Another good sign: Two men, laid off, turn to nursing with success / Your Severe Weather Station, South Bend, Indiana News, Weather, Sports, Notre Dame News, StormTeam 16
Demand for nursing positions is expected to rise in coming years. One man, in his 20’s, worked construction. The other, in his 40’s, worked in a factory. After losing their jobs, they chose careers in health care
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These days, Bryan Urgonski makes his rounds at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center’s intensive care unit.
His job is certainly “hands on,” much like his previous career.
But it’s fair to say the tools of the trade have changed.
“I just mixed the mortar, built the scaffold, take orders from the bricklayers if they needed something,” said Urgonski.
Even in his mid-20’s, Urgonski says working on a construction site took its toll.
“I was waking up in the morning, not only was my back hurting, my shoulders were hurting, my knees were hurting," he said.
Still, a job was a job – until it was no longer there. In 2005 he was laid off, and enrolled in a nursing program at IUSB.
Urgonski made the transition to nursing early on, if you compare his story to Wayne Dockery’s.
Dockery worked in a factory for most of his adult life. In his early 40’s he lost his job, and looked into nursing.
“I never pictured myself going into health care,” said Dockery. “When I started my classes, there were some of my classes, it was like taking a foreign language.”
He’s been working as a nurse for more than 15 years, and says the job security is comforting in times like these.
"It's a very steady and rewarding career to be in,” said Dockery.
Re-invention, it seems, is possible at any age.
"Never too old to learn," said Dockery.
Demand for nursing positions is expected to rise in coming years. One man, in his 20’s, worked construction. The other, in his 40’s, worked in a factory. After losing their jobs, they chose careers in health care
.These days, Bryan Urgonski makes his rounds at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center’s intensive care unit.
His job is certainly “hands on,” much like his previous career.
But it’s fair to say the tools of the trade have changed.
“I just mixed the mortar, built the scaffold, take orders from the bricklayers if they needed something,” said Urgonski.
Even in his mid-20’s, Urgonski says working on a construction site took its toll.
“I was waking up in the morning, not only was my back hurting, my shoulders were hurting, my knees were hurting," he said.
Still, a job was a job – until it was no longer there. In 2005 he was laid off, and enrolled in a nursing program at IUSB.
Urgonski made the transition to nursing early on, if you compare his story to Wayne Dockery’s.
Dockery worked in a factory for most of his adult life. In his early 40’s he lost his job, and looked into nursing.
“I never pictured myself going into health care,” said Dockery. “When I started my classes, there were some of my classes, it was like taking a foreign language.”
He’s been working as a nurse for more than 15 years, and says the job security is comforting in times like these.
"It's a very steady and rewarding career to be in,” said Dockery.
Re-invention, it seems, is possible at any age.
"Never too old to learn," said Dockery.