I've been a paramedic for forty years, but it’s been a while since I had a job with patient contact. A couple of years ago I thought it was time to forego my next license renewal. Boy, was I wrong. At my annual physical I mentioned to my doctor that I felt like I was having to breathe a bit heavier when working outside. I wasn't too worried because I’d never had any chest (or other) pain, but one thing led to another, and six weeks later I had quadruple bypass surgery. It went well. While I was in the CVICU something very unexpected happened. As I was lying in the bed, I paid attention to what was on the monitors, my vital signs, the medications I was receiving, and everything happening around me. Before long I began to feel the fire inside being rekindled. I realized it wasn't time to let my license expire. It was time to get back to taking care of patients. The day I was supposed to be discharged, my wife tested positive for COVID so I couldn’t go home. A nurse friend I'd worked with at LifeFlight many years before took me to her house for recovery until my wife was well. My friend helped me keep my rehab and medications straight, and throughout this process I continued to realize how much I missed taking care of patients. After getting home I began taking online CEU classes so I could renew my paramedic license (the expiration date was rapidly approaching). One of my favorite things I'd done as a paramedic was the training in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of our sister hospital while I worked at LifeFlight. I told my friend that if I knew then what I know now, I might've tried to go to nursing school to become a neonatal nurse. She replied that it wasn't too late. That wasn't the first time I'd heard that, but it hit me differently than ever before. Within days of that conversation, I began making calls and researching the paramedic-to-RN mobility options. In January 2024, I began taking prerequisite classes while continuing to work full time. I’ll begin my last prerequisite class in January 2025. I will apply to the nursing program at the end of the semester and anticipate beginning my first (of three) semesters of nursing school in August 2025. At my age, the thought of going to nursing school full time is daunting, and the financial realities of the next couple of years are pretty scary. However, I can’t help but also feel excited and energized about the possibilities. I know that I’ll be a different kind of nurse than I would’ve been if I’d followed this path many years ago. I hope to combine my EMS experience with what I learn in nursing school and ultimately work in a rural environment. Current areas of interest include small hospital ICU, wound care, home care (such as IV infusions, follow-ups, etc.), and nephrology nursing. I believe that I can use my life experiences to be a solid member of a healthcare team.

I've been a paramedic for forty years, but it’s been a while since I had a job with patient contact. A couple of years ago I thought it was time to forego my next license renewal. Boy, was I wrong. At my annual physical I mentioned to my doctor that I felt like I was having to breathe a bit heavier when working outside. I wasn't too worried because I’d never had any chest (or other) pain, but one thing led to another, and six weeks later I had quadruple bypass surgery. It went well. While I was in the CVICU something very unexpected happened. As I was lying in the bed, I paid attention to what was on the monitors, my vital signs, the medications I was receiving, and everything happening around me. Before long I began to feel the fire inside being rekindled. I realized it wasn't time to let my license expire. It was time to get back to taking care of patients. The day I was supposed to be discharged, my wife tested positive for COVID so I couldn’t go home. A nurse friend I'd worked with at LifeFlight many years before took me to her house for recovery until my wife was well. My friend helped me keep my rehab and medications straight, and throughout this process I continued to realize how much I missed taking care of patients. After getting home I began taking online CEU classes so I could renew my paramedic license (the expiration date was rapidly approaching). One of my favorite things I'd done as a paramedic was the training in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of our sister hospital while I worked at LifeFlight. I told my friend that if I knew then what I know now, I might've tried to go to nursing school to become a neonatal nurse. She replied that it wasn't too late. That wasn't the first time I'd heard that, but it hit me differently than ever before. Within days of that conversation, I began making calls and researching the paramedic-to-RN mobility options. In January 2024, I began taking prerequisite classes while continuing to work full time. I’ll begin my last prerequisite class in January 2025. I will apply to the nursing program at the end of the semester and anticipate beginning my first (of three) semesters of nursing school in August 2025. At my age, the thought of going to nursing school full time is daunting, and the financial realities of the next couple of years are pretty scary. However, I can’t help but also feel excited and energized about the possibilities. I know that I’ll be a different kind of nurse than I would’ve been if I’d followed this path many years ago. I hope to combine my EMS experience with what I learn in nursing school and ultimately work in a rural environment. Current areas of interest include small hospital ICU, wound care, home care (such as IV infusions, follow-ups, etc.), and nephrology nursing. I believe that I can use my life experiences to be a solid member of a healthcare team.

