NURSES ARE vital to our communities. Often serving on the front line of health care, they are compassionate, composed, knowledgeable, and work tirelessly to build strong relationships while taking the very best care of their patients.
From big cities to rural areas, they are trusted members of the community. They have a deep understanding of the community’s unique health needs, which enables them to spot early signs of illnesses and promote wellness through outreach and education. Nurses also ensure continuity of care and emotional support. Their presence strengthens a community’s overall well-being, resilience, and trust in the health care system, making them indispensable pillars of local health.
Julie Higgins knows all too well the importance of nurses and their role in the community. Born and raised in Fayetteville, she watched her mother, Wilma Putman, work as a nurse in the community.
“She worked at the hospital in Columbia and with home health. She worked in Donalson and finished her career in the nursing home field,” said Higgins.
Higgins said she had always been proud of her mother’s profession, which inspired her to choose a career as a teacher centered on caring for others.
“I always wanted to be a teacher and grew up babysitting,” she said. “It was also an ideal career path for raising kids. But along with teaching, I had always been interested in nursing.”
While Higgins would go on to enjoy a successful career in teaching, she would continue to be connected to the nursing profession.
“I was always interested in nursing,” she said. “My father spent some time in the hospital before he passed away, and of course, nurses were there to take great care of him. Also, when I had my children, nurses were there long after their shifts to see that my babies were safely delivered. I have the best memories of nurses helping me at different times in my life.”
After a successful 31-year career in teaching, Higgins began to think about her next chapter in life. Both her daughter, Morgan, and son, Sloan, were pursuing careers as nurses. Drawing inspiration from them and her mother, she decided it was time to pursue her long-time love of nursing.
She knew the journey wouldn’t be easy, but she also knew her love of the profession would help her reach her goal of becoming a nurse.
“I was in my 50s when I went back to nursing school, said Higgins. “Both my children are nurses. Seeing them do it, I thought if I’m going to do something different, I’d better do it now. So, I started. I started taking classes just to see if I could do it.”
Enrolled at the University of Alabama-Huntsville (UAH), she began classes. She would find lots of help from her children and also some of her past students, incidentally.
“I’m sitting in class and they’re calling roll on the first day,” she said. “They call the name of Caroline Mills, and I think to myself that I remember teaching a Caroline Mills. Sure enough, it was her, and we ended up going through nursing school together.”
Higgins said her children and former students, such as Mills, gave her the support and help she needed to succeed in school.
“They offered so much guidance and answered countless questions, especially since they had already been through the nursing program at UAH,” she said. “I definitely couldn’t have done it without them. And of course, when I decided to go back, I absolutely couldn’t have done it without the love and support of my family.”
In May this year, Higgins took all that hard work and officially began her career at Lincoln Medical Center. For Higgins, it marks the completion of a full circle — after many years of receiving care at the hospital for herself and her family, she now has the opportunity to give back by working there.
She works in medical-surgical (med-surg), helping patients daily. She said she is living her dream of helping others and is thankful for those helping her get into the swing of things.
“I’m currently working on the med-surg floor, caring for patients, and I’m incredibly grateful to Shana Jennings for hiring me and allowing me to work at our hospital,” said Higgins. “I’m also thankful to Claudia Cunningham, who is guiding me through orientation — I’m about halfway through now. Claudia has been a wonderful teacher and mentor. Everyone at the hospital, across all departments, has been so welcoming and friendly. It’s truly been an amazing experience.”
As she continues on her new journey, Higgins said that she is learning that caring for others is so much bigger than what meets the eye. Both require a lifetime of dedication to one’s community, but it is also a dedication that Higgins is proud to make. Caring for others is her life’s work.
“I’m learning every day that teaching and nursing are very similar professions,” she explained. “It is so much more than teaching a student or caring for a patient. It involves providing knowledge, skills, love, and support to families as well as the student and/or patient. I look forward to learning and growing as a nurse so I can become the best nurse possible. I am very excited about the future.” GN
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