Elizabeth Jones is a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) at the Mary Breckinridge ARH hospital and one of the most recent ARH Scholars. After previously applying for the program, Elizabeth was ecstatic to learn she had been named a Spring 2018 ARH Scholar. Among 72 applicants throughout the 12 ARH communities, Elizabeth was one of the 11 scholarship recipients for this round.
“Oh my gosh!” Elizabeth says. “I cried for 30 minutes [when I found out I was an ARH Scholar], I was so happy. It’s been really hard trying to work and go to school and pay for school so it’s one less thing to have to worry and stress about.”
“The competition was very intense,” explains Christopher Johnson, System Director of Employee and Labor Relations at ARH. “We are pleased to offer these awards in an effort to encourage individuals to pursue higher education.”
As an ARH Scholar, Elizabeth will receive a financial reward of $5,000 toward tuition and living expenses while pursuing her nursing degree at Galen College of Nursing. She began the program in July of 2017 and will graduate this December as a Registered Nurse (RN).
Elizabeth grew up in Hazard and has been married to her husband, Charlie Jones, for 22 years. She has three children, one of which is also pursuing a nursing degree. Elizabeth’s passion for nursing was sparked at a young age, and in 2004, she began her career as an LPN working for a long-term nursing facility. In 2005, she joined the ARH family where she has worked ever since.
“I have always loved taking care of people,” Elizabeth says. “Even when I was little, if my mom or someone got sick I wanted to take care of them. It was just always something I wanted to do.”
Elizabeth’s favorite part of being a nurse is the impact she is able to make every day through her job. She is present for patients’ best and worst days and she is proud to offer the best care possible regardless of the situation.
Elizabeth is excited to further develop her skills to become an RN and continue caring for her community. She plans to stay with Mary Breckinridge after receiving her RN license to continue the good work she is doing in her local community.
“I love working at Mary Breckinridge,” Elizabeth says. “Everyone I work with genuinely cares about the patients and what is best for them. It’s not just a job to us. It’s hard to find an entire team of people with the same goal, but we all work together like family. It’s a small hospital and they need help, so I want to stay there and try to do the best I can for the patients in that area. [I want to] save lives. It’s amazing how many lives you touch when you’re in this field. If you can’t save them, at least be there for them when they go.”
Elizabeth is excited to continue her journey with ARH as both an ARH Scholar and Registered Nurse.
Story Published in Hazard Herald Staff Report
