Tight-knit nursing community nurtures legacy of mentorship

By Kristin Brockett, Edinboro University

When the time came for Cranesville, Pennsylvania, native Heather Bowers to choose a career path, the decision was easy. Nursing emerged as the ideal blend of her greatest passions – science and helping others.

“I love biology, anatomy, physiology and everything in the science realm, and I love helping people,” she said. “Nursing is the perfect mesh of those two worlds, and I’m really glad I chose it because I’ve loved every second of the experience so far.”

And for Bowers, who will graduate in May with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a minor in biology, choosing to attend Edinboro was even easier.

“Edinboro has an amazing nursing program, and I wanted something that was both a ordable and close to my family,” she said. “It was kind of a no-brainer.”

Faced with the rst-year jitters, Bowers found the rigors of nursing school to be much more challenging. But she soon found a tight-knit community of student nurses and faculty who were eager to lend a hand.

“There’s a lot of pressure, and everyone has very high expectations. The amount of information we must learn in four years can be daunting,” Bowers said. “It was really, really hard at the beginning, but I had upperclassmen who were willing to help me and guide me. The professors are amazing. They’re willing to sit down with you and make accommodations that will help you get through it in any way, shape or form.”

Inspired by her own mentorship experiences, Bowers is now a tutor for other students in the department who need assistance with coursework or advice on developing study habits. She’s also a scholar in the Edinboro University Honors College and a member of Student Nurses of Edinboro – commonly known as SNOE – a group of nursing students who organize career-building opportunities and give back to the community through volunteer events.

“You’re never really alone in nursing school. Everyone in the community is just so amazing,” she said. “We’re all there to help each other.”

As graduation approaches, Bowers looks forward to making her mark in either medical-surgical nursing or postpartum nursing.

“You know, it is hard. The long nights of studying can be brutal,” Bowers said. “But if you love something, then you just have to persevere. Because at the end of the day, the people that we help and the lives that we get to save are 110% worth it.”

For more information about Edinboro University’s Nursing Department – which features programs at the undergraduate, graduate and doctorate level – visit www.edinboro.edu/nursing.