Family, professionals inspire TSTC Nursing students

(SWEETWATER, Texas) – Texas State Technical College Nursing students have been inspired to enter the health care field for various reasons.

In honor of National Nurses Week, which is celebrated May 6-12, Associate Degree in Nursing and Vocational Nursing students at TSTC’s Breckenridge and Sweetwater campuses recently shared their reasons for wanting to become nurses.

• Destiny Adams, Vocational Nursing student from Cisco: “My mother inspired me to become a nurse. My entire life I have watched my mom, who is also in the health care field, help people and make it her purpose. Her love for caring for others inspired me to follow in her footsteps.”
• Sarah Evans, Vocational Nursing student from San Angelo: “I wanted to be a nurse ever since I was in high school, and I started on this journey 13 years ago but did not finish. Life happened, and here I am wanting to complete this for myself and my family because I want my daughter to look back and realize there is no set time limit for what your goals are. You can go back and do what you want to do despite life’s situations. I also want to be able to provide care and compassion for our geriatric population because they are forgotten a lot of the time.”
• Aleya Green, Vocational Nursing student from Snyder: “I wanted to be a nurse since I was little because my grandmother is a nurse. I am currently a phlebotomist, and during COVID I realized the need for more nurses. I have a five-year-old daughter, and I want to show her that you can achieve your goal.”
• Melissa Guayardo, Vocational Nursing student from Abilene: “I have always enjoyed helping people. What I love about nursing is that it is constantly evolving and there are so many things you can do in this profession.”
• Lacey Hampton, Vocational Nursing student from Childress: “I was inspired to become a nurse because I have been working as a certified medical assistant for six years. I knew it was time to climb the ladder because you can’t ever get too comfortable. I love what I do and know that God gave me the heart of a nurse. Helping and giving to others is one of my best gifts. I love waking up in the morning, knowing that I can be a light in someone’s life.”
• Marla Mauzey, Vocational Nursing student from Sweetwater: “My husband is a paramedic, and I found it interesting when he was talking about what his day looked like. I worked at an emergency room and got to be around all kinds of codes, the little things and stuff that mattered. I mentored with a few different people, and they encouraged me to go to nursing school. It took me a little bit to get here because I wanted to start my family, but we are getting through it together.”
• Sally Miller, Vocational Nursing student from Eastland: “I have been a CNA (certified nursing assistant) in a nursing home for 10 years and have met many inspiring nurses. That was when I realized I would love to advance my career and become a nurse. I love caring for my patients, and I feel like I can do more for my patients as a nurse. I also want to be a good role model for my two children and show them that anything they dream of doing can be accomplished through hard work and dedication.”
• Brooklyn Myers, Vocational Nursing student from Jacksboro: “Both of my grandmothers were nurses, and I grew up watching them do what they love. I feel like I fell in love with nursing at a very young age.”
• Riley Ross, Associate Degree in Nursing student from Lipan: “I wanted to become a nurse because when I was a baby and a young child I was in and out of the hospital all the time. The compassion of the nurses I had made a huge difference in my life, and I want to be able to give that back to kids that need it.”
• Benita Sparrow, Associate Degree in Nursing student from Lancaster: “I am surrounded by nurses; my mom and my father-in-law are both nurses. I think I was naturally a caregiver. Even though nurses don’t get all the thank-you’s, it gives me great satisfaction when I can help someone and the progress they made. I am currently a school nurse, and it is the little things, like a note from a student, that make you feel appreciated.”
• Lorri Wood, Associate Degree in Nursing student from Wichita Falls: “When I was 18, I was dating someone who wanted to become a paramedic. I did not know what I wanted to do with my life, so I followed him and became a paramedic. After about six years, I decided I wanted to do something else. I didn’t stay in the medical field. I jumped ship and moved to China and taught English there for two years. I came back, and a buddy was working in dialysis and asked if I wanted to work in dialysis. I got hired the same day. I worked there for 10 years and decided to go to nursing school.”

National Nurses Week has been observed since 1954, according to the American Nurses Association, and has been a weeklong celebration In May since 1990.

TSTC offers an Associate of Applied Science degree in Nursing at the Harlingen and Sweetwater campuses. TSTC’s Vocational Nursing certificate of completion program is available at the Breckenridge, Harlingen and Sweetwater campuses.

The deadline to apply for the fall Vocational Nursing semester is June 9. The deadline for the Associate Degree in Nursing program is June 30. For requirements and more information, visit www.tstc.edu/programs/nursing.