Katie Fincher began her nursing career as an RN on a cardiac SDU (Step Down Unit). After eight years and the birth of her third child, she decided to become a stay-at-home mom. It was another eight years before she decided to go back into the nursing field. “After being away from nursing for an extended period of time, I knew I needed to update my knowledge and skills prior to applying for any jobs,” said Katie. “I took the RN refresher course through Southern Regional AHEC, which included a clinical rotation at WAMC [Womack Army Medical Center] at Fort Bragg.”

Katie remembered how that particular rotation gave her the skills and confidence to return full-time to the workforce. “Shortly after completing my refresher course, I interviewed for a pre-admission nurse position for long-term acute care at Highsmith Rainey,” she recalled. During her interview, she was asked about what she had done in the past eight years to update her nursing skills. Thanks to Southern Regional AHEC, Katie was able respond that she had recently completed the RN refresher course. “The interview went well, and I got a call from Highsmith’s Human Resources about two days later, offering me the position.”

Katie firmly believes that if she hadn’t taken the RN refresher course through Southern Regional AHEC, she would not have been chosen for the position. “Sherri Eubanks [Director of Southern Regional AHEC Nursing Continuing Education] was wonderful to work with, and she guided me through the entire process,” added Katie. “I have been working for Highsmith Rainey for the past five years, and I also now work part-time as a CNA instructor at Fayetteville Technical Community College. I am truly thankful to Southern Regional AHEC for providing the RN refresher course and the employment opportunities that the course has helped me achieve.”