I started here in ’09 as an RN. I started with the school division in 1992. I started as a CNA, certified nursing assistant, at Salem High School. Then I went back to school and became a licensed practical nurse, LPN, still at Salem High. Then I went back to school to become a registered nurse, RN, and in 2006 became an RN.
Before then I was a computer technician for 10 years. I worked for Sovran Bank. They turned into C&S/Sovran and then Bank of America, so we lost our jobs. We could go back to school for anything other than computers, so I went for medical. When I first started college, back in 1979, I started in nursing then switched to business management/computer science. My mom got really sick; she was sick the day before I graduated high school. We found out she had colon cancer. She passed when I was 19; she was 43 years old. I had taken some time off from college to take care of her. We did have a nurse but she was only part-time, so I filled in.
Once I lost my job, I said: You know, I’m going back for nursing. And I did. And I love it. I really love it – better than computers. I’ve always been interested in the human body and just learning. I think it’s amazing – the things it can do on it’s own. I just wanted to learn more about that and then help others to understand what’s going on in their body and what they can do to prevent illnesses and so forth.
I love the children here. Some of them – when they gave me the cards I have hanging up for Nurse’s Day – they say that I’m like a mother to them. To me, that’s a compliment in two different ways. They say I’m like a mother when really I’m old enough to be their grandmother, and I enjoy just being here for them and for the parents to take care of them while the parents are working.
#WeAreVBSchools
