Mother, daughter receive LPN pins on same night
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Galatia-native Meagan Hall is not the typical recent graduate of the Southeastern Illinois College nursing program - her mother attended classes and received her Licensed Practical Nursing pin alongside her.
Meagan's mother, Naomi Hall, said she had always wanted to be a nurse, but life and love got in the way. With three children, she could not find the time to go to college.
"I home-schooled Meagan, and when it came time for her to go to college, we decided to do it together," Naomi Hall said. "Nursing is a passion I've had forever."
She said her daughter's hard work and aspirations inspired her to go back to school.
"It's been fun watching her develop," said Naomi. "It's been a blessing to see her move into the real world."
Meagan said she was not sure what she wanted to do with her life until she had to visit sick family members in the hospital. Watching the nurses work inspired her to follow a career path in nursing.
"I watched nurses and realized some nurses families don't feel comfortable leaving their loved ones with," Meagan said. "It made me want to become one of the nurses families do feel comfortable leaving their loved ones with."
Both women plan to keep attending school and become registered nurses, though their paths have diverged and they will most likely not be attending classes together anymore. Naomi expects to be finished next May, and Meagan will complete her classes to be a registered nurse next December.
Meagan said she has enjoyed having a supportive mother to help her through the stress of attending nursing school.
"My mom's been my best friend," she said. "I always have someone to talk to. I always have a study buddy."
During the time Meagan and Naomi Hall attended classes together, Naomi's father - Meagan's grandfather - became ill and passed away unexpectedly. Using their new nursing skills, they took care of him together during his last few weeks.
"He was so proud of us," Naomi said. "He wanted us to take care of him."
When the mother and daughter received their nursing pins together at SIC May 11, both women were proud of themselves and of one another. Meagan said her favorite part of the ceremony was when Director of Allied Nursing Gina Sirach asked the children and parents of nursing students to stand up. Naomi stood up in honor of her daughter and Meagan stood in honor of her mother.
"It felt so good to stand up next to my mom," Meagan said.
Both women praised the SIC nursing program for allowing them be in the same clinical groups and for the supportive nature of the program. They also said their family's support has been instrumental in helping them complete the program.
"We've had a lot of support," Meagan said. "I don't think I could have done it without my mom."