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Alumni Spotlight: Kayla Richardson’20 (Nursing)
Kayla Richardson ’20 (Nursing) describes herself as a Christ-loving voyager seeking to use her lifelong passion for learning to serve her patients. Richardson works as an Emergency Department Nurse at Strong Memorial Hospital, and will soon transfer to the echocardiology department.
She has diversified her exposure to the healthcare industry by visiting three different countries: Brazil, Costa Rica, and Egypt.
Voyaging Across the Globe
She says, “Roberts helped me broaden my worldview. I loved my experience visiting Brazil during my time in the Global Honors program. I was also able to take a cross-cultural nursing course where we served in Costa Rica.
"It’s a privilege to see what healthcare looks like in different countries. I’m so thankful to God for these opportunities.”
The Costa Rican trip was focused on medical service. Richardson shares, “We partnered with a Christian medical base in Costa Rica and helped them extend their reach to the communities around San Jose.”
Richarson visiting Egypt after graduating
Her most recent voyage brought her to Egypt to visit a fellow nursing friend. “I shadowed the staff of a local hospital. I didn’t know any Arabic whatsoever. It was challenging to not be able to verbally communicate with anyone! I had to figure everything out with motions and body language. That experience has helped me empathize with my patients here in America who don’t speak any English.”
Preparing For The Real World
Her connections as a Roberts student played a critical role in her earning her job. “I was looking for a patient care job,” she says. “My clinical instructor for one of my courses gave me an excellent recommendation and resources, and I ended up working as a tech for a year. Due to the help getting my foot in the door, I could directly apply to work in the emergency room. I’ve been here ever since.”
Her gratitude for her alma mater does not stop there. “Most nurses say nursing school only teaches you so much and you have to learn everything else on the job… but that definitely wasn’t my experience. Roberts prepared me well for the real world.
Richardson celebrating her graduation with her mother, Susan (Jay) Richardson '86 (Nursing)
“One of the strengths of the nursing program is that they taught me how to think beyond the textbook. Roberts gave me a lot of opportunities to get some real-world experience in a variety of settings, such as volunteering as a student nurse in a summer camp.”
She adds, “The opportunities I had during my time as a student helped me become comfortable in uncomfortable and foreign situations… skills I use every day in the emergency room.”