I've been a paramedic for forty years, but it’s been a while since I had a job with patient contact. A couple of years ago I thought it was time to forego my next license renewal. Boy, was I wrong. At my annual physical I mentioned to my doctor that I felt like I was having to breathe heavier when working outside. I wasn't too worried because I’d never had any chest (or other) pain, but one thing led to another, and six weeks later I had quadruple bypass surgery. While I was in the CVICU something very unexpected happened. As I was lying in the bed, I paid attention to what was on the monitors, my vital signs, the medications I was receiving, and everything happening around me. Before long I began to feel the fire inside being rekindled. I realized it wasn't time to let my license expire, it was time to get back to taking care of patients. The day I was supposed to be discharged, my wife tested positive for COVID so a nurse friend I'd worked with at LifeFlight took me to her house for recovery until my wife was well. My friend helped me keep my rehab and medications straight, and throughout this process I continued to realize how much I missed taking care of patients. After getting home I began taking online CEU classes so I could renew my paramedic license (the expiration date was rapidly approaching). One of my favorite things I've done as a paramedic was training in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of our sister hospital while at LifeFlight. I told my friend that if I knew then what I know now, I might've tried to go to nursing school to become a neonatal nurse. She replied that it wasn't too late. That wasn't the first time I'd heard that, but it hit me differently than ever before. Within days of that conversation, I began making calls and researching the paramedic-to-RN mobility options. In January 2024, I began taking prerequisite classes while continuing to work full time. I’ll begin my last prerequisite class in January 2025. I will apply to the nursing program at the end of the semester and anticipate beginning my first (of three) semesters of nursing school in August 2025. At my age, the thought of going to nursing school full time is daunting, and the financial realities of the next couple of years are pretty scary. However, I can’t help but also feel excited and energized about the possibilities. I know that I’ll be a better nurse than I’d followed this path many years ago. I hope to combine my EMS experience with what I learn in nursing school and ultimately work in a rural environment. Current areas of interest include small hospital ICU, wound care, home care (such as IV infusions, follow-ups, etc.), and nephrology nursing. I believe that I can use my experiences to be a solid member of a healthcare team.

I've been a paramedic for forty years, but it’s been a while since I had a job with patient contact. A couple of years ago I thought it was time to forego my next license renewal. Boy, was I wrong. At my annual physical I mentioned to my doctor that I felt like I was having to breathe a bit heavier when working outside. I wasn't too worried because I’d never had any chest (or other) pain, but one thing led to another, and six weeks later I had quadruple bypass surgery. It went well. While I was in the CVICU something very unexpected happened. As I was lying in the bed, I paid attention to what was on the monitors, my vital signs, the medications I was receiving, and everything happening around me. Before long I began to feel the fire inside being rekindled. I realized it wasn't time to let my license expire. It was time to get back to taking care of patients. The day I was supposed to be discharged, my wife tested positive for COVID so I couldn’t go home. A nurse friend I'd worked with at LifeFlight many years before took me to her house for recovery until my wife was well. My friend helped me keep my rehab and medications straight, and throughout this process I continued to realize how much I missed taking care of patients. After getting home I began taking online CEU classes so I could renew my paramedic license (the expiration date was rapidly approaching). One of my favorite things I'd done as a paramedic was the training in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of our sister hospital while I worked at LifeFlight. I told my friend that if I knew then what I know now, I might've tried to go to nursing school to become a neonatal nurse. She replied that it wasn't too late. That wasn't the first time I'd heard that, but it hit me differently than ever before. Within days of that conversation, I began making calls and researching the paramedic-to-RN mobility options. In January 2024, I began taking prerequisite classes while continuing to work full time. I’ll begin my last prerequisite class in January 2025. I will apply to the nursing program at the end of the semester and anticipate beginning my first (of three) semesters of nursing school in August 2025. At my age, the thought of going to nursing school full time is daunting, and the financial realities of the next couple of years are pretty scary. However, I can’t help but also feel excited and energized about the possibilities. I know that I’ll be a different kind of nurse than I would’ve been if I’d followed this path many years ago. I’ll be able to empathize in a way I never could have before. I believe that I can use my life experiences to be a solid member of a healthcare team.

