Career in Transition: A Teacher Chooses Career in Health Care

Elizabeth Bauman, CNA, M.Ed, a Language Arts and Science teacher from Florida, taught grades six through eight for more than 11 years. By then, Elizabeth was burned out — she was feeling less like a teacher and more like an administrator — getting bogged down in paperwork, instead of spending her time teaching.

She needed to make a career change. She craved feeling fulfilled, as she did when she was a young teacher. Nursing made sense to her. “I grew up around nursing,” said Elizabeth. “My mom was a nurse; my sister is a nurse — it runs in the family! I like taking care of people; I have a big heart.”

Making the Switch to Nursing

“When you’re a teacher, it’s like being an extra parent to the kids. I helped raise more than 1,500 kids! I’m used to taking care of people. Changing my career to nursing felt like a natural transition for me — you take care of people in health care, too.”

In November 2022, Elizabeth began her new career as a patient care assistant at Chelsea Hospital. It’s a role she cherishes because she knows she’s making a difference.

“Basically, I help the nurses by keeping patients clean, taking vitals, doing blood pressure checks — the things nurses don’t have time to do,” said Elizabeth. “I help patients order their meals and I even transport them, if that’s needed.

“I love my job. I’m the only full-time float pool person. I can work in any unit, except the operating room. It gives me good exposure. I’ll have my LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse) license in May of 2024!”

A Vision for the Future

Changing careers wasn’t easy. Elizabeth worked full time while she was taking classes to become a certified nursing assistant.

“It was really tough,” said Elizabeth. “I tried to keep good grades. I just got approved for tuition reimbursement at Chelsea Hospital. I’m working toward my LPN right now, then I plan to do the Bridge Program to get my RN license (registered nurse).”

Elizabeth is one of the many Trinity Health Michigan colleagues who are benefiting from generous employer-based tuition reimbursement programs. The organization has committed itself to supporting the education and professional growth of all colleagues. (Read about tuition reimbursement benefits.)

“Chelsea Hospital works with my schooling schedule extremely well,” said Elizabeth. “It’s hard work. My mom was an LPN, then she got her RN when she was 40. If my mom could do it, then I can do it too.”

Feeling Fulfilled

“I love that I get to interact with everyone — families, patients, nurses, and doctors,” said Elizabeth. “Chelsea is like a big family! I love everybody I work with. We all help each other out. I hope I can work at Chelsea Hospital for the rest of my career.”

If you’re interested in making a career change, visit Trinity Health Michigan.