Great Bend resident Kammi Burroughs might not have been able to enroll in Barton’s Nursing Program as soon as she wanted, but one thing she has always been sure of is that caring for people was part of her destiny. 

“I’ve always wanted to be a nurse,” she said. “My mom is a nurse and she graduated from Barton. I remember always going to work with her in the nursing home and spending time with the residents and I really enjoyed that.”

Burroughs completed Barton’s CNA certificate program in 2015 and started working at a nursing home. Along the way, she started a family and was unable to join Barton’s nursing program until 2019 but said it was worth the wait. 

“We (Barton) have a great program,” she said. “The instructors have our best interests at heart they want us to succeed. They care about how we are doing physically, mentally. Anything that’s going on at home they try their best to accommodate for that. They want us to go out in the field feeling like we can make a difference for somebody.”

While Burroughs has gained a wealth of medical knowledge during her education, she also experienced tremendous personal growth, especially in one area that is critical for nurses to be successful. 

“I have always been a person that lacked self-confidence,” she said. “The most rewarding part of the program has been seeing myself grow as an individual. This has been probably the most challenging experience I’ve had in life so far besides being a mom, but I have loved every minute of it. I’ve grown in more ways that I never thought I could. I have more confidence in myself to be able to help people and just in my own abilities in general.”

Burroughs has enjoyed the camaraderie that she has built with her fellow students and has gained a whole new perspective about nursing by getting to learn at clinical sites. 

“I also like seeing my other classmates succeed and we all get to know each other, and the relationships we build in the classroom whether it’s at clinical sites or during lecture or in the simulation lab, we’re with each other more than we are our family at this point,” she said. “I’m building relationships that I never had before so I really like that.”

Applications for the 2022-2023 school year are now open. Priority deadline to apply for the Nursing program is January 31, however, applications can still be received until March 1. For more information or to apply, visit nursing.bartonccc.edu.