IN THE face of adversity, pushing forward is a testament to resilience and strength. During tough times, we discover the depths of our character and capacity for growth. Each obstacle presents an opportunity for learning and transformation. It may feel overwhelming, but we cultivate courage and determination by embracing challenges. We find solace in knowing that setbacks are temporary, and they fuel our drive to overcome them. With every step forward, we gain valuable insights and develop the skills needed to navigate future hardships. Pushing forward requires perseverance, leading us to greater wisdom, personal growth, and success.
Bethany Weatherspoon knows well the act of pushing through difficult situations. From her journey in nursing to the unexpected passing of her husband, Andy, she has dug deep into herself, her family, and her faith and has come out on the other side. Today, she is stronger for her trials, using them to be the best human, mother, and nurse.
Weatherspoon’s aspirations to enter the healthcare field came after losing several family members and feeling led to help people.
“I understood that God still wanted me to help people,” she said. “I decided that I wanted to become a nurse after seeing the deaths of several members of my family. This would allow me to provide the most satisfying care for patients.”
Pursuing her career as a registered nurse (RN), she would come to understand that it was more than just donning a pair of scrubs and administering medicine. Her journey would lead her to achieve and overcome more than she could have imagined. Starting as a Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) in 2004, she became a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) in 2005 while attending Tennessee College of Applied Technology in Shelbyville. After working a year on the medical-surgical/progressive care unit floor for a year, she became a cardiology nurse.
“I have been in that role since the end of 2006,” explained Weatherspoon. “During that time, I have performed several roles and grown in education and experience in these different roles. However, during this time of growth, I was also diagnosed with Renal Cell Carcinoma. I have been in remission since 2018.”
Her battle with cancer led her to delve further into medicine. It would also help guide her through an unexpected and devastating time in her life.
“It’s what stirred me up to go back and get more education,” she said. “I bridged from an LPN to an RN in 2021 at Motlow. In the last semester, my husband, Andy, suffered a dissection of his aorta and died suddenly. This only pushed me further to do more in the medical profession.”
She is currently working on her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at the University of Tennessee Knoxville and plans to become a nurse practitioner.
With all the adversity she has faced in her career, Weatherspoon said it has been a humbling journey.
“Over the past 17 years, I’ve experienced an amazing shift in my perspective on nursing,” she said. “I continue to be humbled. Losing my husband changed my entire profession. Now, in addition to doing everything in my power to assist the patient, I also remember the terrified family member seated in the chair next to them. I continue to achieve things daily that I thought I would never do. My biggest achievement would be making it through LPN and RN school during Andy’s death. This all while working full time and raising two very active boys. The biggest challenge I think I have faced is working in the specialty, which was the cause of Andy’s death. It’s hard some days when the patients come through and have suffered the same condition.”
Weatherspoon added that she is dedicated to “ensuring that everyone receives top-notch treatment” when it comes to her patients.
With almost two decades of experience under her belt, Weatherspoon understands that helping people far outweighs the demands of the job.
“It’s not a simple job,” she said. “It’s not a person going to work in patient care while wearing cute scrubs. It’s someone who will make every effort to serve a patient to get them the best care. Despite the fact that they don’t always receive the credit they deserve, nurses still show up and take care of their patients’ needs. Also, trauma can change your life. It puts you in a position where you choose to keep pushing forward or stop your life. You make that decision. I am glad for the sake of my patients and my kids, I chose to push forward.” GN
