Meet Our October Spotlight: Nick Locke, MSN-NP
Nicholas Locke, NP graduated from the Practical Nursing program at Bolivar Technical College in 2011, then bridged to RN and graduated in 2013. He has gone on to do some exciting things in the healthcare field and even helped arrange a wedding in the hospital for his patients. Let’s dive into our interview and hear more about Nicholas and what fuels his love for emergency medicine.
Q: Have you pursued additional education or certifications since graduating? If so, how have they enhanced your nursing practice and career prospects?
Nicholas: Yes. I have obtained my MSN, FNP and currently work as a Nurse Practitioner as a hospitalist.
Q: How has your nursing career progressed since you graduated? What positions have you held and what are your current responsibilities?
Nicholas: Most of my career was in the ER at CMH and Mercy Springfield. I was a clinical supervisor for the last 4 years prior to obtaining my FNP and worked a year as a NP in the ER before moving on to work at Select Specialty Hospital as a hospitalist NP.
Q: What influenced your decision to pursue a career in nursing?
Nicholas: I went into nursing because I knew I wanted to take care of people the same way the nurses took care of my grandparents while they were in the hospital after their open-heart surgeries when I was in high school. I wanted to provide emergency care to patients across their lifespan. 
Q: Are there any particular moments or experiences in your nursing career that have stood out to you or shaped your professional growth?
Nicholas: There are too many to recount them all! I remember my first night on my own as a nurse in the ER, having a young child code and placing my first IO and realizing the grit I was in for. It was the first of many codes I would take care of in children.
Q: Can you share an especially memorable time caring for a patient?
Nicholas: One of the most profound experiences that I can recall is helping arrange a wedding for a couple when their family was sick and had to be admitted. They were going to miss their kid’s wedding, so I set it up where they could get married in the lobby of the hospital and made sure the family could all attend.
Q: How is working as a nurse different from what, as a student, you expected nursing to be?
Nicholas: As a student, you have someone there to lean on. Most of the time, you have that as a nurse too. As a nurse though, especially the more seasoned you become, you become that person that people lean on. And the amount of grit you have to have as a student to make it through nursing school only intensifies as a nurse.
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?
Nicholas: Emergency medicine. It was always my calling. I love the unexpected. The one challenge is that many people think we become cold and distant as ER nurses, but really, it’s just how we cope and move on to the next patient.
Q: How have you seen the nursing profession evolve since you graduated? Are there any significant changes or trends that you find particularly noteworthy?
Nicholas: Everything has changed since I graduated, especially since Covid. We are expected to do more with less, but still provide the same quality. Nurses are resilient and continue to evolve and do great things.
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?
Nicholas: Focus on doing a good assessment and knowing what is normal and what isn’t. Medications are the easiest way to hurt your patient, so make sure you know your medications. Pharmacology is important!
Q: What would you tell someone today that is trying to decide whether to go into the nursing field or not?
Nicholas: It’s a rewarding field to work in, but you have to have the grit to do it. It’s not easy, but it can be the most rewarding career. Treat every person you care for as if they were your own family member, no matter the situation. Good or bad, people are people.
Q: Have you set any personal or professional goals for yourself within the nursing field? How do you plan to achieve them?
Nicholas: Someday I would like to open my own clinic to provide care to a rural community. Once my kids are grown, and I’m able to focus on that goal, I’ll make it happen. I continually keep myself updated on the most current education out there and try to be open-minded with any new information.
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?
Nicholas: We have a small hobby farm and have several horses. I love to spend time with my family and watch my kids grow and enjoy the things that I did growing up.
Thanks to Nicholas for sharing his valuable insights and experiences as a Nurse Practitioner. We wish him continued success in his career and personal endeavors. 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 email Haleigh at hgray@bolivarcollege.edu with the subject line “Alumni Spotlight”.