Meet our August Alumni Spotlight: Peter Farrell, RN
We recently had the opportunity to catch up with Peter Farrell, an RN who graduated from Bolivar Technical College in 2015. Peter has been in some adventurous roles as a nurse and can shed light on some different opportunities you might not think about. Let’s dive into our interview!
Q: How has your nursing career progressed since you graduated? What positions have you held and what are your current responsibilities?
Peter: In the past, I’ve been an ER nurse, a Nurse Educator for CVS Pharmacy, a Covid Compliance Officer and Department Head for Warner Brothers Studios. Currently, I’m a nurse in First Aid at Disneyland and I’m a corrections nurse in the Los Angeles city jails.
Q: What influenced your decision to pursue a career in nursing?
Peter: I wanted a steady job that made a difference.
Q: Are there any particular moments or experiences in your nursing career that have stood out to you or shaped your professional growth?
Peter: Anytime we had a full arrest in the ER and we were able to bring them back to life is particularly memorable. That was always a good feeling.
Q: Can you share an especially memorable time caring for a patient?
Peter: At Disneyland, we have a lot of special needs guests. They truly appreciate being at the park and don’t take it for granted. I love interacting with them and seeing their faces light up.
Q: How is working as a nurse different from what, as a student, you expected nursing to be?
Peter: The hours are long, the work can be thankless and often times the hospital doesn’t appreciate nurses as much as it should. You have to do the work because you want to, not because you need the recognition.
Q: How have you seen the nursing profession evolve since you graduated? Are there any significant changes or trends that you find particularly noteworthy?
Peter: I was a nurse pre-Covid and after and there are so many changes since that significant time, especially with travel nursing. I took some travel nursing gigs in Hawaii and San Diego. Covid changed nursing forever and lots of nurses didn’t make it through.
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?
Peter: Don’t stay in one place. Work in different fields and in different hospitals until you find one you love. You may think you want to work in one area, but you never know until you experience different areas. Take travel assignments if possible because it is a great experience.
Q: What would you tell someone today that is trying to decide whether to go into the nursing field or not?
Peter: It’s the best decision I’ve made in my professional career. You can work anywhere in the world, and there are countless nursing fields in which to work.
Q: Have you set any personal or professional goals for yourself within the nursing field? How do you plan to achieve them?
Peter: I’m meeting my goals by accepting new opportunities in different states, making more money and getting new work opportunities.
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?
Peter: I do Jiu Jitsu, sculpture and woodworking.
Thanks to Peter Farrell for sharing his valuable insights and experiences as an RN. We wish him continued success in his career and personal endeavors. If you would like to share your own stories about how your patients have impacted you in your healthcare experience or would like to share with your fellow alumni what you’ve been up to since graduating, we would love to hear it! Email Haleigh, hgray@bolivarcollege.edu, with the subject line “Alumni Spotlight”.