Minot State University
05/10/2024 | News release | Distributed by Public on 05/10/2024 12:34
SENIOR SPOTLIGHT: Minot State’s next generation of nurses at Trinity Health
By Veronica Corey
Communications and Marketing Specialist
MINOT, N.D. - Minot State University seniors Madison Bergrude, Hailee Fletcher, and Keegan Henjum have many things in common.
The three Minot natives have all majored in nursing, have been inspired by family members who are also nurses, and are excited to begin their new chapter at Trinity Health. Bergrude will be working in her dream department, the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), while long-time family friends Fletcher and Henjum will be working in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
"I chose Trinity Health because of the great experiences I had during my clinicals for school," Bergrude said. "I especially loved the NICU and NICU staff at Trinity and knew it would be a great place to work."
Fletcher and Henjum are looking forward to advancing their knowledge with the variety of specialized services, and the opportunities that come with them.
"I chose Trinity Health because they have a large service region, serving a large portion of Northwest North Dakota and some parts of Eastern Montana. I knew that I would have the opportunity to learn and advance my career as far as I would like with the support and instruction of my peers at Trinity," Fletcher said. "There are many opportunities that drew me to Trinity Health, such as the First Response Wings Academy, which chooses stand-out nurses to train to be flight nurses.
"It is also often difficult to be a new graduate nurse entering the field in a specialty such as the ICU, NICU, or the OR, but Trinity Health is welcoming to new graduate nurses in specialty areas. This was a huge reason why I wanted to stay in my hometown and work for Trinity!"
"Trinity Health is a level 2 trauma center with many specialized services. The ICU at Trinity offers a wide range of critical nursing opportunities," Henjum added. "This will help me develop as a critical care nurse while providing great experiences with many different patient conditions."
Choosing nursing as a major was easy for the MSU seniors because it is in their blood. The trio share their love of nursing with their mothers, each having 20-plus years of nursing experience, and they were ready to follow in their footsteps.
"I am a second-generation nursing graduate, with my mom graduating from MSU's nursing program in 2002," Henjum said. "She worked in the ICU until 2008 and then attended graduate school at UND (University of North Dakota), graduated in 2010 with her CRNA, and has been working ever since at Trinity.
"My mom has been a NICU nurse for 22 years, so I have grown up always wanting to be a NICU nurse just like her," Bergrude said. "I have learned so much from my mom and preceptors, Tia Blanchard and Toni Dittus, in the NICU over the past year, and I am so excited to work with them and continue learning from them."
"My mom, Erica Jundt-Erck, and my grandmother, Elaine Jundt, are both nurses, so they are the biggest influences on me going into nursing," Fletcher said. "My mother worked at Trinity for 20 years and held positions in the medical unit, intensive care unit, cath lab, flight nurse, and in the clinical excellence and patient safety department as the cardiac coordinator. My grandmother worked at St. Joe's for many, many years as the House Supervisor. I hope to follow in the footsteps of my mother as an ICU nurse and, one day, a flight nurse.
"What solidified my choice in nursing was working on the COVID unit during the 2020 pandemic, and seeing what an impact nurses can make in an individual's life."
The newest Trinity Health nurses all agree that the experience they gained while attending Minot State was exactly what they needed to get ready for their careers. The confident MSU seniors feel prepared to join Trinity Health while continuing to nurture their skills.
"Minot State combines several learning modalities to assist in developing knowledge, skills, and the confidence needed to provide safe and effective care. This included learning opportunities in the classroom, in the simulation lab, and in the clinical setting," Henjum said. "The end result is a graduate nurse ready to provide high-quality nursing care."
"These experiences, paired with the many clinical hours, have helped to prepare me for my new role," Fletcher said. "I still have a lot to learn, but I know that the nursing instructors at MSU have done everything they could to prepare me!"
About Minot State University
Minot State University is a public university dedicated to excellence in education, scholarship, and community engagement achieved through rigorous academic experiences, active learning environments, commitment to public service, and a vibrant campus life.
Published: 05/10/24