CFCC nursing student secures prestigious position at Johns Hopkins Hospital
When Ian Appling moved to Wilmington, North Carolina, in 2020, he had already built an impressive career. Originally from Kansas City, Missouri, he earned a master’s degree in public health and served as New Hanover County’s epidemiologist. Despite his background in infectious disease control, Ian felt a pull toward a different kind of healthcare, direct patient care. That passion led him to Cape Fear Community College’s Associate Degree in Nursing program.
Now set to graduate this May, Ian has accepted a position at Johns Hopkins Hospital, a dream opportunity at one of the most prestigious hospitals in the world.
Ian’s passion for hands-on healthcare was solidified through his work abroad. He spent nearly six years off and on in India and Guatemala, where he worked on cervical cancer screening and prevention programs.
“We dealt strictly with nurses in their care, and I got to see firsthand that these nurses were doing so much work,” shared Ian.
Coming from a family of medical professionals, Ian’s decision to pursue nursing felt like a natural progression.
“Both my parents are physicians,” said Ian. “My mother is a cytopathologist. My father is a family practice physician. He has nurses and nurse practitioners that he trusts sometimes more than he trusts himself. Seeing my parents’ trust and respect for nurses made an impression on me.”
Ian enrolled in Cape Fear Community College’s Associate Degree Nursing program in August 2023, not realizing at the time he was joining one of the top-ranked nursing schools in North Carolina.
“I went to orientation not knowing what I was getting myself into, as about 99% of nursing students do. I always tell people that nursing school is the toughest academic thing I’ve ever done, but I’ve been lucky to have a great cohort and supportive faculty and staff around me.”
Among the instructors who significantly impacted Ian’s journey was Cheryl McFaden. “She’s vastly experienced and holds extremely high expectations of her students.” During his clinical rotation with her, Ian initially doubted his performance. “But at the end, she told me, ‘You don’t have to get your bachelor’s to get your master’s in nursing.’ That made me realize she believed in me. That was a turning point.”
Another influential instructor was Erin Ludlum, who taught endocrinology. “She covered tough topics in just a few days and made us want to keep learning beyond the classroom.”
Ian’s hard work has paid off in a big way. He recently accepted a job offer at Johns Hopkins Hospital’s Progressive Care Unit (PCU). “I had a wonderful interview, and they told me they researched CFCC’s nursing program. When they saw our NCLEX pass rate, they were impressed. That definitely helped.”
As Ian prepares to start his new role this summer, he also looks ahead to further his education. Because Johns Hopkins is a magnet hospital, he will be required to earn his BSN within a few years, which the hospital will help fund. But Ian doesn’t plan to stop there.
“I joke that this will be my third degree, and I’ll probably get a fourth, more than likely a fifth,” he said. “I’d love to get my Doctorate in Nursing Practice. Seeing nurse practitioners’ impact, especially working alongside my father, I know that’s the path I want to take.”
Reflecting on his journey, Ian is confident he made the right choice. “I’m super grateful to be part of the Cape Fear Community College community. Nursing school is tough, but the experiences here have prepared me for the real world. I know firsthand how impactful nurses are, and I’m honored to join their ranks.”
To learn more about Cape Fear Community College’s nursing programs, visit cfcc.edu/nursing .
