Samantha Armstrong, RN, CMSRN, Clin III, a labor and delivery nurse at Bon Secours Mary Immaculate Hospital, first knew she wanted to go into nursing because of her high school nurse.
“I was raised in a military family, so I’ve lived all over,” she recalls. “While attending high school in Landstuhl, Germany, I developed a close relationship with my school nurse. I was always in awe of the care and experience she provided. She was knowledgeable, compassionate and kind.
Samantha continues, “aside from being the school nurse, she taught an elective health sciences course for seniors, which allowed them to test for a certified nursing assistant (CNA) license after completion of the class. I was a sophomore, going into my junior year and I begged and begged her to let me take her class. I had to write a letter to the principal and get special permission to take the course as a junior. Thankfully, they allowed it!”
For the course, Samantha spent weekends volunteering at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center on the U.S. Military base in Germany. She worked the trauma unit, taking care of soldiers that were injured in combat.
“That is really when I fell in love with caring for others,” she says. “I have a special love and appreciation for our military and veterans, and it was an honor to care for those who put their lives on the line for us.”
Samantha went on to obtain her CNA license at the age of 16 and worked as one until she graduated from nursing school 10 years ago. She’s been a nurse within our ministry for the past seven years.
“While I have worked for other health systems in the area, I feel that Bon Secours truly aligns with my personal values,” Samantha shares. “Integrity, compassion, human dignity, stewardship and service are the foundations of the care I provide to my patients. I always strive to provide good help to those in need.”
Samantha finds it the most rewarding to be there for patients and their families, even during some of the most difficult and challenging times in their lives.
“I get to come to work and connect with people on a personal level,” she explains. “I have cried with my patients during hard times, and I have laughed and celebrated them as well. I have helped bring new life into this world and I have held the hands of people as they’ve taken their last breath. I have been so blessed to experience the circle of life firsthand, and for that I am so grateful.”
When she’s not caring for patients and their families, Samantha enjoys baking – for herself, and for the people in her life.
“My passion for baking also started when I was in high school,” she recalls. “Our house in Germany was only a few blocks over from a bakery. My brother and I use to walk there to get fresh bread and pastries in the morning before we caught the bus to school. I used to spend hours and hours watching baking shows and trying to recreate different things.”
She adds, “baking is my calm. It’s something that I love to do. It allows me to turn on my creativity switch. It gives me the opportunity to clear my head and de-stress. It also fills my cup, as I love to bake for others.”
May is National Nurses Month. To all our nurses, we thank you for the excellent care you provide our patients every day! Read more of our nurses’ stories to celebrate.
Also, if you’re a nurse or a health care professional, we invite you to explore and pursue a career with us.
