For Journey Wysthoff, the inspiration to become a nurse comes from multiple aspects of her life — her fears, her first-hand experience, and her family.
“Growing up, I had a really big fear of hospitals and doctors,” said Wysthoff, of Daniels. “If I’m a nurse, I can be there for people who also have fears like that and be by their side and not only offer my support but true empathy because I know where they’re coming from.”
As a junior in high school, she also got to see some examples of great nurses in action when her grandma received hospice care.
“They cared for me and my mom, too. They’re really just angels and I would love to put that into the world.”
And a couple of her aunts served as nurses during the Vietnam War. She considers them some of the most incredible people she knows.
When it came time to choose a nursing school, she knew the WVU School of Nursing Beckley Campus was the right fit during a campus tour. She met Beckley Campus Chair Hillary Parcell, who was immediately kind and helpful.
“I really love the community they’ve built here and how close you can be with everyone,” Wysthoff said.
So far, she said the best part of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program has been proving to herself how much she is able to accomplish.
“And even better than that, I’ve gotten to do it with some of my best friends. It’s so nice to see each other succeed. It’s like when one of us succeeds, we all succeed.”
The instructors are always there for you, Wysthoff said, and she’s grateful to be able to learn so much from them.
After graduation, she hopes to first work on a medical-surgical floor, then she hopes to work in the emergency department. She then aspires to become a nurse practitioner.
Wysthoff describes the Beckley Campus as flexible, close-knit, and family-like.
“People here are very passionate about your success,” she said. “Everyone is in your corner. You can always reach out to anyone, even if they aren’t in the nursing department. There are numerous professors I’ve had for chemistry and biology classes who are also there for you, too.”