30 Jun
by Derrick Vander Waal
SIOUX CENTER – Kristen Schuler discovered that the role of a nurse is more than needle sticks and medication passes while being hospitalized for a couple of weeks during her eighth-grade year.
SIOUX CENTER – Kristen Schuler discovered that the role of a nurse is more than needle sticks and medication passes while being hospitalized for a couple of weeks during her eighth-grade year.
She was positively impacted by her nurses during that time in a way that she never knew was possible.
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| Kristen Schuler has been interested in becoming a nurse since she was in middle school and is excited to start her career at Promise Community Health Center in Sioux Center. |
And she knew she wanted to become a nurse someday.
“Once I saw the relational side of nursing rather than just the procedural side, I was sold,” she said. “I saw the difference that my nurses made to me during a time when I was very much in need. And to think that I could be that person for someone else, that was when I knew I would be a nurse.”
Schuler now is embarking on her career journey as a new registered nurse at Promise Community Health Center in Sioux Center.
She is looking forward to gaining independence as a nurse, building her skills and being part of a team that works and functions well together. But, most importantly, she hopes she can impact the people who she serves for the better.
“I’m looking forward to meeting new people day after day and getting glimpses of lives different than my own,” Schuler said. “I don’t think there’s anything more exciting than realizing that from here on out, with each day that goes by, I have the chance to help people learn more about their health, what they can do to better care for and cherish their bodies, and hopefully equip them with the means to live a happier and healthier life.”
Schuler graduated from Atlantic High School in 2011 and earned her bachelor of science degree in nursing from Northwestern College in Orange City in May. She also worked 2012-14 as a certified nursing assistant at Heritage House Nursing Home in Atlantic.
She first heard about Promise through Northwestern’s nursing department and learned more about the health center and its mission as she continued through college. She now is excited to join Promise’s team.
“I have always admired Promise’s desire to serve both individuals and the wider community in a way that is affordable, accessible and holistic,” Schuler said. “Holistic care is something that was stressed to us over and over again throughout nursing school, and I truly see this being lived out by the staff and the services that are offered at PCHC. I think health care is something that all people deserve access to, and I have seen that Promise offers well-rounded and unbiased care to each family or individual that walks through their doors, regardless of background, social status or income level.”
Promise Community Health Center, headquartered in Sioux Center, is the only Federally Qualified Health Center in the far northwest corner of Iowa. To learn more, visit www.promisechc.org.
MORE ABOUT KRISTEN:
In her free time, Kristen Schuler enjoys spending time with family and friends; traveling and being outside; playing the piano; being too competitive with board games; and learning new concepts, skills and perspectives. She enjoys drinking coffee and eating banana bread.
