Graduation from the College of Nursing

March 1977 – Winter Quarter – College of Nursing

The final few weeks in nursing school have flown by with work in the Intensive Care Unit, sending out resumes, and interviewing for jobs. I wanted to work in home care because that was my favorite quarter. I met with the director of nursing at the county board of health where I had my clinical last fall. She said they would be very interested in having me work for them after I gain at least one year of experience on a medical or surgical hospital floor. Because it is such an independent position alone in the patient’s home, they do not hire new graduates.

I also interviewed to work evening shift on a medical unit at University Hospital and at a 300-bed community hospital downtown in a low-income neighborhood. The head nurse on the diabetes unit seemed friendly and efficient as she described their impressive program.

Both hospitals offered me positions. After praying about it, the Lord gave me peace about accepting the evening shift position on the diabetes unit. Since I am weary of the huge busy University Hospital, I am ready for a smaller quieter place.  I hope the evening shift will be a good fit for me since I am not a morning person. Like all hospital nurses, they require me to work every other weekend and every other holiday. I will be able to attend morning worship at church every Sunday, but I will miss every other evening worship and most prayer meetings on Wednesday nights. After I have some experience, I hope the Lord opens the door for me to work more regular hours.

I’m glad I went to summer school so I will graduate three months before the majority of my nursing class. With the overabundance of new nursing graduates presently, God has blessed me with two solid job offers.

My graduation was held in the 10,000 seat basketball arena. The graduates sat in chairs on the basketball floor while our families and friends sat in the stands. What a happy thrilling moment when they asked the 20 of us in the College of Nursing to approach the table to receive our diplomas. After my family and I ate a nice dinner, I showed them the hospital where I will be working.

Dear Lord, Thank you so much for your grace and strength these past four years of college. I know I could not have completed my degree without your help. Thank You for the times of sweet fellowship with the brethren, and for the trials that pressed me closer to You. I pray for all the students from around the world who heard the gospel, and pray they would receive You as their personal Savior. I commit my nursing career to You and pray You will use me for Your glory and honor. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

Thou wilt show me the path of life. In Thy presence is fullness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. Psalm 16:11 (KJV)

The Lord carried me through the next 40 years of my nursing career. He always wonderfully provided for me and gave me many opportunities to share the gospel with my patients, coworkers, and during my various travels around the world.

My first pastor always taught us to record the number of gospel tracts we handed out and the books we read on the home Bible study program. As I reread my college journals, I decided to total them. Totally amazed by God’s grace, He allowed me to hand out 2381 gospel tracts on campus and read 45 books in the home Bible study program during the four years I also studied nursing. What a privilege to meet students from all over the world. I thank Him for those who taught me early in my Christian life to always put God first (Matthew 6:33) and to be “redeeming the time because the days are evil.” Ephesians 5:16 (KJV)