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FROM THE TIME I WAS 7 OR 8YEARS OLD, I'VE WANTED TO BE A NURSE-----------TO HELP MAKE PEOPLE WELL. MOST FAMILY AND FRIENDS TOLD ME THAT NURSING WAS "NOT A GOOD JOB FOR ME," BUT I PERSEVERED.
MY MOTHER INSISTED THAT I GO TO COLLGEG TO BECOME A TEACHER AFTER GRADUATION FROM HIGH SCHOOL. AFTER COMPLETING ONE YEAR, I TERMINATED WITH THE COLLEGE, THEN TOLD MY PARENTS THAT I HAD BEEN ACCEPTED INTO NURSING SCHOOL. THEY WERE MOST UNHAPPY, BUT MY DAD TOLD ME HE'D HELP ME "IF THAT IS WHAT I REALLY WANTED." I DID!!
AFTER I GRADUATED FROM NURSING SCHOOL, TOOK STATE BOARD EXAMS (PASSED WITH HIGH SCORES), GOT MARRIEDAND MOVED TO GERMANY, THINGS CAME PRETTY MUCH TO A HALT BECAUSE I COULD NOT WORK IN THE GERMAN HOSPITALS OR THE MILITARY INSTITUTIONS. I DECIDED TO LEARN ALL ABOUT GERMANY AND THE REST OF EUROPE, AND BECAME FLUENT IN THE GERMAN LANGUAGE.
UPON RETURNING TO THE UNITED STATES, I WENT BACK TO COLLEGE (BA IN MODERN LANGUAGE & PSYCHOLOGY), RETURNED TO MY NURSING PRACTICE IN EMERGENCY ROOMS, ON HOSPITAL UNITS, NURSING HOMES, LABOR & DELIVERY, MORE EMERGENCY ROOMS, IV THERAPY TEAMS, HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE RESEARCH, OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH, RESEARCH AT NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH, PATIENT EDUCATION (WRITING /DEVELOPMENT OF TEACHING PROGRAMS FOR PATIENTS). THE MILITARY MOVED US OFTEN…..THERE WAS ALWAYS SOMETHING NEW TO LEARN.
I HAD ALWAYS ENTERTAINED AN INTEREST IN LEGALITIES AND THE MEDICAL FIELD, SO I PREPARED MYSELF FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF LAW SCHOOL. IN 1981, IN CHICAGO, I WAS ALMOST READYTO ENTER LAW SCHOOL, WHEN I DISCOVERED THAT MY THIRD CHILD WAS ON THE WAY.
MY DREAM HAD TO BE TABLED.
IN 1997, MY DREAM SURFACED AGAIN ----- ONLY IN A BETTER WAY FOR ME. I HEARD ABOUT THE LEGAL NURSE CONSULTING SPECIALTY…..I GET TO UTILIZE ALL MY NURSING EXPERIENCES. I TOOK THE COURSE AND BEGAN MY CAREER AS AN INDEPENDENT LEGAL NURSE CONSULTANT(MY PASSION) ….. THE BEST OF ALL MY CHALLENGING ENDEAVORS.
NOW, BECAUSE I FEEL IT IS NECESSARYTO GIVE SOMETHING TO THE COMMUNITY IN WHICH I LIVE AND WORK, I CHOSE TO VOLUNTEER AS A "CASA" (COURT APPOINTED SPECIAL ADVOCATE) - A VOICE FOR CHILDREN. I WAS SWORN IN BY THE JUDGE (ALONG WITH 19 OTHERS) ON NOVEMBER 10,2001 AND RECEIVED AN ASSIGNMENT THAT NIGHT.
THIS IS ONE MORE WAY TO GIVE BACK TO MY COMMUNITY. IN ILLINOIS, I WAS A GOVERNOR APPOINTED MEMBER OF THE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE ADVISORY BOARD FOR 2 YRS. AND WAS NAMED " WOMAN OF ACHIEVEMENT FOR 1983" BY THE BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL WOMEN'S CLUB.
IN CALIFORNIA, IN 1994, I WAS GIVEN A CARE GIVER CHAMPION AWARD BY OLSTEN HEALTH CARE.
I HAVE LIVED IN 9 STATES AND REMAIN IN CONTACT WITH COLLEAGUES FROM THOSE STATES.
AS MY INSTRUCTOR OFTEN STATES, I HAVE "TRANSFORMED MY CAREER"…. BUT I FEEL I "CONTINUE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE."
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