Nursing Family Affair

May 2025 Article
Shared with permission from Steve Raymond, Effingham-Teutopolis News Report

Nurses are often the first person patients interact with, asking questions, giving shots, talking about treatments and checking vital signs.

They spend more time with their patients than anyone and form closer relationships with them.

They are leaders, innovators, educators, change makers, problem solvers, patient advocates, policy makers and so much more.

Nurses are, indeed, the backbone of the healthcare industry.

Its why National Nurses Week is celebrated each year. In 2025, it’s set for May 12-18.

This year’s theme – “The Power of Nurses” – emphasizes the significant impact nurses have on the healthcare system and the lives of patients.

HSHS St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital has valued the role of nursing since their ministry started 150 years ago. Today, the floors of that hospital are still full of female and male nurses that put the needs of their patients first and do so in a compassionate and professional manner.

Among that group are a mother and her two daughters, who not only cherish the family-type atmosphere that exists at the hospital but understand and accept the vital role they play in the well-being of their patients.

Laura Will has been a nurse at St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital for 38 years. Her two daughters – Dani McGuire and Lexi Will – are also part of the nursing staff. Dani has been at the hospital for 10 years and Lexi currently serves as an extern, while pursuing her nursing degree, with plans of joining the hospital full-time following graduation.

The family lives in rural Teutopolis. Laura and her husband, Tim, have six children – four daughters and two sons. Dani and her husband now live in Stewardson and are expecting their first child.

Laura, 59, graduated from Teutopolis High School in 1984 and obtained her nursing degree from St. John’s College of Nursing in 1987.

She said her Uncle Lloyd might have had some influence on her decision.

“He wanted his daughter to be a nurse, but she didn’t,” Laura recalled. “So, he told me to go be a nurse.

“I knew I wanted a job that would be around for a while,” Laura added. “That’s why I went into nursing. And I’m glad I did. I love it.”

Laura started at St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital in 1987. She’s always been in patient care – from orthopedics to medical/surgical care – and currently serves as a Charge Nurse on the fourth floor, a medical/surgical care unit. 

“I’m the organizer on the floor,” she explained. “I’m like a troubleshooter. If nurses have questions, I try to answer them.”

Dani graduated from THS in 2011. She got her associate’s nursing degree from Lake Land College in 2014 and her bachelor’s degree from Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville in 2018.

“Growing up, I wanted to go into accounting or radiology,” Dani noted. “But when I went through the Health Occupations class, that’s when I knew I wanted to go into the medical field.”

Dani, 31, started working at St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital in 2014. She started out on the medical-surgical care floor where she spent nearly eight years gaining experience and skills and then transforming into the nursing supervisor role which she currently holds. She describes this role as a "jack of all trades" assisting all hospital departments, not only nursing, with patients, staffing, problem solving and so much more. 

Lexi, 21, graduated from THS in 2022 and will graduate from Lake Land College in May with her associate’s degree in nursing. She then plans to attend SIU-E to earn her bachelor’s degree.

She initially thought about being a hand surgeon, “but then I realized how much schooling that required.”

She began at the hospital as a CNA (certified nurse assistant) but is now an extern. She works directly with a preceptor nurse, receiving on-the-job training and learning a variety of skills.

It was during her time as a CNA she confirmed the desire to be a nurse.

“I performed CPR on a patient and helped bring that person back to life,” Lexi said. “That was an impactful experience. It made a difference.”

For both Dani and Lexi, their mom served as a big influence on their career decisions. And working at the same hospital has proven to be quite an experience.

“After being here for 38 years, everyone knows my mom. If I make a mistake on charting, everybody is going to tell her,” Lexi joked. “It makes you step up your game, that’s for sure.” 

“You definitely have to show up for work and do your best,” Dani added. “Mom always pushed me to be a better nurse. All I know is, I sure would want a nurse taking care of my loved one like my mom does.”

Despite working at the same hospital, the threesome doesn’t always work at the same time. But when they do, it occasionally works for them to spend some time together.

“Mom makes soda runs,” Lexi said, followed by a laugh. “That’s how we bond at work.”

All three realize the important role nurses play.

“We are the backbone of the medical field,” Laura emphasized. “The doctors say what needs to be done and the nurses take care of it. Doctors can’t be there 24/7. We’re their eyes and ears. We’re also the patients’ advocate. We make sure they get heard.”

“A nurse not only takes care of the patient physically, but also mentally,” Dani added. “We make them feel safe.”

“What would happen if there were no nurses?” Lexi continued. “Look at what happened during COVID. The world can’t revolve without nurses.”

During the interview, the three women were asked several questions. One was – What do you like best about being a nurse?

“Seeing the different types of problems people come in with and then being able to use critical thinking to address those problems,” Dani quickly responded. “From giving antibiotics to treating a wound, we’re able to use a variety of skills.”

“Watching patients that are really sick; people that come in at their lowest and worst times,” Lexi added. “And then seeing them as a completely different person when they’re discharged. It makes you feel like you’re making a difference.”

“Every day is different,” Laura noted. “We follow the same routine, but it’s different patients with different needs. It’s never boring. Plus, I like being able to make a difference in somebody’s life. Even something as simple as giving a patient a warm blanket. It’s fulfilling.”

They also like the feeling of “family” among the staff.

“The staff is always there to help each other,” Lexi said. “The shifts go by faster when you have good people to work with.”

“It’s like my second home,” Dani added. “People always say ‘it’s good to see you.’ It’s a great work environment.”

“It’s like a big family,” Laura continued. “It’s not so big that you don’t know everybody. It’s also a faith-based organization, which I like. And everybody works well together.”

Always being open to learning something new and having a big heart are important traits for nurses to have, according to the three women.

And what about Dani and Lexi following in their mom’s footsteps?

“It makes me very proud,” Laura said. “It always makes me smile when I see them come around the corner. I just hope they love being a nurse as much as I do.”