Lilian Trifena ’19

My name is Lilian. I graduated in 2019 and I recently transitioned from being a medical surgical nurse to Progressive Care Unit (step-down unit). My goal is to eventually be a nurse practitioner or possibly a CRNA. But before that, I am working to get more experience as a critical care nurse in a higher level of care.

Hesston college did a very great job showing support to me and other nursing students. Coming to the United States as an international student is challenging at times. It takes a lot of courage to try to fit in with people of different cultures. I felt that the nursing faculty at Hesston College are good examples of nurses that are culturally sensitive and accepting. Throughout the program, I felt very accepted, supported, and loved by my nursing instructors. Their people-centered approach to nursing students helped me to do the same at the bedside. I was taught well to care for a patient holistically and to see each one as a whole person.

I enjoyed my experience in Hesston College, a small college with family-like atmosphere. After I graduated, I recommended my sister to follow my footstep and get her nursing degree from Hesston College as well.

Crystal Jones ’19

My name is Crystal and I was a part of the BSN class of 2019. Post graduation I obtained a job working on the medical/surgical unit at one of the hospitals in Wichita. Unfortunately, medical/surgical was not my passion. So, I went on to test the waters in several different areas of nursing. I currently work at a rehabilitation facility where I am gaining many skills and experiences while I continue to find my passion and what fits me. My end goal in my nursing career is to go on to school to become a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner. Attending Hesston was a great educational experience. I enjoyed gaining knowledge from the professors and I LOVED how they were focused on my success. Their encouragement allowed me to feel and believe that I can endure the many twists and turns of nursing. I vow to myself to never lose sight of what got me started on this nursing journey in the first place. Never lose hope, even if that means jumping jobs to find what fits you.

Rebekah Bell ’17

After graduation I accepted a position in a neuro critical care unit. It was a big learning curve, but I value that time immensely. Then I worked in a PACU for a small, physician-owned surgery center. I felt a calling to return to ICU to utilize my critical care skills during an unprecedented time of need. Now I work in an ICU position at the Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center in an ICU setting where I have felt completely welcomed, valued, and where I get to care for patients of a vulnerable population. I was recognized with an ICARE Award, which recognizes staff nominated by peers for an action they felt went above and beyond day-to-day care, and reflects one of the tenets of the VA model of care. I was deeply honored that my peers nominated me. In the future I plan to continue my studies, seeking a Mental Health Nurse Practitioner role.

My experience at Hesston was absolutely inspiring, and no-doubt life changing. The supportive environment for learning was absolutely what I needed, and I can’t imagine myself flourishing the way I did without the compassionate environment that Hesston provided. I know that I thrive most when I feel valued and seen as an individual. My time at Hesston was that and more. I did not expect to find the connections–with staff, mentors, and students–that I did, but I’m undoubtedly a better human and nurse for my time at Hesston. I will always tell folks who are looking into nursing school to check out Hesston College, it was such a positive experience for me, I would hope that any aspiring nurse would have the kind of nurturing environment for learning that Hesston provided for me.

Sam Blosser ’20

I am currently at Via Christi’s Medical ICU. Most of my time there we were completely COVID and full most days. Recently we have been converting back to normal MICU. I have also been floating throughout the other ICUs in the hospital like Burn, Surgical, Cardiac, and Cardio Thoracic. My plans for now are to continue to learn and become more fluent as a nurse. This picture is what we wear into our COVID rooms. When we were completely COVID, we would wear this PPE for 12 hours.

Overall, I enjoyed my time at Hesston as a nursing student. I felt the sim labs were accurate and the clinical instructors taught more than what was in the text books. I felt the nursing program did a great job preparing me for NCLEX and my first day of working as a nurse.

Nicole Cutler ’20

I came to the Hesston nursing program as a LPN in 2018. My acceptance and decision to attend Hesston for my bachelor’s degree in nursing is one of the best experiences of my life. Throughout the program I had extremely knowledgeable teachers that were personally invested in my success as a nurse. After graduation, I was able to pass NCLEX on the first try and had 3 job offers lined up. I felt extremely prepared in my job interviews, and confident starting my new career as Registered Nurse.

I started my career in the operating room as a circulator at Hutchinson Regional Medical Center. After 7 months, I felt I was not utilizing all my skills and knowledge. I left the OR, and took a position on the Medical/Surgical Unit at McPherson Hospital. After 4 months on medical surgical I was recruited to transition to the ICU. I am currently involved in the Unit Base Council at McPherson. As a member, I assist with management to help process improvement and culture advancements for the hospital. Our goal is to move up from a 4 star hospital to a 5 star. I am personally invested to help my team achieve this goal. I have started the application process for my master’s degree in nursing leadership. At this time, I am focusing my development in floor nursing. Working in a small hospital with no special teams I have the opportunity to learn a vast amount of critical thinking and skills.