Meet our September Spotlight: Angel Seufert, BSN, RN
Angel Seufert, a compassionate nurse, embarked on a journey from LPN to RN, specializing in psychiatry, where she discovered the diverse shades of patient care, profound rewards, and groundbreaking advancements in the nursing profession, all while cherishing her family and finding serenity in the great outdoors. Angel graduated the Practical Nursing program at Bolivar Technical College in 2013, then returned for the RN Bridge program and graduated in 2017.
Let’s dive into our interview!
Q: Have you pursued additional education or certifications since graduating? If so, how have they enhanced your nursing practice and career prospects?
Angel: I received my BSN in 2020 through WGU. After receiving this degree, I was able to retain a position as Nurse Educator for the department I worked in at the time. The classes I took at WGU for my BSN enhanced my research capabilities and also afforded me a higher wage.
Q: How has your nursing career progressed since you graduated? What positions have you held and what are your current responsibilities?
Angel: After graduating in 2013, I worked as a charge nurse and occasionally interim Director of Nursing at the Long Term Care facility I worked at. After graduating with my RN in 2017, I changed careers to inpatient psych at Parkview Geriatric Wellness, where I stayed for the next 5 years. While working on the unit, I was charge nurse, nurse educator, and intake coordinator. 
Q: What influenced your decision to pursue a career in nursing?
Angel: My sister, Nancy, influenced my decision to become a nurse. She taught the LPN program at BTC while I attended, and I can tell you I would not be the nurse I am today without her. She is the best nurse I have ever met. I also took health sciences in high school here in Bolivar and Mrs. Janzakovich’s passion for nursing and healthcare really made me love it.
Q: Are there any particular moments or experiences in your nursing career that have stood out to you or shaped your professional growth?
Angel: There are a lot of moments that have shaped my professional growth. The biggest moment that impacted me was when I started working in Parkview Geriatric Wellness. Over 5 years, I think the patients gave me more than I ever gave them. Some patients taught me how to be more humble or to be a better listener. I have for sure become more compassionate since working in psych.
Q: Can you share an especially memorable time caring for a patient?
Angel: There was this one patient we had in the wellness unit that really just stuck with me. She came in very confused and out of touch with reality, not eating or drinking. There were a few times we didn’t think she would make it due to her inability to eat or drink due to her psychosis. Anyway – fast forward greater than 45 days, we walked her out of our unit! She hugged all of us and thanked us for her amazing care. A month or so later she sent us a card giving us an update on her and how well she was. Those wins make everything worth it.
Q: How is working as a nurse different from what, as a student, you expected nursing to be?
Angel: It is different in almost every way. As a student it is scary enough knowing you are responsible for another human’s life, but then you get into practice and life is truly in your hands! It’s just a way different experience. But at the end of the day, you have to remember it’s ok to make mistakes and it’s okay to not know everything, but you must always have enough integrity to admit 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?
Angel: I specialized in psychiatry for 5 years. The patients truly drew me to this area of nursing. It is complicated because their picture isn’t always black or white. You have to think of the whole person – not just mental, but also physical. No two people with the same psychiatric illness are the same, they all present differently. Personally, when your patient thanks you for being someone who actually cared to listen and they can truly feel your compassion for them, that is the biggest reward.
Q: How have you seen the nursing profession evolve since you graduated? Are there any significant changes or trends that you find particularly noteworthy?
Angel: The pandemic changed a lot of aspects of nursing. The most noteworthy thing I have come across is actually the progression in the field of research. Currently, working in the Missouri Memory Center and seeing patients participating in the clinical trials of medication to help slow the progression of Alzheimer’s is just ground-breaking.
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?
Angel: Always listen to your patients. If they say they have pain, they have pain. If your patient is venting, let them vent. If you think something is wrong with your patient, follow your gut and advocate for your patient. If you don’t know something, do not be afraid to ask, there is nothing wrong with not knowing. Don’t be afraid to try new things, float around, find what lights your fire for nursing – don’t just settle.
Q: What would you tell someone today that is trying to decide whether to go into the nursing field or not?
Angel: Anyone wanting to pursue a career in healthcare should truly know how hard it is and how much you will see, do, and experience. Good and bad, but at the end of the day it’s about the patients and what you have done and provided for them. It isn’t always easy, but it is worth it. Also, to not be afraid to ask for help, especially after traumatic events or experiences.
Q: Have you set any personal or professional goals for yourself within the nursing field? How do you plan to achieve them?
Angel: My most recent goal in nursing is to either obtain a master’s degree in psychology or a master’s degree in nursing practice with a focus on mental health.
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?
Angel: We spend a lot of time outside, kayaking, fishing, and hiking with my family.
Thanks to Angel for sharing her experiences and wisdom as an RN! We wish her continued success in her career and reaching her goals. 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”.