to become a nurse since I was a little girl, taking the CCP Nurse Aide I classes allowed me to see if this was what I really wanted to do in life.”

And it was what she wanted to do.

After becoming a CNA, Nicolette wanted to further her knowledge in the profession and that’s why she enrolled at Robeson Community College. She hopes to one day return to RCC to complete the Bridge to RN program for LPN’s.

“I want to be able to make decisions for patients and be like an advocate for them,” says Nicolette, who helped care for both of her grandmothers, one who battled cancer and the other Alzheimer’s. “Nursing is very critical because someone’s life is in your hands, I want to be able to be the one who gives patients the care that they need and deserve.”

Nicolette is also very passionate about being a proponent for the COVID-19 vaccination.

“I understand that everyone has a choice, but as being a new graduate and going into healthcare, I encourage everyone to get vaccinated,” said Nicolette. “I wanted to be vaccinated because I don’t want to bring the virus home to my family, and I want to keep my family safe, so I am going to be an advocate in healthcare promoting the importance of getting the vaccine against COVID-19.”

Nicolette has seen first-hand how devastating the virus can be, and how much the vaccination can help save lives.

“It doesn’t matter if your young or old, the virus could be life-threatening if you catch it, and the virus does not discriminate against anyone,” said Nicolette. “The statistics that we have been given on vaccinated vs. unvaccinated prove that the vaccine does help. Getting vaccinated doesn’t mean you won’t catch the virus, but you’ll have a better chance of surviving if you get the vaccine.”

If you’re thinking about going into the nursing profession, Nicolette does have a few words of advice:  “Take nursing one-day, one-step at a time.”

“Coming into nursing you have to be serious and you also have to be caring and compassionate,” says Nicolette. “If nursing is something that you want to do, you’ll do what you need to do to get there, even when it feels like everything is unreachable, Just keep going and when you do that, you won’t just strive but you’ll thrive.”

Nicolette is the youngest daughter of William Locklear, a dearly beloved and long-time Assistant Vice President of Robeson Community College who retired in 2020.

Nicolette with her father, William during the practical nursing pinning ceremony at Robeson Community College