Louisville woman fulfills dream of owning a business, helping others get nursing degrees

PROVIDE MORE HEALTH CARE WORKERS. I FEEL AT PEACE. I COME A LONG WAY FROM LIVING ON THE STREET TO BECOMING A BUSINESS OWNER. TUESDAY PROVED TO BE A MONUMENTAL DAY IN THE LIFE OF PAULA LEWIS. I’M TRYING TO LET PEOPLE KNOW IT DON’T MATTER WHAT YOU GO THROUGH. DON’T LET NOTHING STOP. YOU CRY IN THE MIDST OF IT. BECAUSE IF I WERE TO LET MY PROBLEMS GET TO ME, I WOULDN’T BE HERE. ON TUESDAY, LEWIS, WHO WAS ONCE HOMELESS, WAS ABLE TO CUT THE RIBBON ON THE RISE NURSING INSTITUTE IN THE PARKLAND NEIGHBORHOOD. A CERTIFIED NURSING ASSISTANT, LEWIS WANTED TO PROVIDE A PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO OBTAIN THEIR CERTIFICATE AND FIND A JOB IN LESS THAN A MONTH. IT’S A TWO WEEK TRAINING PROGRAM FOR SOMEONE WHO’S NOT REALLY FAMILIAR WITH NURSING, BUT WANTS TO KNOW IT, OR MAYBE WANTS TO SAY, HEY, I NEED A JOB, A CAREER, I NEED A TRADE TO GET SOME MONEY AND WORK QUICK. LEWIS SAYS. RISE IS ALREADY PARTNERED WITH MULTIPLE ORGANIZATIONS WHO WILL THEN BE ABLE TO OFFER JOBS TO STUDENTS AFTER GRADUATION, SO IT IS A 75 HOURS PROGRAM, WHICH IS 59 HOURS CLASSROOM AND 16 CLINICAL, MEANING THEY DO HANDS ON AT THE ONE OF THE PARTNER SITES. SO IT’S UP TO THAT PARTNER. IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO HIRE THEM WITHIN A 90 DAY GRACE PERIOD. AND THEY HAVE THAT TIME FRAME TO GO TAKE THE STATE TEST, THE RISE NURSING INSTITUTE HAS TWO TEACHERS AND CLASS SIZES ARE SMALL. SO WE’RE HERE TO NURTURE, EDUCATE AND JUST BE HERE FOR THE PEOPLE AND LET THEM KNOW THAT WE UNDERSTAND AND WE DEFINITELY CAN RELATE. AND WE’RE PATIENT WITH YOU. AFTER REACHING HER GOAL ON TUESDAY, LEWIS NOW HAS A NEW GOAL TO HELP OTHERS REACH THEIR GOALS. SO I WANT PEOPLE TO FEEL COMFORTABLE. I WANT THEM NOT JUST TO SAY I WANT A JOB. THIS IS A CAREER. THIS IS OPEN UP DOORS TO OTHER HIGHER INSTITUTIONS ON THE RISE. NURSING INSTITUTE IS NOW ENROLLING STUDENTS. CLASSES START JULY 8TH FROM THE PARKLA

For Paulisa Lewis, it's been a long journey to get to where she is now. Lewis, who was homeless several years ago, has now opened her own nursing school, Rise Nursing Institute.The school will allow students to get their CNA certificate in two weeks. "So it is a 75 hours program, which is 59 hours classroom and 16 clinical, meaning they do hands-on at one of our partner's sites," Lewis said. Several health care organizations serve as partner sites for Rise. Lewis said, those connections will also allow students to potentially get a job as soon as they graduate."So it's up to that partner if they would like to hire them within the 90-day grace period, and then will have that time frame to go take the state test," Lewis said.Rise has two instructors and small class sizes, for more individualized learning."We're not overcrowded, we are open. We will be here after hours if they need practice. We are hands-on, because I think most people learn different. So we're giving that opportunity to people who learn to different. I want people to feel comfortable," Lewis said.A certified nurse's assistant, Lewis wanted to pass along the opportunities she was given to others who may need it. "I'm trying to let people know you, no matter what you go through, don't let nothing stop you. Cry in the midst of it, because if I were to let my problems get to me, I wouldn't be here," Lewis said.The school is now enrolling students. The first program will begin July 8.For more information, click here.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. —

For Paulisa Lewis, it's been a long journey to get to where she is now.

Lewis, who was homeless several years ago, has now opened her own nursing school, Rise Nursing Institute.

The school will allow students to get their CNA certificate in two weeks.

"So it is a 75 hours program, which is 59 hours classroom and 16 clinical, meaning they do hands-on at one of our partner's sites," Lewis said.

Several health care organizations serve as partner sites for Rise. Lewis said, those connections will also allow students to potentially get a job as soon as they graduate.

"So it's up to that partner if they would like to hire them within the 90-day grace period, and then [the student] will have that time frame to go take the state test," Lewis said.

Rise has two instructors and small class sizes, for more individualized learning.

"We're not overcrowded, we are open. We will be here after hours if they need practice. We are hands-on, because I think most people learn different. So we're giving that opportunity to people who learn to different. I want people to feel comfortable," Lewis said.

A certified nurse's assistant, Lewis wanted to pass along the opportunities she was given to others who may need it.

"I'm trying to let people know you, no matter what you go through, don't let nothing stop you. Cry in the midst of it, because if I were to let my problems get to me, I wouldn't be here," Lewis said.

The school is now enrolling students. The first program will begin July 8.

For more information, click here.

Louisville woman fulfills dream of owning a business, helping others get nursing degrees

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