I've been a paramedic for forty years, but it’s been a while since I had a job with patient contact. A couple of years ago I thought it was time to forego my next license renewal. Boy, was I wrong. At my annual physical I mentioned to my doctor that I felt like I was having to breathe heavier when working outside. I wasn't too worried because I’d never had any chest (or other) pain, but one thing led to another, and six weeks later I had quadruple bypass surgery. While I was in the CVICU something very unexpected happened. As I was lying in the bed, I paid attention to what was on the monitors, my vital signs, the medications I was receiving, and everything happening around me. Before long I began to feel the fire inside being rekindled. I realized it wasn't time to let my license expire, it was time to get back to taking care of patients. The day I was supposed to be discharged, my wife tested positive for COVID so a nurse friend I'd worked with at LifeFlight took me to her house for recovery until my wife was well. My friend helped me keep my rehab and medications straight, and throughout this process I continued to realize how much I missed taking care of patients. After getting home I began taking online CEU classes so I could renew my paramedic license (the expiration date was rapidly approaching). One of my favorite things I've done as a paramedic was training in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of our sister hospital while at LifeFlight. I told my friend that if I knew then what I know now, I might've tried to go to nursing school to become a neonatal nurse. She replied that it wasn't too late. That wasn't the first time I'd heard that, but it hit me differently than ever before. Within days of that conversation, I began making calls and researching the paramedic-to-RN mobility options. In January 2024, I began taking prerequisite classes while continuing to work full time. I’ll begin my last prerequisite class in January 2025. I will apply to the nursing program at the end of the semester and anticipate beginning my first (of three) semesters of nursing school in August 2025. At my age, the thought of going to nursing school full time is daunting, and the financial realities of the next couple of years are pretty scary. However, I can’t help but also feel excited and energized about the possibilities. I know that I’ll be a better nurse than I’d followed this path many years ago. I hope to combine my EMS experience with what I learn in nursing school and ultimately work in a rural environment. Current areas of interest include small hospital ICU, wound care, home care (such as IV infusions, follow-ups, etc.), and nephrology nursing. I believe that I can use my experiences to be a solid member of a healthcare team.

I've been a paramedic for forty years, but it’s been a while since I had a job with patient contact. A couple of years ago I thought it was time to forego my next license renewal. Boy, was I wrong. At my annual physical I mentioned to my doctor that I felt like I was having to breathe a bit heavier when working outside. I wasn't too worried because I’d never had any chest (or other) pain, but one thing led to another, and six weeks later I had quadruple bypass surgery. It went well. While I was in the CVICU something very unexpected happened. As I was lying in the bed, I paid attention to what was on the monitors, my vital signs, the medications I was receiving, and everything happening around me. Before long I began to feel the fire inside being rekindled. I realized it wasn't time to let my license expire. It was time to get back to taking care of patients. The day I was supposed to be discharged, my wife tested positive for COVID so I couldn’t go home. A nurse friend I'd worked with at LifeFlight many years before took me to her house for recovery until my wife was well. My friend helped me keep my rehab and medications straight, and throughout this process I continued to realize how much I missed taking care of patients. After getting home I began taking online CEU classes so I could renew my paramedic license (the expiration date was rapidly approaching). One of my favorite things I'd done as a paramedic was the training in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of our sister hospital while I worked at LifeFlight. I told my friend that if I knew then what I know now, I might've tried to go to nursing school to become a neonatal nurse. She replied that it wasn't too late. That wasn't the first time I'd heard that, but it hit me differently than ever before. Within days of that conversation, I began making calls and researching the paramedic-to-RN mobility options. In January 2024, I began taking prerequisite classes while continuing to work full time. I’ll begin my last prerequisite class in January 2025. I will apply to the nursing program at the end of the semester and anticipate beginning my first (of three) semesters of nursing school in August 2025. At my age, the thought of going to nursing school full time is daunting, and the financial realities of the next couple of years are pretty scary. However, I can’t help but also feel excited and energized about the possibilities. I know that I’ll be a different kind of nurse than I would’ve been if I’d followed this path many years ago. I hope to combine my EMS experience with what I learn in nursing school and ultimately work in a rural environment. Current areas of interest include small hospital ICU, wound care, home care (such as IV infusions, follow-ups, etc.), and nephrology nursing. I believe that I can use my life experiences to be a solid member of a healthcare team.

