Committed to Compassion: The Path of Nursing Alumna Rachel Haley (’23)
January 9, 2025 | 2 min read
Florida College Nursing Program alumna Rachel (Hollis) Haley graduated in May 2023 with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing, and in just a short time, she has become a powerful example of what it means to care with skill, compassion, and Christ-centered purpose. Today, Haley works as a Registered Nurse in the Intensive Care Unit at HCA Brandon Hospital, serving in both Medical-Surgical and Neurological ICU settings. For many, the ICU can feel intimidating, but for Haley, it has become a place where her faith and her training meet patients in their most vulnerable moments.
Haley shares that her favorite part of intensive care nursing is the meaningful connections she forms during these critical times.
“I treat each patient as if he or she were my own loved one,” she says. “For me, it may be just another day at work, but for them, it is often one of the hardest days of their lives.”
Her commitment to compassionate, Christ-like care is now leading her into the next chapter of her professional journey. In May, Haley will begin her Doctorate of Nursing Practice at the University of South Florida with the goal of becoming a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA). This next step reflects her dedication not only to professional excellence, but also to serving others at the highest level of clinical practice.
Looking back on her time at Florida College, Haley speaks with deep gratitude.
“I cannot imagine learning to be a nurse without a Christian perspective,” she reflects. “My professors taught me to care for patients not just physically and emotionally, but spiritually.”
Among her most meaningful experiences were the close relationships formed within the FC Nursing Program. She fondly remembers meals in professors’ homes, late-night study sessions, and a tight-knit cohort of twelve who supported one another through every challenge.
“Our professors poured into us far beyond the classroom,” Haley says. “Each one showed us how nursing can be an avenue to serve Christ.”
Today, as Haley cares for critically ill patients and prepares for advanced practice, she carries forward the mission she learned at Florida College: to serve with skill, humility, and Christlike compassion.
“I’m so thankful I got to be a part of the FC Nursing Program,” she says. “The friendships, the faith, and the foundation I gained will stay with me throughout my entire career.”
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