Rachel's Story

Rachel Westbrook
Registered Nurse, Emergency - HSHS St. John’s Hospital (Springfield, Illinois)

What makes someone abandon CDC and epidemiology plans to stay in emergency nursing for 12 years?

For Rachel, clinical rotations at HSHS revealed something unexpected: an adrenaline-fueled environment where physicians love to teach, hallmates always have your back and colleagues become family who vacation together and share life's biggest moments.

Using tuition reimbursement that eliminated the need for student loans, Rachel discovered that HSHS taught her 90% of what she uses in practice, far beyond what nursing school could offer. Through the residency program and continuous learning on every shift, she found not a backup plan, but home.