Hunter Dean

"Growing up with a lot of family members who worked in the medical field, I knew that was the path I wanted to pursue. I wasn’t sure what job I wanted exactly until my dad became a nurse. He was proof that the idea of nursing being exclusively for women was a false stereotype. Seeing my dad as a nurse sparked my interest and inspired me to do the same thing. 

To start working towards my goal, I earned my certified nursing assistant (CNA) license through a partnership between Washburn Tech and my high school. This was a great experience, and a large portion was paid for by state funding. If you want to start working in the medical field fairly quickly, this is a good route because you can earn your CNA during a school semester or the summer. 

Today, I’m a patient care technician in the emergency department at Stormont Vail Health. I get to be part of an incredible team and meet a variety of people every day. I’m also in nursing school, so working at Stormont gives me important background and real-life experience. 

To help pay for nursing school, I’m taking advantage of Stormont’s tuition reimbursement program. Basically, Stormont gives me a set amount of money to help pay for school and expenses, then I’ll work as a nurse here for a certain number of years in return. It’s a great deal! 

Ultimately, I’m not certain what kind of nurse I’d like to be — there are so many different ways to go! The emergency department is probably where I see myself for the foreseeable future, but once I have my bachelor’s degree and my RN, I could go anywhere. 

If you think you’d enjoy a career in health care, I’d tell you to get into a hospital or clinic as soon as possible. You could volunteer, work as a tech or take any position to just experience the setting. This way, you’ll get a feel for things and find out if it’s the right place for you!"