News Archives: Rachel Beinert: From Homeschool to Hospital
Wednesday, March 13th, 2024
NWPeople Student Rachel Beinert
Meet Rachel Beinert, a fourth-year nursing student at Northwestern Polytechnic, whose journey to the field of nursing is as unique as it is inspiring. Rachel didn't always know she wanted to be a nurse. She was raised in a family deeply rooted in the medical field. Her mother and grandmother were nurses, while her uncle and grandfather were doctors - but health care wasn't initially on her radar.
Surrounded by people who valued science and technology, Rachel's interest in biology was nurtured from a young age. Homeschooled by her parents, her education was filled with experiments and dissections, incubating her fascination with the medical field. She recalls, "I've always been very interested in biology. I thought I was going to be a doctor, but I didn’t have a solid plan."
That would soon change after a chance visit with a tiny infant and new mom. "What really set it off is in my final year of high school, I went and visited a family friend who had a premature baby and I realized that taking care of people and being a nurse would be something I was interested in," Rachel shares.
Despite her passion for people, Rachel's academic journey hasn't always been smooth sailing. She recalled her first clinical placement in the second year of her nursing program as overwhelming. "I thought, how am I supposed to do so much?" she mused. However, the support and encouragement of her parents helped her push through the challenging times. She says, "I called my mom and I said ‘I don't know if I can keep going’. My parents were really supportive, reminding me ‘all you have to do is one day at a time’."
And sure enough, after the third year of her undergraduate, while working as an Undergraduate Nurse Employee in Fairview, everything clicked. This hands-on experience affirmed her competence and clearly illustrated the value of all she had learned so far. "It was very fulfilling to realize that I'm here, I can work, and I am capable of looking after patients. Pretty much all on my own," she expresses with pride.
It's these formative experiences, acquired during her academic journey, that she treasures the most.
As for the future, Rachel's plan is to gain experience working in other areas of nursing before moving to rural sites. Eventually she hopes to specialize in labour and delivery but right now she's keeping her options open, appreciating the benefits of her rewarding career. "Ultimately, I hope to get married and start a family and I'm very thankful that nursing has so many different areas that would allow me that flexibility," she reveals.
Rachel's pathway into nursing highlights the fact that the path to a fulfilling career isn't always linear. Her passion for nursing, her resilience in the face of challenges, and her drive to continually learn and grow is an inspiration for anyone considering a health care career.
