She’s a ward manager in the U.K., and he’s an ER nurse in the U.S. — follow their conversation about their careers, goals and what they value most in caring for patients across the globe.
Eli Gass and Hayley Howard learned, not long ago, that there are more similarities between them than differences.
Even as international colleagues, they have shared many of the same challenges, particularly since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. But their motivation to pursue nursing comes from a shared desire to help others. It’s still what motivates them today.
Eli, an emergency room R.N. at Lee’s Summit Medical Center, has been a nurse for nearly 10 years. Hayley, a ward manager at The Wellington Hospital in London for nearly six years, was trained in Scotland.
They recently discussed their career paths, ambitions and challenges over a video chat. You can capture excerpts from that conversation below.
Eli and Hayley talk about how long they’ve been in nursing and whether they’d ever consider working outside their home countries.
Eli’s parents were both nurses, so when it came time to choose a career, it was a familiar one for him to consider. He also knew that it could offer a lot of opportunities. Hayley spent a lot of time in the hospital as a child. She was inspired by the care she received from her nurses at the time.
Hayley and Eli discuss advancing their careers and what motivates them. Hayley’s building a new team, which she finds rewarding. She also likes to see patients get better and leave the hospital. Eli enjoys both the responsibilities of his role as a charge nurse, along with his work directly with patients in the ER.
Hayley shares that she initially felt insecure as a new nurse, and Eli learned — over time — how to unwind after work. Both enjoy and value building relationships with their colleagues and patients.
