Meet our November Alumni Spotlight: Jessalyn Cartwright, RN
Jessalyn Cartwright’s nursing journey began with a simple desire to care for others and has since evolved into a fulfilling career rooted in compassion and growth. A BTC graduate of both the LPN (2021) and RN (2024) programs, she now thrives in neurology and medical-surgical nursing, where every day brings new challenges and meaningful connections with patients.
Q: What influenced your decision to pursue a career in nursing?
Jessalyn: I wanted to be a nurse to have the opportunity to care for and help people. It’s the opportunity to be a light for people in a dark time.
Q: How has your nursing career progressed since you graduated? What positions have you held, what was your favorite and why? And what are your responsibilities in your current position?
Jessalyn: I originally started out as an LPN and later went on to get my ASN. I have been a neurology med surg and stepdown nurse the entirety of my career and I love it.
Q: Have you specialized in any specific area of nursing? If so, what drew you to that specialization, and what are the unique challenges and rewards it has brought?
Jessalyn: I work with some of the more difficult patients due to behavioral issues and complex medical conditions that contribute to many of the issues I see patients with. Neurology and medical surgical provide a wide range of medical issues, so no day is ever the same.
Q: Are there any particular moments or experiences in your nursing career that have stood out to you or shaped your professional growth?
Jessalyn: I’ve had more memorable moments than not in my line of work. From holding patients’ hands as they’ve passed, to helping patients who may not have a place to go each day, my patients have helped shape me as a nurse and as a person.
Q: Can you share an especially memorable time caring for a patient and why that sticks with you?
Jessalyn: My personal most memorable experience as a nurse was when I helped a patient who was nearly homeless get cleaned up to go to a job interview after being discharged. It didn’t take me long, maybe 20 minutes of helping cut the patient’s hair and talking with him, to help him feel confident about himself. I encouraged him to seek out counseling and try to work towards sobriety. Many months later he brought a letter into my work telling me he got the job, he got sober, and the time I took to talk with him made him feel like a real person again and like he could reach his goals.
Q: How is working as a nurse different from what, as a student, you expected nursing to be?
Jessalyn: Being a nurse is hard, not just physically, but it can be hard emotionally. But being a nurse also has given me the opportunity to learn so much that hard things don’t seem as hard.
Q: Have you pursued additional education or certifications since graduating? If so, why did you pursue it and how has it enhanced your nursing practice and career prospects?
Jessalyn: I am currently completing my BSN with Missouri State University.
Q: Have you set any personal or professional goals for yourself within the nursing field? How do you plan to achieve them?
Jessalyn: My goal is to continue my education to get my master’s in nursing education so I can help other students learn to be a nurse like many of my teachers had. Without the way my teachers had taught me to be a nurse either through compassion and encouragement (Mrs. Mortenson) or through breaking things down so I could help pass the information on to my patients (Mr. and Mrs. Mock) those professors taking the time to be passionate about their teaching made better nurses out of everyone they taught.
Q: How have you seen the nursing profession evolve since you graduated? Are there any significant changes or trends that you find particularly noteworthy?
Jessalyn: Nursing changes every day. Either through new medication or practices, or just change within the profession.
Q: What is your favorite way to spend free time when you are not working as a nurse? Any special ways to de-stress? Fun hobbies to help unwind?
Jessalyn: My favorite thing to do in my free time is to spend time with my family and my kids. If I’m not spending time with my family, I’m often outside working on our hobby farm or fishing.
Q: What’s one memory you have from nursing school that sticks with you today?
Jessalyn: I have so many, but the one that stands out the most isn’t just one memory it’s a series of encouraging stories and moments Mrs. Mortenson provided through both my programs that helped remind every student our job as a nurse is to help others and provide comfort both physically and emotionally. Her words have stuck with me now almost 5 years later and helped shape me into a better nurse.
Q: Are there any skills or knowledge areas that you believe BTC’s nursing programs should focus on to better prepare future graduates for the realities of nursing practice?
Jessalyn: No, I feel like the programs gave me the best opportunity to be a nurse, skills wise and knowledge. I am often told by other nurses and management that BTC students are more prepared than any other school.
Q: What advice would you give to current nursing students who are about to embark on their career path? Are there any key lessons or insights that you wish you had known when you were starting out?
Jessalyn: If I can give any nursing student any advice, it’s always to ask questions whether you know the answer or not. Asking questions can help you better understand something, which helps you better your future as a nurse.
Q: What would you tell someone today that is trying to decide whether to go in to the nursing field or not?
Jessalyn: If caring about other people is something you want to do for the rest of your life, this is the job for you. If you like learning or teaching others, there is no other profession. It may seem like the programs take a long time, but it will go by faster than you can imagine and then you will be left with a lifetime career.
Jessalyn’s story reflects the heart of nursing: compassion, perseverance, and a lifelong commitment to learning. From student to seasoned nurse, she continues to inspire others by embodying the same empathy and dedication that first drew her to the profession.
If you would like to share your story about any of our programs or would like to tell us what you’ve been up to since graduating, we would love to hear it! Just complete the questionnaire and send us a photo of yourself.