An injury-plagued career in dance led nursing professor Jen Halpin to the medical field. She joined the OCCC faculty full-time in July.
Growing up in the suburbs of Chicago, Halpin was interested only in dancing.
“That was the only thing I ever wanted to do,” Halpin said.
While in high school, Halpin underwent two knee surgeries due to dance injuries. Both times she elected to remain awake during the procedure.
“I wanted to be able to watch on the TV monitors and be able to ask my surgeon questions about what he was doing,” Halpin said.
Despite the surgeries, dancing was still the main focus in Halpin’s life. After graduating high school, Halpin came to Oklahoma to attend Oklahoma City University and graduated with her bachelor’s degree in dance management in 2000.
After college Halpin moved to Florida to dance at Busch Gardens. The injuries recurred and Halpin was forced to make a career change.
“The only other thing that interested me were my surgeries and the medical stuff surrounding what happened with my injuries,” Haplin said.
Halpin remembered back to her surgeries that took place when she was 15.
“My surgeon actually told me that I belonged in the medical field and not dancing,” Halpin said. “I thought he was crazy.”
Halpin moved back to Oklahoma, contemplating medical school.
“I was in no way ready to go to med school,” Halpin said. “Nursing was faster.”
Halpin came to OCCC where she received her associate degree in nursing.
“While I was here I knew I wanted to eventually teach,” Halpin said.
While practicing as a labor and delivery nurse, Halpin went back to school again to receive a master’s degree at the University of Oklahoma.
“I finished up my masters in nursing with a focus on education this May and was hired on here full-time in July,” Halpin said.
Beverly Schaeffer is the team leader for Halpin’s Nursing Process Two team.
“Jen is an OCCC success story, graduating from this nursing program several years ago,” Schaeffer said.
Halpin said she loves her new career.
“I definitely belong in the nursing profession,” Halpin said. “I just got to have these amazing opportunities in getting to this point.”
Schaeffer agrees. “She in energetic, innovative, and efficient,” Schaeffer said.
Halpin is enjoying teaching at OCCC although it was weird at first.
“It was kind of strange coming back and standing up in front of a class in the same room I was a student in not too long ago,” Halpin said. source
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