If you think your life is hectic, welcome to Krista Colbert鈥檚 world.
When it comes to walking the tightrope between school, work, and family, Colbert, 28, is in a league of her own.
After commuting three hours a day, six days a week, to clinical rotations and classes at Carrington鈥檚 Mesa campus鈥攁nd working per diem as a Home Health Assistant鈥攕he graduated in April with her Associate of Science degree in Registered Nursing. Every night, she returned home to her four-year-old son and an 80-year-old great-aunt, who has Alzheimer鈥檚 Disease and has lived with Colbert and her mother in Globe, Arizona for the past seven years.
While it鈥檚 more responsibility than many could manage, Colbert says she thrives on the energy and satisfaction she gets from taking care of others.
鈥淔ortunately, I don鈥檛 need as much sleep as some people鈥攁nd I drink a lot of coffee,鈥� says Colbert, who landed a job as a Registered Nurse in the Medical Surgery unit at Cobre Valley Regional Medical Center within a week after graduating from Carrington. 鈥淚 guess I鈥檓 a caregiver by heart, which is why I鈥檝e always loved working with kids. I was a nanny, a substitute pre-school teacher, and a camp counselor. I always thought I鈥檇 end up becoming a teacher.鈥�
But when Colbert was 19, one of her close friends was seriously injured in a car accident and she moved from Texas to South Carolina to help care for him.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 when I first discovered I really loved taking care of others鈥攁nd that I was good at it,鈥� Colbert recalls. 鈥淎 few years later, I moved to Arizona to help my mother care for my great-aunt.鈥�
After earning her Nursing Assistant certificate at Eastern Arizona College, Colbert began working as a Licensed Nursing Assistant at a skilled nursing facility in early 2017. While Colbert is no longer juggling classes and the long commute, her busy life recently became even busier. She and her mother, Julie, recently became foster parents to two brothers, ages six and 10 months.
鈥淲hen your life is as full as mine, you learn to grab a little 鈥榤e time鈥� whenever and wherever you can,鈥� she says. 鈥淪ome people think of driving to and from work as wasted time. But for me, it鈥檚 a great chance to be alone, unwind, listen to music, and think. You have to make the most of that kind of time to avoid burning out.鈥�
Colbert says she and her mom, who works full-time as an Emergency Medical Technician, do their best to coordinate work schedules so that each can enjoy an occasional break from their very full lives.
鈥淲e each make sure the other has moments of peace and quiet,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hree adults and three kids in one house is a lot. A few days ago, I took the boys to the lake for the day so my mom could have a little break. She does the same for me. It helps both of us maintain our balance.鈥�
Colbert says that having something to look forward to also helps keep her motivated.
鈥淚n September, I鈥檓 going to Colorado to hike near Pike鈥檚 Peak,鈥� she says. 鈥淔or me, the anticipation between now and then is half the fun. As much as I love my life and everyone in it, it鈥檚 great to step back and catch my breath every now and then.鈥�
So what does the future hold for Colbert? Not surprisingly, she has plans in place.
鈥淚鈥檓 hoping that within six to 12 months, I鈥檒l be working in the Intensive Care Unit or the emergency room,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 also want to return to school to earn my Bachelor of Science in Nursing. My longer term goal become a Nurse Practitioner and work in a clinic setting with Pediatrics or Gerontology patients. Children and seniors are two populations that can most easily be overlooked and underserved.鈥�
Colbert says she鈥檚 learned from experience that education equals power.
鈥淲hen you鈥檙e a nursing assistant, for example, you can point out problems or issues you believe could be improved, but you have no real pull or influence to change things,鈥� she says. 鈥淓arly in my career, I had my heart broken more than once by seeing patients receive lesser care than I believe they deserved. The more education and experience I have, the more of a difference I鈥檒l be able to make.鈥�
