Grandmother’s Wisdom Proves to be the Key for Personal & Spiritual Success
Nicole Norton’s story is that of an overcomer – through faith in God and the education she received at Glen Oaks Community College.
A Marcellus High School graduate who later lived in Three Rivers, in early adulthood she struggled with addiction.
But one day her grandmother invited her to church, telling then-25-year-old Nicole, “Baby, your life doesn’t have to be like this – the Lord can change your life if you let Him.”
“And HE DID!” she said.
Her addiction no longer had power over her, and one year later, God opened the doors for her to go to school. She applied to Glen Oaks’ competitive nursing program and was accepted immediately.
Participating in a laddered LPN to RN program, she finished in 2010 with an Associate of Applied Science in nursing and has been working as an RN ever since. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Walden University and is pursuing a master’s degree with a focus on becoming a family nurse practitioner.
She found that Glen Oaks has an excellent facility for nursing, and the program was built very well for nurse preparation with extra heavy credits in the sciences that carried over to her bachelor’s program. She especially enjoyed the teaching of Dr. Ren Hartung.
Starting out in the medical field at Heartland Health Care (now Optalis Health and Rehabilitation), she “cut her teeth on nursing” at Ascension Borgess Hospital working in inpatient cardiology and med-surg. She spent three years as a PRN at Three Rivers Health, and since 2021 has worked as a travel nurse in Grand Rapids (Select Specialty), Kalamazoo (Bronson Medical Center), and Ft. Wayne (Parkview Regional Medical Center).
She loves her current Thursday through Saturday schedule, which allows her time to care for her 3-year-old and not have to miss church. She also makes time in her schedule to help others, especially family members who may need knowledge or assistance from their favorite family nurse.
“She’s amazing,” says her Aunt Jennie Jacobs. “She’s true to the saying: Those who are happiest are those who do the most for others.”
Nicole’s willingness to help has been a God-send to many in the family, says Aunt Jennie, noting she makes sure family members are getting the care they need and are following through with medications and treatments.
Nicole eagerly shares with her patients that the Lord can help them overcome their struggles.
“Now, as a bedside nurse I love, love, love, every opportunity I get to share my testimony and especially to tell others that may be struggling with addiction – ‘Baby your life doesn’t have to be like this, the Lord can change your life if you let Him.’”