Shawna Hauck pursues a career in nursing

Shawna Hauck, a senior at Hamburg Area High School, plans on attending Marywood University in Scranton, PA for a four-year nursing degree while continuing her athletic career in soccer. After a four-year degree in nursing, she wants to continue her education to become a certified registered nurse anesthetist. To help her achieve these goals, Hauck attends a PFE Internship at St. Joseph’s Hospital.

Hauck attends the internship to determine if this is truly the career path she wishes to take, get experience, and “establish vital connections with staff that may help me be employed in the future.” At the internship, she has a very flexible schedule. She goes to the hospital on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from noon to 2:30 in the afternoon. This gives her plenty of time for sports and homework.

At the hospital, she interacts with nurses and patients, runs errands, discharges patients, retrieve supplies, help stock supplies and keep things clean and orderly, and is allowed to sit in on surgeries on occasion. Hauck says that “In the first surgery I watched, I saw a surgeon remove a swollen lymph node out of someone’s neck.” She admits that “They were scared I was going to pass out but I did not.”

To get into this internship, Mrs. Benz at HAHS found it for Hauck to apply. The application process is rigorous, but it is a small price to pay for a great opportunity. For the internship, one needs good grades and attendance, be interviewed, write an essay, and attend several meetings. Once accepted, Hauck “had to get clearances, get fingerprinted, and go through a process to get a keycard at the hospital.”

Hauck highly recommends joining the internship if looking for a career in nursing. She shares that “I think it really depends on the area you choose to intern in. Surgical areas are usually always busy so I recommend you to intern there if you can. Many of the nurses and doctors may seem scary at first but once you get to know them they are really funny.”

Talk with Mrs. Benz if interested in a future in the medical field and would like to apply for the internship.