The quality of education and training that Mennonite College of Nursing (MCN) students receive prepares them for dealing with the unexpected—and many of our alumni have had to put that to the test.

Right now, whether it’s their first year out in the field or whether they have ten years of nursing experience behind them, our MCN alumni are on the front lines of fighting COVID-19. This is the third in a series of stories highlighting the incredible work they are doing.

If you’re an MCN student or alum interested in sharing your story, we’d love to hear from you. You can reach out to us here.


Andrea Norton, BSN  Class of 2008

I’m a nurse educator in a Level 1 Trauma Emergency department in Peoria, Illinois. Covid has changed our community, our careers, and our human interactions.

Flexibility has been key to working on the front lines. Entering the medical center with a smile under my mask helps me set the right tone for the day. We deal with the pandemic one day, one order, one patient at a time.

It has been incredibly difficult for people to stay up-to-date on the latest information, especially with how information has been influenced by the media. Working as an educator, I feel a responsibility to ensure our staff have accurate information on how to tackle this patient population, and I make sure to spend time working “in the trenches.”

Thank you, MCN, for recognizing front-line workers. Though it was years ago, I’m grateful for my education at Illinois State MCN. It equipped me to be resilient, adaptable, and capable of doing my job in this stressful time.


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