Workforce Solutions Capital Area partners with many local healthcare employers to train and hire the workforce for this key local industry. One of our partners is St. David’s HealthCare. Brady Snowden is a newly licensed Registered Nurse at St. David’s who recently graduated from the Advanced Student Experience program with Austin Community College. Here is Brady’s story:
You don’t have to know how it will all play out; you just have to trust your heart which never commands any doubt.
I chose to become a nurse because my family, friends, and health mean more to me than any riches or material success. When I made this decision, the odds were against me, and time was slipping away. Yet, I felt a significant fire burning in my heart. This fire illuminated a deep sense of happiness and certainty, instilling in me an unshakeable belief that by going to school, becoming a student, and committing myself to this goal through the desire to be of service, everything would fall into place.
Nursing school wasn’t easy, as anyone who has been through it or known someone who has will tell you. But what was easy was getting up every day, attending class, and then opening the books to learn and understand.
The obstacles I faced felt like pictures in an art gallery, passing by me. The only time I faltered was due to my own anxiety, but these setbacks were few, and my journey always moved forward.
Early in nursing school, I met someone who would become my best friend. He was a nurse extern at St. David’s HealthCare. I was immediately fascinated by the prospect of working in healthcare while still in school. Following his example, I became a nurse extern and experienced the gift of working in the medical field while learning how to become a nurse. This role exposed me to a variety of practices and specialties, helping me discover the direction I wanted to take when choosing my specialty.
As I approached my final semester, I learned about the Advanced Student Experience (ASE) program offered by St. David’s HealthCare. ASE allowed me to interview, get hired, and complete my last semester’s clinical hours on the job. I was ecstatic.
After writing an essay and interviewing with the team, I was offered the opportunity to work alongside one of the most driven and supportive teams I have ever known. I can’t imagine what my career would look like without this opportunity. The clinical experience provided by my school, or any school, couldn’t compare to the quality and autonomy I gained as a fully integrated team member, thanks to ASE. The skills I practiced, the support and direction I received from the team, were unparalleled compared to my previous experiences in nursing school.
Without nursing school, my commitment, and my burning desire, none of this would have been possible. However, without the Advanced Student Experience, I wouldn’t carry the excitement, enthusiasm, and confidence I now possess from my ability.
As I approach the end of St. David’s HealthCare Transition to Practice/New Grad Orientation, as an officially licensed RN, I can honestly say that today I feel what it is like to stand on my own feet. If it were not for the Advanced Student Experience, even with my desire and dedication, I cannot imagine feeling as confident and ready to begin the rest of my career as today I am being a new RN.
St. David’s HealthCare is a member of the Central Texas Healthcare Partnership. The partnership was founded in early 2018 under the leadership of three Central Texas healthcare industry leaders: Baylor Scott & White Health, Ascension Seton, and St. David’s HealthCare. Learn more about how the CTHP is leading workforce development in the Central Texas healthcare industry.
