Day in the Life: Beth Kirch
JSU Nursing Student
Toni Merriss
Issue date: 3/1/07 Section: Features
The saying goes that behind every successful man stands a strong woman. But in many cases the same could be said for a strong nurse standing behind every successful doctor.
As far as grueling professions go, nursing is one that often gets overlooked in today's society. For Beth Kirch, a senior nursing major from Huntsville, studying to become a doctor's right hand 'woman', is not about the recognition.
"I wanted to be a nurse for the satisfaction of knowing that I was involved with helping a patient get well," said Kirch.
Kirch first realized her calling in the nursing field when she was in the tenth grade but had family in the field long before that.
"Both of my grandmas and one of my aunts are nurses. They did not try to influence me when I was deciding my major," said Kirch. "But once I did, they really supported my decision."
The first two years of college are normal for nursing majors in regards to their class schedule.
Making the decision to apply to nursing is the easy part; the hard part is actually getting accepted. Once a student is accepted, the hectic part begins.
"Since I began nursing school, I have learned to greatly enjoy my sleep. You never know when you are going to really need it," laughed Kirch. Nursing school can be time consuming and stressful for even the most dedicated of students. Kirch is no exception to this.
One element that deeply complicated Kirch's life last May was when she came down with strep throat. She continued having problems with it and went to the doctor to get checked out.
On July 7, 2006, Kirch was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and required surgery only five days later on July 12. The thyroid gland controls the body's metabolism and regulates body temperature.
On Aug. 21, Kirch had to undergo radioactive iodine treatment, which targets the cancer cells without bothering the surrounding cells. Due to her health issues and doubts of being able to handle the stress of nursing school, Kirch decided to take the fall semester off from her studies to fully recover.
As far as grueling professions go, nursing is one that often gets overlooked in today's society. For Beth Kirch, a senior nursing major from Huntsville, studying to become a doctor's right hand 'woman', is not about the recognition.
"I wanted to be a nurse for the satisfaction of knowing that I was involved with helping a patient get well," said Kirch.
Kirch first realized her calling in the nursing field when she was in the tenth grade but had family in the field long before that.
"Both of my grandmas and one of my aunts are nurses. They did not try to influence me when I was deciding my major," said Kirch. "But once I did, they really supported my decision."
The first two years of college are normal for nursing majors in regards to their class schedule.
Making the decision to apply to nursing is the easy part; the hard part is actually getting accepted. Once a student is accepted, the hectic part begins.
"Since I began nursing school, I have learned to greatly enjoy my sleep. You never know when you are going to really need it," laughed Kirch. Nursing school can be time consuming and stressful for even the most dedicated of students. Kirch is no exception to this.
One element that deeply complicated Kirch's life last May was when she came down with strep throat. She continued having problems with it and went to the doctor to get checked out.
On July 7, 2006, Kirch was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and required surgery only five days later on July 12. The thyroid gland controls the body's metabolism and regulates body temperature.
On Aug. 21, Kirch had to undergo radioactive iodine treatment, which targets the cancer cells without bothering the surrounding cells. Due to her health issues and doubts of being able to handle the stress of nursing school, Kirch decided to take the fall semester off from her studies to fully recover.
Be the first to comment on this story