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Share thisJen Wehrle ’17 (Nursing) – Life as a New Nurse
Jen Wehrle '17 (Nursing) graduated last spring from the Roberts Nursing program and is now working as a Registered Nurse at Highland Hospital in Rochester, NY. Raised in Webster, she chose Roberts and the nursing profession because she wanted to help others. Jen says:
“For a long time, I had my heart set on a profession that would allow me to serve others and improve their quality of life. As I went through nursing school, I learned that nurses have more opportunities to do so than I ever realized, and I wanted to do it all. We are caregivers, advocates, educators, organizers, mediators, and leaders; from time to time, we must also be translators, counselors, comedians, motivational speakers, wait staff, estheticians, technology experts, etc. The job is demanding, but it’s rewarding to know that my efforts are having a positive impact. I believe that quality healthcare is a fundamental human right, and am honored to be involved in the delivery thereof. I take seriously my responsibility to do my best for every single person in my care.”
That responsibility to treat the whole person is something that Roberts helped to instill in Jen.
“Beyond the physical needs toward which the majority of our nursing knowledge and skills are directed, the nursing program at Roberts taught me to look further and consider the whole picture in a person’s life. The faculty constantly challenged us to care for patients as unique, complex individuals, addressing any issues that might threaten their physical, psychosocial, emotional, or spiritual health. I believe that everyone is valuable and deserving of care, and recognize that we all have a need to find meaning in our experiences, to learn and grow, to connect with others, and to be treated with dignity. I take these principles to work with me every day. As I get to know my patients, I often find that they are so grateful to have someone take the time to talk to them that they can hardly stop talking.”
Working with some of the elderly patients can be both rewarding and informative!
“I recently cared for a patient who shared my enthusiasm for felines and fiber arts. It was a slow night, so I was able to sit with her for a while and trade knit/crochet techniques, talk about recent projects we were working on, and share funny stories about our cats. The next shift, I brought in pictures of my cats and some gloves and mittens I had made to show her, and she pulled out a napkin on which she had written out the instructions to make a ‘quillow’ (a crocheted quilt that folds up into a pillow), and gave it to me. I love finding things in common with my geriatric patients; our chats made those shifts more fun for both of us, and we both gained some new project ideas in the process!”
Jen wants to encourage current nursing students to take courses seriously and to learn from their mistakes. She says, “Ask lots of questions. Tell somebody when you’ve made a mistake - it’s for the patient’s safety. Don’t neglect sleep and self care. Keep a journal of achievements and a box of any notes you get from patients for encouragement. Stay in touch with your nursing school friends. Keep going, it’ll be worth it!”
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