Haywood Hunt's Journey in Healthcare and Education
Growing up in church, Haywood Hunt observed his mother selflessly serve and give to those in need. While he never envisioned himself in his current roles, he has always felt an innate sense of purpose to serve others. Today, he is an emergency nurse in the Centra Gretna Medical Center Emergency Department in addition to serving as an adjunct faculty member at his alma mater, Centra College. In his own words, he, “genuinely cannot imagine pursuing any other profession.”
When originally thinking about becoming a nurse, Haywood selected Centra College because of its smaller class size and because of the glowing recommendations of former students. “Upon entering the building, I was impressed by the abundant energy, which convinced me that it was the right institution for me,” he recalled.
Haywood also shared that as an adult learner he had to balance school with work because financial obligations couldn’t be put on hold. “Fortunately, Centra College enabled me to achieve a school-work life balance. Every instructor I had the privilege of learning from made a significant impact on my life,” he reflected.
When asked if any individuals had a particularly profound influence on his time at the college, Haywood admitted it was difficult to single out just a few. “This is a challenging task because I would like to acknowledge every instructor who contributed to my education. However, Dr. Amy Patton, Susan Burnette, Cheryl Rogers, Lory Sibcy and Laurie Dellosso deserve special recognition for their encouragement and guidance which helped me reach my full potential. I would also like to give recognition to Allison Schmitt and Megan Eden who let me attend their classes for clinical hours as I obtained my master’s degree in nursing education.”
Now as a faculty member himself, he supports aspiring students in achieving their nursing goals. The most challenging aspect of being an instructor is striking a balance between theoretical knowledge and practical application and accommodating diverse learning styles while ensuring students are adequately prepared for the realities of clinical practice. At the end of the day, inspiring and educating future nurses is an incredibly gratifying experience. “Witnessing the moment when understanding dawns on them is truly fulfilling,” he shared.
In his role at the emergency department, Haywood puts his clinical expertise into practice. In this setting he’s learned to adapt quickly as different needs arise. He noted that capacity constraints can be challenging when the department is busy and patients become upset because of the wait. However, he’s learned to see things from their perspective, knowing that they likely do not understand that’s happening behind the scenes–the diligent efforts of
nurses, doctors, advanced practice providers, technicians, patient access staff and janitorial personnel who work tirelessly to save lives, maintain cleanliness and register patients in the system.
When we asked Haywood one piece of advice he’ll never forget, he recalled a memory from his childhood. “We would read Dr. Seuss’s book, ‘Oh the Places You’ll Go!’ I didn’t grasp the book’s significance until I became an adult–we should explore life’s highs and lows and live with ambition, kindness and gratitude.”
It's clear that Haywood has taken this advice to heart as he serves others through healthcare and education.
