A life-altering diagnosis leads to a new vocation

Patty Kershaw, MSN, RN, is fulfilling a dream by teaching at her alma mater, Olivet Nazarene University, Bourbonnais, IL, as an assistant professor of nursing. But that's not what makes her an epitome of all it means to be a nurse.

After being diagnosed with lupus in 1993, her life and her career in the ICU took unexpected turns. Not one to let a change of plans deter her passion, Kershaw turned to her faith to guide her through the challenges and found a new love - teaching.

Would you feel comfortable talking about your diagnosis and the resulting change in your career path?

I would love to, because for me it was a faith journey. When I was diagnosed with lupus, I was afraid because it wasn't a disease process I understood; it wasn't something palpable where we could run some lab tests and know what was needed. That was very challenging for me. I was already a Christian, and it came to a new point of surrender. I've had a wonderful life, and the gratefulness and the love started to overpower the fear.

Would you explain the physical manifestations of lupus?

I will try. It is a multisystem, chronic condition, and it manifests itself in many ways. Some folks end up with renal failure; it can affect your brain [and] it can affect your heart, and in my case it did, but that is managed now. I liked my job so much, but the adrenaline of working in the ICU created a constant stress that would keep the lupus flared, and it would be difficult to control. So I was home for 4 months, begging [the doctor] all the time [to let me work], until finally he released me to light duty. I realized God was changing my path; I was not going to forever be an ICU nurse.

How did you decide where the path would take you?

The vice president of nursing [at the hospital where I worked] was starting a parish nurse ministry and wanted me to run it, but it still had to be approved by the board. In the meantime, I was able to start an outpatient diabetes clinic, an asthma camp for kids, which was so much fun, and a diabetes camp. I got to work in ways you don't normally get to work in the hospital setting, [such as] finding community partners to help financially with the camps. It was an exciting time, and gave me a lot of confidence and practice in starting something new. So, when the parish nursing program was approved, I was ready.

It sounds like these weren't positions you would have considered before.

At first, I grieved when I couldn't be at the bedside É [but] the parish nurse ministry was probably the most fun project I was chosen to do. I got to do this in conjunction with the university I loved, Olivet, and work closely with people I admired to come up with an educational package that was approved as a curriculum. I taught parish nursing until December 2002, and taught as an adjunct. I had a desire, from the early 1990s, to come back and work at Olivet teaching nursing, so it was a real dream come true that 10 years down the road I was able to do that. I've been at Olivet for several years full time.

How are you enjoying teaching?

I had actually started teaching CPR with the American Heart Association, and also became certified with the Arthritis Foundation to teach people self-care for arthritis and fibromyalgia, and diabetes is all about teaching. You're teaching lifestyle changes, so it's very delicate. You have to say the right words at the right time to really help somebody, to be a life counselor, which is really what you are in parish nursing, diabetes education and asthma education.

Working with students is really neat. I just love young adults; I enjoy the way they think, I enjoy spending time with them and I love teaching them. What I like best is presenting information in such a way that, at one point or another, they own it. I love empowering people; it is rewarding to see people reach their dreams, to be a witness to God working in other people's lives. I feel like I get to see this happen and it's amazing to me.