Cherish Childs, BSN, RN, CLS, IMH-E®, Infant Family Specialist, graduated from St. Elizabeth School of Nursing in 2017. However, she has known she wanted to be a nurse since she was a child, the reason being that she loves helping people—it’s the core of who she is. Now, after having pursued a master’s degree in nursing education from Purdue University Northwest, she helps other nurses prepare for a career of helping people, too.
Lyndsey Brooks MSN, RN, NPD-BC, CHSE, a graduate and previous faculty member of St. Elizabeth School of Nursing, is a prime example of the many ways in which a nurse can serve her community. From patient care to professor and now director of Infection Prevention and Employee Health, Lyndsey has experienced a variety of important work in healthcare and has great advice for those who are thinking about following in her path.
A passion for helping others is what often attracts people to a job in healthcare. Kyra Betts, MSN, CNM, planned to be a doctor until an experience as a patient herself made her realize how much more of a one-on-one relationship nurses have with patients. A true nurse at heart, she wanted to make a difference in the lives of patients not just medically but also personally. That is why she decided to switch up her plans and become a nursing student after graduating college—even though she’d spent most of her undergraduate career focused on pre-med courses and getting into medical school.
St. Elizabeth School of Nursing prides itself on its curriculum, which applies real-world clinical knowledge early in the program. Many alumni, including Caitlin Sayers, BSN, RN, believe that is one of the reasons they succeed as nurses in the real world. Originally from Westport, Massachusetts, Caitlin graduated from St. Elizabeth School of Nursing in 2017. She currently works as a clinical nurse manager for Eskenazi Health in the Richard M. Fairbanks Burn Center in Indianapolis. Caitlin not only credits St. Elizabeth School of Nursing for preparing her clinically, but she also says the school gave her a love of continuing education, and she is currently enrolled in a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program, acute care track, at St. Mary’s College, with a graduation date of 2024. A DNP is the terminal degree in the study of nursing.
For most, nursing is a calling. It is a career path that should not be chosen without serious consideration and passion. Most nurses realize they want to become a nurse either because of family members or friends who inspired them or because they have a personal experience that made them realize healthcare was their passion. For Rachel Hewitt, RN, BSN, MSN, FNP-C, it was both. While inspired by her mother, a registered nurse, Rachel was on the path to becoming an elementary school teacher…until her grandmother fell ill, and she realized nursing was her true calling. Originally from Michigan City, Ind., Rachel received her diploma from St. Elizabeth School of Nursing and her Bachelor of Science in nursing from St. Joseph’s College in 2012. She went on to complete a Master of Science in nursing from Purdue University Global this year. She now works at Estep Family Medicine – a Unity Healthcare Partner as a family nurse practitioner in Lafayette, Ind.
For many, a nursing career provides a community—a community of alumni, fellow medical professionals, patients and even family who share the same career field. That couldn’t be truer for Shayna Phegley RN, BSN, MSN, FNP-C, and St. Elizabeth School of Nursing Alumna.
Often in life we see things come full circle and think, what a small world this is. That certainly seems to be a theme with the subject of this Alumni Spotlight, Regina Nuseibeh MSN, RN AG CNS BC, TCRN. In this following interview, you’ll learn more about Regina and how she worked with someone who inspired her to pursue nursing and later helped to save the life of someone else who influenced her path.
There are many ways in which a person might realize they want to become a nurse. Sometimes it’s a desire they’ve had since childhood. Other times, it’s a personal experience where a nurse had such an impact on them that they wanted to do the same great work. For Russell W. Creel, NP-C, it was a combination of things, but largely, it was a calling from God. The mission of St. Elizabeth School of Nursing, “Continuing Christ’s healing ministry,” aligned with what Russell wanted to do with his life. After volunteering to help a child with disabilities, the nursing path became clear.
Tori Wake, RN, BSN, graduated from the St. Elizabeth School of Nursing only a short time ago in 2020. However, in the time since, she’s already using her education to make a big difference—including saving a life by trusting her gut.
The OB (Obstetrics) nurses who assisted me during the delivery of my son were so helpful and kind and really made an impression on me. They were also very informative and gave me all kinds of great advice as I entered that brand new stage of my life. When I started my nursing education, my original interest had been OB-centered.
For the past nineteen years, St. Elizabeth School of Nursing alumni Jody Mathew has served Greater Lafayette as part of the Franciscan Alliance team. As Director of Nursing Operations at Franciscan Health – Lafayette East, Jody feels called to not only care for patients, but also the nurses she has been called to lead.
One glance at alumni Emily Weesner Clark’s resume and it is immediately recognizable she chose a career path one might yearn to hear more about. Upon graduating in 2017 from St. Elizabeth School of Nursing, Emily took a position with the Indiana Department of Corrections as an Infectious Diseases Control nurse at a male incarceration facility in Southern Indiana. A Lafayette, Indiana native, Emily finds solace managing animal healthcare on her family’s farm.
Nursing can take you incredibly far. It is a global practice that is not bound by borders, which is something Tessa Klein, a St. Elizabeth School of Nursing 2019 graduate, learned when she found herself across the pond.
Hailing from Monticello, Indiana, alumni Amy Helms is a clinical resource nurse. She graduated from St. Elizabeth in 1995 and earned her Bachelor of Science in nursing from St. Joseph’s College in 1996. In May 2020, during the early phases of the Coronavirus pandemic, she was named Interim Manager of Inpatient Surgical (3 South/3 West) at Franciscan Health Lafayette East. When choosing a school to pursue her dreams of becoming a nurse, Amy knew after investigating several campuses that St. Elizabeth School of Nursing was the perfect fit.
The reason aspiring nurses choose to attend St. Elizabeth School of Nursing spans several different areas. For some, it’s the vast clinical experiences that appeals to them. For others, it’s the holistic curriculum to prepare them for the real world. But for sisters Dana Rainwater and Sonja Anderson, it was about continuing a family legacy.
For sisters Marina Spalla and Miranda Bryant, they shared a passion for assisting others which lead them both to the field of nursing.
Brenda from a very early age had a passion and desire to care for others. Starting with her dolls as a small child, Brenda had always known she would become a Nurse.
One of the greatest accomplishments throughout my nursing career has been flying on missions with Grace on Wings. They are a non-profit organization who provides fixed wing medical transportation around the United States.
I was an English major in college and I then went to graduate school to get my Ph.D. in English. I quickly discovered that I wanted to do something else with my life so after working in business for a while, I just decided that I was going to try out nursing school.
As a child of the 60s, we all wanted to make the world a better place. I felt like nursing was my way to do that. It was my avenue to bring peace and love into the world.
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