Published on May 6, 2022
Read Time: Three Minutes
In honor of National Nurses Week, three nurses at Phelps Health share how they became interested in a nursing career, their favorite parts of their job and what they want people to know about nursing.
Meet Haley Van Hal, RN, a shift manager with the Medical Oncology Unit.
Why did you decide to become a nurse?
“I've always been really interested in the healthcare field, but when I was growing up, there was a girl in my church who was diagnosed with leukemia [cancer of blood cells]. Hearing her story and how the nurses impacted her hospital stay [and her experience] just inspired me to be able to work with oncology patients and to make a real difference in people's lives.”
What do you like most about being a nurse?
“A lot of times, we get patients with COPD [chronic obstructive pulmonary disease], diabetes or a new [cancer] diagnosis. [They’re] coming in from the ER, really scared and anxious, and then a couple of days later, [seeing them improve and] being able to understand what's going on and seeing them grow is a huge thing.”
What inspires you about nursing?
“It inspires me to see how well patients can progress. Being able to provide nursing interventions, being able to see how antibiotics can [cause] a change in patients, [seeing patients get] out of the bed and into the chair and watching them be able to get stronger – those types of things inspire me to go to work every day because I really get to see the changes. When you work shifts, three to five days in a row, you really do see the progression, and that is so fulfilling for me.”
Meet Joe Meyerott, CRNA, DNAP, who works in the Anesthesia Department.
How did you become interested in nursing?
“A long time ago, I played sports in college. I got hurt a lot and spent a lot of time in surgery. I was intrigued how you could go to sleep and then just wake up, and things would be fixed. I always liked to help people as well.”
What do you want people to know about nurses?
“Our ability to be resilient under pressure. Our subspecialty [anesthesia], especially, gets compared to flying in airplanes. There's a take-off and a landing spot – that's the most nerve-racking.”
What advice do you have for students considering a nursing career?
“Go in with an open mind and if it's for you, it's for you. If it's not for you, don't go into it for money or accolades or anything like that. I also tell them that nursing is a great profession because you can always go up in the education ranks. You can go anywhere from a registered nurse who works at the hospital to working at the health department or in an outpatient [clinic], or working in the school. You can go get your master's degree and teach or educate at a college university level, or you can educate at a hospital level. You can become an advanced practice [registered] nurse and collaborate with another physician.”
Meet Marilou Medrano, BSN, RN, who works in the Intensive Care Unit.
What inspires you about nursing?
“There is a calling. I don’t know if you believe in those or what, but that’s my calling – to be a nurse. To provide help, service, and part of my calling is being a healing team. So I’m just fulfilling what I am called for in this lifetime. That inspires me all the time.”
What would you say to students who want to become nurses?
“Go for it. Because [with] nursing, the opportunities are limitless…Just graduate, get your license, advance for a BSN [Bachelor of Science in Nursing] or…how far you want to go because again, the opportunities are limitless. The profession [of nursing] is very rewarding.”
What should people know about nurses?
“I believe nurses are on top of the list [of professionals who] will be the most trustworthy.”
Interested in a Nursing Career?
Start your nursing career at Phelps Health. Visit phelpshealth.org/careers to apply today.