Catie Cloninger

I knew I wanted to be a nurse when I was young, about 8 years old. I had met another nurse and just really liked what she did and decided I wanted to be a nurse. So then from then on, I knew and I just liked helping people and caring for people and trying to make their life better.

What was one of your most memorable nursing experiences?

Caring for caring for people's loved ones. Especially at the end of life, being able to provide some comfort and support to not only the patient, but the family. And then on the flip side of that, helping people improve their health and feel better, and be able to continue their life and do what they want to do in a more healthy state.

What skills are most important for nurses?

I think for the most part, it was natural. I'm not afraid to talk to people, not afraid to hold people's hand, not afraid to provide that comfort. So that stuff comes naturally. And then I think there's a little bit of learning in just how to communicate and assess what the patient needs at that particular time. But I would say overall, for the most part, it was just a natural part of me.

What is the best advice you can give?

I always tell people, I've never regretted becoming a nurse. There's so many different possibilities; so many ways to help people, so many options. And if there's something you don't like about your current nursing job, the doors are wide open to try something new to help other people — help people of different ages and stages of life. So I always think it's just a wonderful profession for people to get into. There is never a shortage of work.

What does it take to be a nurse in challenging times?

I think it just takes thinking back to why you do what you do, and the importance of it. And in those challenging times, there are still people who need the help and who will appreciate it. And so you kind of have to go back to the basics and the importance of what you do to help people and then you know what, that other stuff just kind of pass

Any final thoughts?

We need more wonderful nurses. And so no one should steer away from medicine thinking that it may not be for them. We just need lots of good caregivers to continue the work.