8/8/2019 Dad and Daughter Reconcile Over Nursing Dream

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Dad and daughter reconcileover nursing dreamCarla Pease always wanted to be a nurse,but because of her cerebral palsy, her familydiscouraged her, she said, and her father wasdead set against it."As a girl, I drew black marks on my dolls forstitches," she said. "When my parents went tothe medicine cabinet, they couldn't find theband aides because they were on my dolls."She grew to love nursing as a child throughwatching those who cared for her during hos-pital visits. "They diagnosed the cerebral palsywhen I was three."For her fifth birthday Carla asked for a stetho-scope. "Myparents got me a toy medical kitand I threw a fit. I was mad that it wasn't real."As a high school graduate, Carla pursued herlife dream against her family's wishes./, N While researching nursingschools and visiting the

WSC's Leonard P. NelsonHealth Science wing, builtin 2003, she was con-vinced that Williston Statenursing was "the best ofthe best," she said.

M e r c y Medical C e n t e r C F OK e r r y Monson" P h y s i c ia n s a r ea l w a y s c o n c e r n e dw i t h t h e t i m e i tt a k e s n e w n u r s e st o g e t o r i e n t e d . B u tg r a d u a t e s c o m i n gf r o m W i ll is t o nS t a t e a r e w e l l -t r a i n e d a n d a h e a do f t h e g a m e . "

Leonard P. Nelson: "thebest of the best." "Thetechnology and equipmentin Williston State's nursinglab is a nursing student'sdream," said Carla."Instead of looking at adiagram of an IVpump ina book, you work with onehands-on," said former stu-dent DesireeDuBry, one ofhalf a dozenWSC-trainednurses placed at MercyMedical Center each year.Teachers explain pro-cesses and procedures on

a large "smartboard" audio-visual screen.Desiree evenhelped delivera child from amannequin,she said with asmile!

C a r la a n d h e r f a t h e rw e r e i n s u c h d i s a g r e e -m e n t , s h e s a i d , t h a t" I c o u l d n ' t e v e n b e i nt h e s a m e r o o m w i t h o u tb l o w i n g u p a t h i m . "

The Leonard P. Nelson building's centralizedcomputer lab was a significant upgrade fromdays when students had to walk to another

Carla ( r i g h t ) helps p r e p a r e a patient's le g cast .building to access computers, said WSC Nurs-ing Coordinator Linda Tharp.Williston State is one of fivecolleges in theDakota Nursing Program consortium thatoffers both LPN and RNcertification, Tharpexplained. "Williston's InteractiveVideoNet-work allows 38 full or part-time teachers fromthese five campuses to convey class materialon a screen and answer student questions asthey're teaching."Therefore, students benefit from more expertsin more fields, and are prepared for anything.

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In 2009, the Williston State branch will gradu-ate 17 LPNs and 10 RNs, said Tharp.Paying for Carla's dream. Yet state-of-the-arttraining is only useful to students who can payfo r it, and Carla's situation looked grim, she said."M y dad told me if I wanted to be a nurse, then Iwas going to pay for it myself. But I was broke."Carla's family's incomewas too high for her toqualify for government grants, but she heard *about the Thyra Hoehn Nursing Scholarship,established by Harold Hoehn in honor of hiswife. It was just the ticket, said Carla." T h e federal government told me no, andWil-liston State told me yes!" said Carla.A near tragedy. During school, Carla said, "Ialmost gave up. Dad was in poor health duringthis time, and thinkingof his disapproval mademe want to pull my hair out! But WillistonState faculty taught me not just to be a nurse,but how to be a daughter."On the day before her state board exam, Carlareturned home to a near tragedy. "Dad has

diabetes, and hehad stopped tak-ing his medica-tion because hisblood sugar levelhad improved,"she explained.

" M y b r o t h e r f o u n d D a da t t h e f a r m a l m o s td e a d a n d c a l l e d o n eo f m y i n s t r u c t o r s a n ds a i d , 'I d o n ' t k n o ww h a t t o d o . ' S h e s a i d ,' Y e s y o u d o . Y o u ' r e an u r s e n o w . T a k e c o n -t r o l o f t h e s i t u a t i o n . ' "

Carla took hisblood pressureand listened tohisheart andlungs. Sheknewthat giving him

Scholarship D o n o rH a r o ld H o e h n

C a r l a d i d n o t q u a l -i f y f o r g o v e r n m e n tg r a n t s a n d h a d n om o n e y o f h e r o w n .The T h y r a H o e h nN u r s i n g S c h o l a r s h i p ,e s t a b l i s h e d b y H a r -o l d H o e h n , w a s ju s tt h e t i c k e t .

medication now could send him into shock.She rushed him to the hospital in her SUV.All four of Mr. Pease's coronary arterieswereblocked, which lead toquadruple bypass surgery.A change of heart. While Mr.Pease was heal-i n g , a visiting friend said, "You're lucky to bealive," reports Carla. "Dad said, Well, I had aheck of a nurse.'"Dad and daughter who hardly ever talked, saidCarla, "nowtalk or see each other everyweek."And best of all, for Christmas inDecember,Mr. Pease bought Carla the stethoscope shealways wanted.

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