Current Employer/Position/Title/Location:
Primary Care Provider Nurse Practitioner
Franciscan Health Rensselaer Medical Center
Rensselaer, IN
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.
Shayna grew up in Rensselaer, Ind., and, inspired by her mother, went to St. Elizabeth School of Nursing and graduated in December 2010. She would later return to school and receive her Master of Science in Nursing, specializing in primary care, from Indiana Wesleyan University in 2019. She currently works for Franciscan Physician Network Rensselaer Medical Center as a primary care provider nurse practitioner.
Learn more about Shayna below!
Why did you become a nurse?
I became a nurse because of my mother. She is a respiratory therapist, and I always found her job fascinating. She encouraged me to explore the nursing field and help me secure my first healthcare job as a nurse technician in the ICU.
What is your best memory from nursing school?
There were many memories made from the carpools to the clinical sites to the late-night study sessions. I wouldn’t have survived nursing school without the friendships I developed and the support I received from them.
What advice would you give to new nurses?
Nursing is a very diverse career. There are many avenues to explore and a lot of opportunities to find the very best fit for you. By exploring the many different avenues, you will develop many professional relationships that will excel you to the next level in your career.
How did St. Elizabeth School of Nursing prepare you for your career?
St. Elizabeth School of Nursing prepared me for my nursing career by providing me with a variety of clinical experiences and clinical sites. This ensured that I had plenty of opportunities to see patients of all ages and allowed me to experience the most critical of patients to the most stable of patients. This helped me develop a sense of where I wanted to begin my nursing career and the proper assessment tools to take on my career.
If you weren’t a nurse, what would you be?
High school teacher and volleyball coach
What was your first job in the field after you completed your degree?
I worked for Franciscan Health Lafayette East/Central as an ICU nurse.
What do you do now?
I am now a primary care nurse practitioner at Franciscan Physician Network Rensselaer Medical Center.
What do like most about your current job?
The thing I like the most about my current job is I see patients not only when they are sick but also when they are feeling well. It is refreshing and important to not always see patients at their worst. I also really enjoy the preventative medicine piece; this allows me to educate patients on their health and how to prevent chronic illnesses/diseases/cancer.
What patient population do you serve?
I serve patients throughout the life span from newborn to geriatrics.
What is the toughest part about being a nurse?
The toughest part about being a nurse is feeling overwhelmed by the workload. There are many responsibilities laid at a nurse’s feet and some days it feels as if you gave it your all and it still wasn’t enough.
How do you see yourself and your nursing practice through the lens of the school’s mission of preparing nurses to continue christ’s healing ministry?
I provide compassionate care to anyone who walks through the door.
What do you do when you are not at work?
I enjoy spending time with my husband and children. We enjoy boating and swimming out on the lake. I also enjoy watching my two boys play basketball, soccer, golf, football and baseball. When I have time alone, I enjoy reading fiction novels and riding my bike.
