Have you ever felt drawn or passionate about doing something, to feel like you have contributed to something meaningful? I have. Since I was about seven years old, I wanted to be a nurse. I hated the doctor’s office and was absolutely horrified of the nurses because they were the ones who gave me shots. I hated shots. I do not recall a nurse ever being so compassionate and caring about my well-being as a patient until I was having my daughter eight years ago. The nurses in labor and delivery are by far some of the most amazing nurses I’ve met. At a young age, I remember telling my mom I was going to be a nurse and the best pediatric nurse ever. I was going to make my patients feel heard, cared for, and safe. I never felt these feelings when I went to the doctor as a young child. I took my CNA course in high school to advance my nursing career. The same program that offered the CNA course is where I got my LPN. I have always wanted to progress and get my RN; it just didn’t happen as soon as I had originally intended. I got married and had children, but I still continued to want to go back. Ten years, two kids, and a career change later, I am in my second session of my first semester of my BSN program. I’ve grown over the past ten years and am now considering going even further and becoming a Nurse Practitioner or a Certified Nurse Midwife. Over my ten years as an LPN, I climbed the career ladder at my local rural health clinic and became the clinic supervisor, second in command. I managed over 30 assistants, more than 10 admissions representatives, and over 10 providers that included DOs, MDs, and advanced practice physicians. I was the go-to for anything in the clinic. I wore so many hats and learned and did so many things, that Included; authorizing orders for insurance companies, training and continuing education for the medical assistants and nurses, hiring and firing if necessary, and much more. Having two children of my own introduced me to the idea of becoming a midwife. My daughter was born with the help of a doctor, and my son was born with the help of a midwife. The experience with the midwife was significantly superior to that with the doctor. These experiences have encouraged me to continue to further my education and work towards my BSN.

Balancing the roles of a hardworking, independent woman and a caregiver can be daunting and occasionally isolating. As a mother of two beautiful young children, I've navigated this challenge while working as a full-time clinic supervisor in a rural town in Idaho. I’ve grown and advanced in my career as an LPN and have only ever wanted to advance my career. My primary motivation is to serve as a positive role model for my daughter, and my son, illustrating that she can excel in her career while fulfilling her responsibilities as a mother. And for my son, to see that women should be encouraged to succeed and that both can have a career and a family. Recently, I made the life-changing decision to further my education by pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and step down from my current role as a clinic supervisor, as well as cut my hours at the clinic to as needed and change jobs while in school. This decision was made aiming to expand my career opportunities and professional growth. Demonstrating to my daughter that she can pursue her ambitions while also nurturing her family is a principle I hold dear. The decision to go back to school and work different hours was made from my yearning to be present in my kids' lives. I am able to pull my son from daycare and spend more time at home with him, and I will be home this summer with my daughter for summer break. The decision to step down and rid myself of all the extra responsibilities as a supervisor in a rural area was to improve my work and home/caregiving balance. I knew I would not be the mom and employee I wanted while in school with the extreme workload I was burned with as the clinic supervisor. A challenge I am experiencing would be a shift in my own life schedule. I will be working late shift/night shift evenings to the middle of the night. This will allow me to be home during the day, avoid daycare costs, and still go to school and bring in some income. I have always worked days M-F 8-5. Being available in the days will be a nice convenient change from what I am used to. Witnessing my husband's unwavering support for my personal and professional aspirations reinforces the message to myself along as well as our daughter that she deserves a partner who values and encourages her growth, and to my son as a role model for him. This has also encouraged me to shoot for the stars in my career aspirations knowing I have the best support system around me. Through my journey of balancing work and caregiving, I aim to instill in my daughter the belief that she can indeed have both success in her career and fulfillment as a mother. As well as an example of the kind of woman she can be and what type of significant other she deserves.