At a time when the nation urgently needs more nurses, Liubov “Luba” Buklemisheva is answering the call from an unexpected place: a former life in journalism, media, and medical marketing. The 35-year-old will graduate from CSUN’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program in May 2026, marking a dramatic shift from writing about healthcare to practicing it.
Buklemisheva first studied journalism and media management in her native Russia, then pursued an advanced degree in public relations and advertising in Chicago. Then, it was onto New York, where her work as a marketing director for a plastic surgeon, writing and creating website content for the practice, sparked a new passion for medicine and patient care.
“I observed so many surgeries, procedures [and] treatments. I had to learn about them to write all that content,” she said. “The more I worked there, the more I realized ‘I don’t want to leave the clinical environment. That’s where I belong.’ ”
While living and working in New York, Buklemisheva went back to school to complete her prerequisites. When her husband’s career brought her and their 7-year-old son to Los Angeles, she searched for a school to help her meet her goals. She applied to CSUN’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program, which is designed to help students with prior degrees achieve a nursing degree on an accelerated timeline. It’s one of several nursing programs designed to help students prepare for rewarding careers in an in-demand field.
As her graduation date nears, Buklemisheva is looking beyond commencement and preparing herself for the nursing license examination. There’s a wide field of opportunity: nurses are in high demand, and will remain so for years to come, as the current workforce retires, the general population ages and chronic care needs increase. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that employment of registered nurses is projected to grow five percent over the next decade — which is faster than the average for all occupations.
Buklemisheva sat down with CSUN Newsroom to share what it’s been like returning to school, the moments that have shaped her in the classroom and in her clinical training, and the exciting path she’s charting for the future.
On Her Current Coursework and Clinical Training
Luba Buklemisheva (LB): We have theory classes on campus here, and usually we have the clinical accompanying the theory class. So, for example, right now, in my third semester, I have my pediatrics lecture, as well as I go to the hospital, and we care for the pediatric population. I’m almost done with this rotation and I’m starting my OB (obstetrics-maternity) in the second half of the semester.
On Her Clinical Experience and Instructors
LB: I want to highlight my clinical instructors. They are the nurses who go with us to the clinicals, to the hospital. Usually, in the clinical, they pair you with a nurse and you work with this nurse, but then the clinical instructor can come and answer your questions. Then, we will do a post conference where we’ll talk about our experiences, what we did during the day and then this person actually grades your clinical performance. They always made sure to emphasize that there are no silly or stupid questions; it’s always better to ask; and I love how approachable they [are].
Communication is Key: On Working with Patients
LB: I did my first patient education [recently] — my patient was being discharged and my nurse let me do the instruction/education. And I love that part because she was a post-op [post-operative/after surgery] patient. So, I was telling her when she’s supposed to call the doctor, how she’s supposed to come for her surgeon visits, how she needs to take things easy now, how she needs to change her diet because obviously she wants to avoid any complications. So, I love that part as well — and I feel that my communication background helps with it because I know how to talk to people.
What’s Next: Ready to Launch
After graduating and obtaining her nursing license, Buklemisheva plans to apply for a hospital new graduate nursing program. Such programs are structured and paid training that provide support and professional development to recent nursing school graduates.
Interested in nursing careers? Learn more about students’ experiences on CSUN Newsroom. Ready to apply? Visit the Nursing Department website.