I've been a paramedic for forty years, but it’s been a while since I had a job with patient contact. A couple of years ago I thought it was time to forego my next license renewal. Boy, was I wrong. At my annual physical I mentioned to my doctor that I felt like I was having to breathe heavier when working outside. I wasn't too worried because I’d never had any chest (or other) pain, but one thing led to another, and six weeks later I had quadruple bypass surgery. While I was in the CVICU something very unexpected happened. As I was lying in the bed, I paid attention to what was on the monitors, my vital signs, the medications I was receiving, and everything happening around me. Before long I began to feel the fire inside being rekindled. I realized it wasn't time to let my license expire, it was time to get back to taking care of patients. The day I was supposed to be discharged, my wife tested positive for COVID so a nurse friend I'd worked with at LifeFlight took me to her house for recovery until my wife was well. My friend helped me keep my rehab and medications straight, and throughout this process I continued to realize how much I missed taking care of patients. After getting home I began taking online CEU classes so I could renew my paramedic license (the expiration date was rapidly approaching). One of my favorite things I've done as a paramedic was training in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of our sister hospital while at LifeFlight. I told my friend that if I knew then what I know now, I might've tried to go to nursing school to become a neonatal nurse. She replied that it wasn't too late. That wasn't the first time I'd heard that, but it hit me differently than ever before. Within days of that conversation, I began making calls and researching the paramedic-to-RN mobility options. In January 2024, I began taking prerequisite classes while continuing to work full time. I’ll begin my last prerequisite class in January 2025. I will apply to the nursing program at the end of the semester and anticipate beginning my first (of three) semesters of nursing school in August 2025. At my age, the thought of going to nursing school full time is daunting, and the financial realities of the next couple of years are pretty scary. However, I can’t help but also feel excited and energized about the possibilities. I know that I’ll be a better nurse than I’d followed this path many years ago. I hope to combine my EMS experience with what I learn in nursing school and ultimately work in a rural environment. Current areas of interest include small hospital ICU, wound care, home care (such as IV infusions, follow-ups, etc.), and nephrology nursing. I believe that I can use my experiences to be a solid member of a healthcare team.

I've been a paramedic for forty years, but it’s been a while since I had a job with patient contact. A couple of years ago I thought it was time to forego my next license renewal. Boy, was I wrong. At my annual physical I mentioned to my doctor that I felt like I was having to breathe a bit heavier when working outside. I wasn't too worried because I’d never had any chest (or other) pain, but one thing led to another, and six weeks later I had quadruple bypass surgery. It went well. While I was in the CVICU something very unexpected happened. As I was lying in the bed, I paid attention to what was on the monitors, my vital signs, the medications I was receiving, and everything happening around me. Before long I began to feel the fire inside being rekindled. I realized it wasn't time to let my license expire. It was time to get back to taking care of patients. The day I was supposed to be discharged, my wife tested positive for COVID so I couldn’t go home. A nurse friend I'd worked with at LifeFlight many years before took me to her house for recovery until my wife was well. My friend helped me keep my rehab and medications straight, and throughout this process I continued to realize how much I missed taking care of patients. After getting home I began taking online CEU classes so I could renew my paramedic license (the expiration date was rapidly approaching). One of my favorite things I'd done as a paramedic was the training in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of our sister hospital while I worked at LifeFlight. I told my friend that if I knew then what I know now, I might've tried to go to nursing school to become a neonatal nurse. She replied that it wasn't too late. That wasn't the first time I'd heard that, but it hit me differently than ever before. Within days of that conversation, I began making calls and researching the paramedic-to-RN mobility options. In January 2024, I began taking prerequisite classes while continuing to work full time. I’ll begin my last prerequisite class in January 2025. I will apply to the nursing program at the end of the semester and anticipate beginning my first (of three) semesters of nursing school in August 2025. At my age, the thought of going to nursing school full time is daunting, and the financial realities of the next couple of years are pretty scary. However, I can’t help but also feel excited and energized about the possibilities. I know that I’ll be a different kind of nurse than I would’ve been if I’d followed this path many years ago. I hope to combine my EMS experience with what I learn in nursing school and ultimately work in a rural environment. Current areas of interest include small hospital ICU, wound care, home care (such as IV infusions, follow-ups, etc.), and nephrology nursing. I believe that I can use my life experiences to be a solid member of a healthcare team.