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My Journey To Nursing by Kim Bechard, RN

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Nursing has always been a part of who I am. When I was very young, several of my aunts worked in nursing and I always had a deep admiration for them. In high school, I began taking health occupation classes and knew from that moment on, that I wanted to become a nurse.

After high school, I began attending a community college, working on my nursing degree. Due to a lengthy waiting list for the RN program, I decided to apply for the LPN program. I was accepted and graduated a year later. While studying for my boards, I worked as a CNA in a nursing home. After working as an LPN for approximately fifteen years, I finally graduated with my BSN degree.

I have always felt the need to care for others. My mother passed away when I was a baby and I lived with my grandmother thereafter and cared for her during her final moments when I was only thirteen years old. I have now worked as a nurse for almost twenty years and I really don’t know if I could do anything else.

Being a part of TLC gives me the freedom to set new goals and a means to achieve them. I am planning on applying for the Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program in 2019 and I am looking forward to that transition. While being with TLC, I have met so many wonderful people, including patients, co-workers, and members of the community. I’ve experienced exciting new things that otherwise I may not have had the opportunity.

I like to think that I do make a difference in the lives of those I care for, their families and even my co-workers. I strive to keep a positive attitude. I care for my patients. I care about their well-being, and whether or not they have had a good day. I think of the challenges they face associated with aging and illness, and I am empathetic to their situation, knowing that it could be any of us. Every human being is someone’s child, mother, father, sister or brother. We all need emotional support during times of illness and I see myself as an advocate and support system for them, as well as a caregiver. I always hope at the end of the day, that I have made a difference!


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