Pulse - Fall 2009

Pulse - Fall 2009 - (Page 14) Nursing degree oﬀers a variety of career opportunities As we look for signs of the economy to improve, many Americans are taking the opportunity to return to school. Nursing programs are attracting many new students. The demand for nurses is increasing, speciﬁcally because of a rapidly aging population. As the baby boom generation ages, it will demand that more health care services. During the next 25 years, the over-age-65 population will increase at ﬁve times the rate of those under 65. Three faculty members from Brown Mackie College, Kansas City, Kan., share their varied experiences in nursing and oﬀer a closer look at career opportunities in the ﬁeld. Terese Plesser, nursing program director at Brown Mackie College, says, “A two-year associate’s degree prepares graduates for entry-level positions at hospitals, clinics and other medical facilities. From there a consideration is obtaining a bachelor of science in nursing degree, which widens career possibilities.” Nursing oﬀers varied choices in terms of work settings and areas of concentration. Hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, hospices, physician’s oﬃces and home health care companies all employ nurses. Sherry Payne is a Brown Mackie College faculty member who teaches obstetrics and pediatrics and brings rich nursing career experience to the classroom. With a bachelor’s degree, she entered nursing with a focus on labor and delivery. Finding great satisfaction in her work, she stayed within the ﬁeld of obstetric care. She now teaches others who wish to enter the ﬁeld. “I see it as a way to expand on my personal vision of the world of maternity,” says Payne. Personal vision seems to be a common thread running through nursing students today. “Many students show up after an encounter with nursing that has a lifelong impact,” Payne continues. “A positive experience with the healthcare system plants a seed. They see nursing as a lifetime mission, not just a job. It’s a passion, a true vocation.” Other examples of the diverse experiences a nursing degree can deliver are seen within the career of Pat Frost, a Brown Mackie College faculty member who also teaches obstetrics and pediatrics. She began her career in the U.S. Air Force as a nurse in the neonatal intensive care unit. Back in civilian life, she worked with an ophthalmologist, then for several schools as a special needs nurse and instructor of anatomy and physiology. From there she returned to a clinical setting as an IV therapy nurse before coming back to education at Brown Mackie College. “I’m working now on a master’s degree in nursing education,” Frost says. “It is satisfying to see students come out of the classroom not only knowing facts and ﬁgures, but also learning about improving their lives.” These three professionals agree that nursing aﬀords them opportunities to aﬀect others in a positive way. “We are technologists dealing with medical equipment that changes frequently, diplomats dealing with sometimes difﬁcult people, and educators telling patients about disease processes,” says Plesser. Interaction is a key component. Nurses interact with doctors, patients, families of patients and each other. Payne adds, “Nurses are supportive of each other. We know when to delegate and when to collaborate. We sometimes work holidays and celebrate together. We become family.” Plesser says, “The nice thing about nursing is if you get tired of one thing, you can try something else in another area.” — ARAcontent �� 14 Pulse / Fall 2009 http://www.heritagecenters.org http://www.interimhealthcare.com http://www.jobs@heritagecenters.org Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pulse - Fall 2009 Pulse - Fall 2009 Pulse - Fall 2009 - (Page 1)
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