Tori Newby

I was sitting in a 24 hour café in the middle of the night working on yet another networking configuration when a good looking gentleman walked in. I live in a military town so every guy with short hair and a straight back looks like they are in the military. This guy however had a set to his jaw so you knew he was military and had been for a while. I don’t know if he was getting use to his mechanical leg or if it was giving him problems, but he slowly made his way to a comfortable chair at the table next to me. He saw the military log in on my computer, I noticed the military symbol tattooed on his arm and we started talking. I can’t remember what we were talking about but he ended the conversation with, “You should be a nurse. We could really use you out there.” He walked away with his order and I was left wondering what just happened.
 Giving up a well paying job to go to school full-time seemed unlikely. I had a deadline to meet so I didn’t give it much thought but it was there in the back of mind, waiting for me to be ready to listen. Believing this man to be genuine, I thought the idea might work. I started researching the nursing field, asking questions, and gathering information. I wondered if I was cut out to be a nurse. I looked into other medical careers and started taking some science classes just in case. Many co-workers laughed, some family members said it was a good idea but in the end they said to follow my heart. I applied to a BSN program, got accepted and figured the finances would come later. Thanks to Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, they did. The amount that the loan didn’t cover was covered by the scholarship and while that was great and well timed, it was just the beginning. I was provided a Robert Wood representative at my school who answered questions and provided motivation to keep me going. We have had meetings and a panel of nurses at all stages of their career come in and open my eyes to the many ways I could help others as a nurse and as a mentor. The requirement of speaking with others about the how I became a second degree nursing student has forced me to build my communication skills and tell my story with ease. Everyone has these great stories of hope, courage, a higher being leading them to nursing. I have a story of a veteran who saw my possibilities one night and guided me to the path of becoming a nurse.