'A Light in Someone's Darkness': USU Eastern Alum Finds Fulfillment in Nursing Career

Not every high school student would volunteer to be tipped upside down and pounded on the back by their instructor. But when he was a student at Carbon High School, Jorge Martinez did it with a smile on his face.

It was in a nursing assistant class, where Martinez and his classmates were taking the first steps in their health care careers. Practicing hands-on skills, like that chest physiotherapy demonstration, is an essential part of the course.

“It can be a scary experience to have to work in each other’s body space that closely,” Shelley Heath said. “He made other students in the class feel comfortable by his willingness to participate.”

Heath is a coordinator and instructor for the Certified Nurse Assistant Program at Utah State University Eastern. She also teaches health-related concurrent enrollment classes at Carbon High School that give high school students a head start on their college educations and future careers. These courses, offered through USU Eastern, allow high school students to explore the health care field and develop job skills before graduation.

Martinez showed his enthusiasm for health care early on. He first took an Intro to Health Science class from Heath that got him interested in the medical field. Part of the class includes bringing various health care professionals in to discuss their careers with the students.

“It really inspired me,” Martinez said. “They brought in dieticians, physician’s assistants, people from all these different careers, and they talked about what they do at their jobs and why they enjoy it.”

Martinez decided he was interested in a health care career, and he emailed Heath to ask for her advice on what steps to take next. Heath recommended the nurse assisting class.

“Nursing is a profession that will always be in high demand, offering a wide range of fields to practice in and career advancement with additional education,” Heath said. “Nurses continue to have the top ranking for the most ethical profession in the United States. Plus, you can live just about anywhere and know you will have job security.”

Martinez took and passed the nurse assisting class and he was able to work as a CNA while still in high school. After graduating, he chose to continue his health care education at USU Eastern to become a registered nurse.

According to Heath, USU Eastern is a great choice for anyone interested in health care. The smaller class sizes allow students to work closely with instructors and have increased access to skills labs and clinical time.

The small size has another benefit: close-knit relationships with instructors and peers.

“I was with my cohort for two years, and I made some amazing friendships through that,” Martinez said. “We would all push each other and help each other be the best that we could be.”

Heath emphasizes that the sense of community is one of the best parts of USU Eastern.

“I believe strong relationships between students, peers and instructors help create a culture of safety in the learning environment,” Heath said. “Students have a sense of belonging and accountability. USU Eastern is unique because it allows students in our health care courses to become like family.”

But despite enjoying his classes, instructors and peers, it wasn’t always smooth sailing for Martinez. Nursing school has a lot of tests, and he faced exam anxiety throughout his time at USU Eastern.

“Sometimes you have to put yourself in uncomfortable situations to grow,” he said. “You’ve just got to give it your best shot.”

Martinez persevered, pushing forward with his educational journey and never giving up on his goals. He graduated as a registered nurse in April 2023 and now works at Intermountain Healthcare in Murray. He plans to become a nurse practitioner in the future.

Reflecting on his nursing career so far, Martinez recalls one of his patients who was facing a cancer diagnosis. Martinez spent extra time talking to her about her situation, giving her hope and encouragement. After their talk, there was a clear difference in her demeanor. Her will to fight the disease was renewed.

“That right there, that’s why I became a nurse,” he said. “I just appreciate being able to be the light in someone's darkness. Providing good care and a listening ear can change their whole world, and it makes such a difference. That’s why it’s such a rewarding job.”

To learn more about the degrees and programs offered at USU Eastern, visit https://eastern.usu.edu/.