Healthcare Heroes in Training: Elizabeth Hardy’s Story at Marion VA
Continuing to highlight our staff and VA’s Health Professions Education Week, we would like to share a more personal experience of one of our healthcare trainees.
We had the opportunity to interview Nurse Practitioner resident, Elizabeth Hardy, and here is what she has to say about her experience with Marion VA thus far.
Elizabeth’s Journey to Becoming a Nurse Practitioner
Elizabeth’s journey to becoming a nurse practitioner was inspired by her children. Her daughter was born 3 months premature and required extensive hospital care. This experience exposed Elizabeth to the role of nurse practitioners and sparked her interest in learning how to care for her children when they were sick.
“I just wanted to know what to do, what to watch for regarding all the childhood diseases all my kids got, and how to make them less miserable when they were sick.”
Encouraged by her husband, she pursued a nursing degree and worked in various disciplines as a nurse with the intention of becoming a nurse practitioner.
“I went to college for nursing, and worked in a variety of disciplines as a nurse It was my intention to become a nurse practitioner, and I wanted to know where (like what setting) my patients would come from, and in knowing where came from, be better prepared to care for them.”
Why Marion VA?
Elizabeth’s decision to train with Marion VA was influenced by her personal experiences with the VA. When she was 19, her father had a stroke. He was transferred to a VA hospital, and the care he received there left a lasting impression on Elizabeth.
“That was the first time I had heard of the VA. That experience, with him, and the care he received showed me that was my place. When I was in school for my BSN clinical, I had an opportunity to shadow with a home-based primary care NP and I wanted to do more, so when I began clinical as an NP, I knew where I wanted to learn.”
She knew then that the VA was where she wanted to learn and grow.
“I was placed with Grace Fowler, in Vincennes Indiana, and she was a great teacher. Then I shadowed with Brandi Desper, a Float NP in Evansville Indiana, and she showed me the way I knew I wanted to practice. Precise, quick, to the point, yet thorough.”
Challenges and Overcoming Them
The most challenging aspect of Elizabeth’s training has been the vast amount of information she is learning.
“There is so much I am learning, and so much I don’t know yet. I am very grateful to the entire PACT team for all their help.”
She is grateful for the support from the entire PACT team, especially her preceptor, Patti Martin, who is a wealth of information. Kelli, the LPN, has been instrumental in helping her navigate the computer system, and Roni, the RN, has been her go-to for answers.
Future Aspirations
Upon completing her training, Elizabeth aspires to continue working for the Marion VA Health Care System. She loves everything about it and finds joy in what she does every day.
“I love everything about [VA] and everything I do every day. I think a person should do what they love for a living, so work doesn’t seem like work, and working at the VA would do that for me.”
Balancing Training and Personal Well-being
Elizabeth balances the demands of training with personal well-being by utilizing her commute time to unwind by listening to audiobooks.
“I know there are opportunities that I could take advantage of, like the employee assistance program, if I needed it, but listening to a book to unwind is enough for me.”
Advice for Prospective Trainees
“Do it. It is such a rewarding experience, and there are endless opportunities to learn. There is so much education built into the training, you could never get that much education on the outside world.”