May 5, 2021
Jeff Bushman, RN, Medical Oncology Unit
“My dad was a heavy equipment operator so I grew up around machinery. He taught me how to work. I went to college, but quit to come home and help my dad. I also had a part-time job at an auto dealership, where I got into middle management and spent 14 years. A lot of my customers were nurses and they really seemed to enjoy their work. I was looking to make a career change and mentioned I was interested in nursing. One of my coworkers – a retired military recruiter – heard me. His wife was a nurse. I think his recruiter instinct kicked in because he kept encouraging me to pursue nursing. It was the kick in the pants I needed.
So I went back to nursing school at 30 years old. I remember my second nursing class. My instructor asked how I was doing, and I said, ‘You know, it feels like coming home.’ Once I graduated, I knew I wanted to work at St. Cloud Hospital. I’ve been a nurse here for 14 years and I get to work with some really outstanding people. To me, purpose is all about the starting point. My purpose is to go into a room and meet a person. Then we’ll figure out why they’re there and determine what we need to do to get them better. If my starting point isn’t looking at the human being in front of me, the rest doesn’t matter. The purpose of CentraCare should be to see every person for who they are.”