Memorial ICU assistant follows her heart and the “call to serve” amid nursing shortage during pandemic
Karri Weber works in the Memorial ICU.
Karri Weber is a unit assistant at the Memorial Hospital ICU and a 2021 Beacon Health Foundation nursing scholarship recipient. She believes “there is no greater honor to be someone’s nurse.” Find out why, below.
Every day I see how hard nurses work and it is an honor to work next to them. I draw strength from them. They inspire me all the time. They dedicate themselves to their patients and give 110 percent. Going from one COVID patient to another. Constant phone calls with worried loved ones. All the care they provide from the start of shift to the end of shift. Watching these nurses battle another round of COVID in the ICU, and seeing how tired they are, and yet they persevere. No matter what is thrown their way, they give their all to their patients.
I have been a caregiver, a teacher and a housekeeper. Here I am, finally knowing what I “want to be when I grow up.” The journey through life’s experiences has made me more confident that nursing is my calling and I am right where I need to be. There is no greater honor than to be someone’s nurse. Now with the pandemic, I feel the call to serve is even stronger because there is a greater need for healthcare workers. I know now, more than ever, nursing is the career for me.
More importantly, I want to further my education for my children and show them to never give up. I want to show them that you can accomplish anything you put your mind to at any age. I’ve always carried the thoughts about being in healthcare in my heart as I made my journey through life. I have never had such an amazing support system. Beacon is truly supportive of helping individuals be the best they can be. I am so honored to be part of this team.
Click here for more information about how you can become a Beacon nurse.
