When COVID-19 swept the United States in March of 2020, millions of Americans lost their jobs. Hannah Adams was one of them. Immediately, the 21-year-old launched a job search and discovered that LewisGale Hospital Montgomery in Blacksburg, Virginia, was hiring housekeepers. Hannah wasn’t worried about increased exposure to the deadly new virus. “I didn’t think much about it,” she remembers. “Honestly, at the time, it was a well-paying job, and I needed a job. I was doing what I had to do, but it turned into a passion.”

Before long, her passion became a career. Hannah loved chatting with patients as she made their spaces cozy. “I’d go in and mop up the floors and organize the things on their table. I took the time to ask them how they were doing, and I really meant it,” she says. “I wanted to hear their responses.”

Within four months, Hannah was promoted to patient care technician. A few years later, when an email came through her inbox about a scholarship to Galen School of Nursing, she applied.

Last December, Hannah graduated as an RN. And she’s still at it — participating in HCA Healthcare’s RN to BSN program all while working full-time in the ER. “One day, I’d like to be a nurse practitioner, but I’m taking it one step at a time,” she says.

As a mentor to current Galen College of Nursing students, Hannah is happy to share her story, advice and words of encouragement. “If I look too far ahead, it gets a bit overwhelming,” she says. “But looking back, it’s astonishing. I try not to take anything for granted.”

Q: Working as a housekeeper, how did you know you wanted to be a nurse?

A: I started seeing a lot of interactions between patients and staff at the hospital, and I got to be part of those interactions. During COVID, patients didn’t have family members around because there were restrictions. I did the little things that I would want someone to do for my family members if they were in the hospital, like writing a little note on their whiteboard or offering them a blanket or a pillow.

Q: What was most gratifying about your time as a patient care technician?

A: I’m not someone who turns down an opportunity — anything I can try, I will. I started in the Med-Surg unit before I got to work in different units throughout the hospital. I helped patients with their baths and meals, and assisted nurses with little tasks like getting patients’ vital signs throughout the day.

I wanted to learn how to draw blood, so I started nagging the lab director, asking her if I could shadow her and if they could teach me. They showed me how, and I started doing more for the patients. From there, I wanted to try out the ER, and I’m still there!

Q: What appealed to you most about working in the ER?

A: You face such a wide variety of challenges. When patients come in, they’re experiencing an emergency or serious health issue, and we get to be there to figure out what’s going on. We can either help them through it or lead them in the right direction. It’s wonderful to be able to make a difference on what is potentially the scariest day of a person’s life. In the ER, I’ve fallen in love with the constant movement; there’s always something happening.

Q: As a student at Galen College of Nursing, what was a typical week like for you

A: I always tell people who are interested in going into nursing, if they have a busy life outside of school, Galen College of Nursing works well for balance. A lot of the nurses have families. You can attend school, work three days a week and still be full-time.

I was determined to work four 12-hour shifts. I was on campus for class time two days, and I had one clinical day a week. I was moving constantly but was determined to get to my goal. I just kept remembering my “why” and that it would be worth it in the end.

Q: What was your “why”?

A: My “why” is rooted in my own lowest moments. Those experiences are what push me to become the kind of nurse who cares for patients from a place of genuine compassion.

Q: Any tips for time management or stress relief?

A: I honestly managed to get six to seven hours of sleep a night. I was very structured. I made myself a weekly schedule with blocks of time dedicated to studying, working and going to school. My stress relief was moving my body — running, going to the gym, doing yoga.

Q: Your path has not been easy; how did you know along the way that it was right for you?

A: More than big, life-altering things, there were so many little moments of connection that added up and reminded me of why I was doing what I was doing. Taking the time to slow down with patients and really see and really hear them and do what I could for them gave me a sense of purpose. I have so much fulfillment from having a job where I know I’m able to make a difference for someone going through a rough time.

Personally, when I had surgery after a complete hip fracture, so many people showed up at my house, bringing food, making sure I was OK. It really made me feel cared for and motivated me even more to want to be a good nurse. The people I work with are not just caretakers in the hospital; they are caretakers out of the hospital.

Q: How would you describe the culture at HCA Healthcare?

A: At this hospital, everybody is like a family. You see it in the way people interact with each other. When you walk down the hall, you always get a smile and a “How are you?” It really is genuine, and I think patients notice it, too. I’ve had patients say, “Wow, y’all work really well together,” and that feels good because it’s not an easy job, and little things like that make such a big difference. My experience has taught me that we succeed because we support one another and remember we’re in it together.