From Philadelphia Police Officer to Nurse: Mount Airy’s Carol Johnson Fulfills her Dream 

Barbara Hoerst, Ph.D., Director of Undergraduate Nursing, left, presents Carol Johnson with the award for top nursing graduate in the ACHIEVE program.

For Carol Johnson of Mount Airy, helping people has always come naturally. For the past 12 years, she has been aiding Philadelphia citizens as a police officer. Now, at age 35, Johnson has completed her bachelor’s degree from La Salle University, and is fulfilling her dream of becoming a nurse. 

The road Johnson took to become a nurse was not easy. She worked full-time, attended classes, and completed nursing clinical requirements, all while raising a young son, Charles Jr. “I knew I was going to need to make sacrifices in order to make my dream of becoming a nurse a reality, but luckily my family, especially my son’s father, Charles Sr., was very supportive,” said Johnson. 

Her hard work and sacrifices paid off. As a student at La Salle, Johnson was inducted into the nursing honor society Sigma Theta Tau, and this spring she was honored as the top graduate in her nursing program at La Salle. When presented with the award, Barbara Hoerst, Ph.D., La Salle’s Director of Undergraduate Nursing stated “Clinical nursing faculty describe Carol as having strong leadership and organizational skills, and as having performed in a caring and professional manner across the various clinical specialties.” 

Johnson grew up in Southwest Philadelphia, and after graduating from Philadelphia High School for Girls, she headed to Millersville University and later to the Community College of Philadelphia. “I always wanted to be a nurse, but I didn’t feel I had the maturity needed to pursue it right after high school,” said Johnson. When an opportunity to join the Philadelphia police force came up, Johnson enrolled. “It wasn’t nursing, but I welcomed the chance to be able to help people,” she said. 

When she first joined the police force, she was assigned to the 25th District in Kensington. “The 25th District was tough, but I put my years in, and after a few years, I was promoted to corporal, overseeing a staff of five, and later reassigned to the 5th District (Roxborough),” said Johnson. 

In 2005, Johnson enrolled in La Salle’s ACHIEVE program, which allowed her to take all her nursing courses in the evening or on weekends. “My commanding officer was very supportive by allowing me to adjust my work schedule to fit in my classes,” explained Johnson. 

Since graduating in May, Johnson passed her registered nurse exam, and left the Philadelphia police force. She is currently working in patient care at Fox Chase Cancer Center. She loves her new vocation but cannot help making comparisons to her previous one. “Police work is not just about arresting people; it’s also about listening to people and figuring out how to help them. Being a nurse is very similar in that regard, but often the people I deal with now are more vulnerable,” said Johnson.