Tawanna Wright Tells the Truth, ‘I Promise You.’
Nurse Tawanna Wright is always cheering up the people around her at North Sunflower Medical Center. But she almost didn’t become a nurse.
“In high school, I would tell you I never would have been a nurse,’’ Tawanna tells us. “Now I can’t think I would ever want to do anything different.’’
Over the past few weeks we’ve been sharing stories of our talented nurses and showing the many paths that lead to the important field. Someone reading this may recognize themselves and consider trying out a medical career. We hope so.
Tawanna is a wife and mother of two daughters. She also brings joy every day to NSMC patients.
Our social media post about Tawanna Wright being selected as the August Clinical Hero of the Month reached over 18,000 people!
“I’m always the peppy, happy-go-lucky singing one at work,’’ says Tawanna, who has been a registered nurse for two years.
Like many of our employees, Tawanna’s first job was a steppingstone – although she did not realize it at the time.
“I was a pharmacy tech, and the pharmacist encouraged me to do more,’’ Tawanna says. “Angela Lang said ‘I just want you to go back to school.’ It took some convincing.’’
Tawanna continued her tech job while going to school. She started as an LPN, or Licensed Practical Nurse. And then she took on a bigger challenge and became an RN, or Registered Nurse.
As a Registered Nurse, she is more involved in decision making. North Sunflower Medical Center is a workplace that encourages employees to follow their dreams. Tawanna said she watched one of her mentors continue their education. So she was determined to do the same.
“The great people that I work with made me want to be an RN,’’ she said. “Seeing people do what you think you can encourages you to do more.’’
Tawanna says her background in Belzoni, with a mom who was also doing for other people, taught her to love people. With her nursing career, she can help people every day.
Tawanna still drives 45 minutes from Belzoni to Ruleville and back every day. She said she loves to be with her family in Belzoni, but she couldn’t imagine working anywhere else.
“From the minute I got in it, I fell in love with medicine,’’ she says.
She’s also passionate about training new nurses. “I enjoy every second of teaching a nurse a new skill. It makes me feel so accomplished,’’ she said.
“I started North Sunflower the day I graduated. I had always heard great things about NSMC and I want to be part of something great. Everybody is part of an awesome family. You get so close to so many people it always feels like you are at home,’’ she says.
“It’s the truth, I promise you.’’