I will alway be a nurse.

When I run into my old friends at Grady Hospital from my old life as a nurse, they all make the same statement "So, you gave up being a nurse!" I say "NO, I will always be a nurse and to have this job you must be a nurse." I explain that if you want more time with your family or a different way to do nursing, then teaching health science to high schooler is another avenue for nurses to explore as career option.

Next, they ask me, WHY? Well, because I LOVE to teach, learn, promote nursing as career, and be with my daughter. I always thought about how I could promote nursing to new people. I thought that the best time to spark someone’s interest in nursing is while they are young. I always wanted to teach children, but I did not know how to go about doing it. I love science and history, but to teach those subjects I would have to go back to school. :(

A friend remembered that I wanted to teach in a school with my daughter and sent me information about teaching health science. I thought it was a sign from God and my calling to take the job. It was a calling, but sometimes I am not sure who was on the other end of the phone? :)

I think teaching in high school is a wonderful new life experience for me. It is a great opportunity to combine all the things I love in life. To top that off, I get to share my life with young students that I will be able to influence in the field of health care.

Since I have been co-teaching biology and physical science, I have learned a lot with and about my students. I have demonstrated to the students how learning is a life long process and at any age it is fun. I help them with their assignments and encourage them to do better. In class, I am able to give many students that extra attention they need that supports them to continue to learn. During our lab experiments, I show them how to problem solve by allowing them the time to ask and answer their own questions. I like asking them questions as if I don't know the answer and have them explain it to me. It is a joy to have them sound so confident and reassuring in their response to me. After building relationships with the students in my classes, they now come to me for an explanation of their assignments or ask my opinion about how they should complete an assignment.

All of the above is teaching in my new career, but it is also nursing like in my old career. Both I love and both I will always be.