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Julianne Lambeth, RN was inspired to become a nurse by those who cared for her mother through cancer treatment. But she didn’t learn to think like a nurse until she attended the Associate of Applied Science in Nursing program at the �鶹ӰԺ Twinsburg Academic Center (TAC).

Lambeth recalls, “My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, and the nurses that we saw each week impacted our lives so much during her treatment, they truly inspired me to do the same for others. So I changed my major to nursing.” 

At the time, Lambeth was set on becoming a dental hygienist. She had completed all of her general studies and was about to launch into her Dental Hygiene major when she switched to nursing. Contributing to her decision was the example provided by her father, also a nurse who graduated from �鶹ӰԺ. “Seeing his success in life really pushed me over to decide to become a nurse,” Lambeth says.

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As soon as she entered the nursing program, she knew she had found not only her calling but also the best environment to learn.

“All of my nursing professors made it their priority to challenge, yet guide us. However, one nursing professor — Dawn Stokes — truly taught me to be a nurse. She taught me how to 'think like a nurse.’ Nursing is never back and white. There are always gray areas, as each patient is different. Professor Stokes helped me gain the critical thinking skills that I needed to successfully be a nurse.” 

Thinking like a nurse is vital during the COVID-19 pandemic, Lambeth shares. “As a nurse, you always have to be questioning and assessing situations. With COVID, every patient that we come in contact with we have to consider COVID a possibility. So we practice safe nursing care, utilizing our N95 mask and eye protection with all patient contact. We also have to look for signs that we may have a positive patient.” 

As a nursing student, Lambeth also appreciated the schedule flexibility available at the TAC. A busy mother of four, Lambeth took advantage of the many options available for taking nursing courses during the daytime, evening or weekends.

On the whole, “I was drawn to �鶹ӰԺ State Twinsburg because �鶹ӰԺ is known for their incredible nursing program,” Lambeth further explains. “Receiving your degree from �鶹ӰԺ State really does give you a leg up during the interview process. I liked the regional campus because of the small feel of the campus and the individual academic attention I received.”

After graduating with her ADN (Associate of Applied Science degree in Nursing) in 2018, Lambeth started her nursing career at Akron-City Hospital Summa in a telemetry nursing unit. Now, she works as a Registered Nurse on the mother-baby unit at Summa.

Despite the need to take extreme protective measures at work during the ongoing pandemic, Lambeth reports that “making a difference” is the most rewarding aspect of her career.

“We see patients at the most vulnerable times in their lives. Being their nurse and seeing them through their journey is truly a privilege.“