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National Nursing Assistant's Week is June 16 through June 22. Both Alyx Kurpgeweit and Faith Woslager worked as nursing assistants before obtaining their practical nursing degrees from Northeast Community College on May 13.

Kurpgeweit and Woslager attended Northeast Community College part time while working toward graduation.

"Usually the NECC nursing program is two years. I am part time, so it will take me three years to get my RN," Kurpgeweit said.

They both had a calling for the medical field.

"Ever since I was little, I've always wanted to be a nurse, especially a labor and delivery nurse. I was that kid that watched 'A Baby's Story' on TLC or any other baby things and always had to hold babies. I don't think I've ever changed my mind about my profession," Woslager said.

Kurpgeweit didn't have an exact reason why she chose nursing, but she knew she wanted to be in the medical field and nursing is a broad option.

"You can do anything and always work your way up," Kurpgeweit said.

Both expressed the clinical experience was a lot of fun, but Kurpgeweit said wounds and obstetrics were her favorite parts of nursing school.

Woslager's favorites included clinicals, along with the groups of friends who were brought together.

"They truly say nursing school family is your second family," Woslager said.

Nursing school can be difficult and both graduates expressed there were challenges while attending nursing school. For Kurpgeweit, finding time for everything was challenging.

"Nursing school is very overwhelming. Even being part time, it's almost like full-time hours, between classes and clinical time. I don't have much down time," said Kurpgeweit.

Along with the regular challenges of being a nursing student, Woslager talked about the additional stress that unexpectedly came along.

"Some experiences I faced was COVID. Our first year of nursing school was entirely over Zoom besides health assesment second semester," she said.

I felt I wasn't in nursing school and not gaining the experience," Woslager said.

Even while overcoming all the challenges, both women were thrilled to receive their degrees.

"It was very rewarding seeing all the hard work pay off and being one step closer to my RN," Kurpgeweit said.

Woslager was also thrilled to receive her degree.

"It felt great receiving my degree. It took a lot of blood, sweat and tears... lots of tears to get that degree. I was pretty emotional on graduation day having my family pin me and watch me graduate because there were many times I didn't think I was going to make it!" Woslager said.

They were both grateful for their support systems.

"My husband and daughter are great through it all, all the crazy hours and running around. I have a great group of friends in school, and we all strive to push each other," expressed Kurpgeweit.

Woslager thanked several of the people who helped support her to get this degree.

"When in nursing school, I had a lot of support systems. I had my daughter Ansley, who always cheered me on, Patrick who always helped me study and took care of Ansley or the house. My parents were also big support systems as they guided me, gave me words of advice, and my mom always answered my 1,000 Facetime calls regarding my midlife crisis with school!" exclaimed Woslager.

Kurpgeweit plans on finishing with work to become a registered nurse and going back to college for a bachelor's degree. She plans on working for a few years and working toward her master's, hoping to do something with mental health or nurse anesthetist.

Woslager plans to take her National Council Licensure Examination and work at Boone County Medical Clinic as an licensed practical nurse for a year then return to college to get an associate degree in nursing.

"I look forward to actually being able to work as a nurse and use everything I've learned over the years," Kurpgeweit said.

Woslager says she looks forward to caring for people of any age and to see all of her hard work pay off.

National nursing assistant's week is a time to thank the individuals who many times work long, hard hours to care for others.