HealthLinks Charleston Sept/Oct 2022

96 | www. Char l es tonPhys i c i ans . com | www.Hea l thL i nksChar l es ton . com T H E P U L S E O N CHARLESTON NURSES CHRIS HAIRFIELD, PH.D., RN When Chris Hairfield’s grandmother fell ill, he decided nursing was the career for him. “I started nursing later in life. Nursing was not something I had ever considered as a career until my grandmother was in the ICU. She was confused, wanted her toenails painted and I went to the hospital to do it for her. She kept telling me that I was such a good nurse – her favorite nurse – and I was so nice to paint her toenails for her. In her mind, I was her nurse, not her grandson. After that experience, I began to think about what a career in nursing would be like.” He started at the Medical University of South Carolina as part of a clinical associate apprenticeship in 2006. He then went on to work in a hospital as a nursing assistant and then went to Trident Technical College for his ADN. He continued his education, later earning a BSN and then an MSN. In the fall of 2021, he completed his Ph.D. at Walden University. He now works in nursing education. “Becoming a nurse changed my life, personally and professionally. As a nurse educator, I am able to support the development and the educational goals of my nursing colleagues and future nurses just starting on their journeys.” KATRINA WU, MSN, APRN, CNM For Katrina Wu, being a nurse is a privilege. As a nurse midwife and currently pursuing her Ph.D. at the Medical University of South Carolina, she said that she was drawn to the profession because of the close and long-term relationships she made with families during their childbearing years. “I’m passionate about helping people better understand their bodies and achieving the health goals they set for themselves,” she said. “Attending births is an immense privilege and honor that I don’t take lightly.” She added that her life is richer due to the experiences she has had witnessing birth with so many different families. Her advice to aspiring nurses: “I would tell aspiring nurses that they are needed and that they belong. We are all so different and therefore have so much to offer the profession. I’d encourage them to bring their whole selves as they embrace nursing.” Wu is researching how telemedicine in routine prenatal care can improve access to care in the United States. HealthLinks CHARLESTON has partnered with the MUSC College of Nursing to highlight some of the Lowcountry's top nurses. Expand your career! nursing.musc.edu

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