Stories

“I came from a farm family,  just a country girl who grew up on a dairy farm. I know hard times and I’ve seen struggle; my mom’s dream was always to be a vet, but she never could do that because there were always cows to milk and feed. Although my mom didn’t live out her dream, my parents are so happy that I pursued my dream of becoming a nurse. Now as a parent, I never want my kids to think that they can’t reach their dreams. I have twin girls that are four, and they’ve already started telling me that they want to be a nurse like Mommy because they want to help people. Your whole life you’re taught to be a good person and to help people, and I think nursing is a totally different take on actually helping people. Having my children know that even at the age of three, is awesome.

Being a nurse is amazing, it really is.  I’m overjoyed and I feel so blessed and it comes from my career now. I was a phlebotomist before going to school, but in phlebotomy I was just getting blood from patients then they would leave. My favorite part of nursing is the actual nurse to patient care; I love talking to the patients and spending time with them so that I can connect with them and their families. I really value building trust between my patients, their families, and myself during their care. As a phlebotomist I was missing that part and I felt like I needed more. I checked into doing online classes to become a nurse, but I didn’t want to miss out on the hands on learning and growth in patient care that seated classes get to experience. My director at work actually told me about TCTC and how the program is one day of classes and one day of clinicals. I thought he was crazy, but the next week I was calling the school for more information.

Being a nurse is amazing, it really is. I'm overjoyed and I feel so blessed and it comes from my career now.

Coming to TCTC for nursing school was the best decision I’ve ever made because they worked so well with my schedule. My two girls always come first and TCTC allowed me to go to school as a full-time student while still working as a full-time med-surg nurse with 40 plus hours a week and I could still be a full-time mom without missing out on important events in my daughters’ lives. Not many nursing schools allow you to do that. I felt so loved and welcomed at that school and I honestly did not have one bad part at TCTC, from Clarice and Chelsye in the office, to each of the helpful instructors, and even now after graduating. I love them like they’re part of my family and I even invited them to my wedding! I have my career now… Texas County gave me my career. I couldn’t have asked for a better experience or feel more blessed to have come from a small program like that.”