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Becky Schwaller: ‘Who wouldn't love working with babies and new moms?'
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By Angie Hutschreider
angieh@newstribune.com
Becky Schwaller, RN, readily admits she works in one of the most fun departments in the hospital.
“I love my job,” Schwaller said. “But who wouldn't love working with babies and new moms?”
Schwaller serves the obstetrics unit at St. Mary's Health Center in Jefferson City as a nurse and as the breastfeeding and lactation coordinator.
“I have been in OB since 1988,” she said. “When I was going through school I enjoyed the OB semester the most but I knew it was important for me to get the background experience too.”
She worked on the medical floor for four years before transferring to obstetrics.
Schwaller began working at St. Mary's in 1978 on the medical floor as a ward clerk. It was during her junior year of high school when she decided she was going to be a nurse. Schwaller credits her biology teacher, Rosetta Doerhoff at St. Elizabeth R-3 High School for inspiring her career choice.
“It was really the class content when we were studying the different body systems,” she said. “The nutrition part of the class really took hold.”
Schwaller was also inspired by her aunt, Arlene Libbert who was also a nurse. “She went back to school when she was about the same age as me, to become a family nurse practitioner- so I am sure she inspired me also.”
Schwaller earned her associate's and bachelor's degrees in nursing from Lincoln University. She is currently enrolled in the University of Missouri's Master's degree program. After graduating Schwaller will have a master's degree as a clinical nurse specialist in women's and children's health. She is one year into the program.
Schwaller is currently studying to earn an international certification as a lactation consultant.
“I am unlike many lactation consultants - I want to do what is comfortable for the family and their situation and if that means breastfeeding is not for them than I am okay with that,” she said. “It is about personal decisions.”
As Schwaller earns her certification she will be branching out her services to St. Mary's clinics and community educational events.
“Some pediatric nurses and myself will also be taking infant massage classes and incorporating this where we can,” she said.
A humble person, Schwaller finds it difficult to talk about how her job impacts the unit. “Breastfeeding is a very important thing that needs to be discussed,” she said. “Some people have questions and I am available to help them here and after they go home. But the other nurses who work in this unit play just as important of a role.”
“I love my job,” Schwaller said. “But who wouldn't love working with babies and new moms?”
Schwaller serves the obstetrics unit at St. Mary's Health Center in Jefferson City as a nurse and as the breastfeeding and lactation coordinator.
“I have been in OB since 1988,” she said. “When I was going through school I enjoyed the OB semester the most but I knew it was important for me to get the background experience too.”
She worked on the medical floor for four years before transferring to obstetrics.
Schwaller began working at St. Mary's in 1978 on the medical floor as a ward clerk. It was during her junior year of high school when she decided she was going to be a nurse. Schwaller credits her biology teacher, Rosetta Doerhoff at St. Elizabeth R-3 High School for inspiring her career choice.
“It was really the class content when we were studying the different body systems,” she said. “The nutrition part of the class really took hold.”
Schwaller was also inspired by her aunt, Arlene Libbert who was also a nurse. “She went back to school when she was about the same age as me, to become a family nurse practitioner- so I am sure she inspired me also.”
Schwaller earned her associate's and bachelor's degrees in nursing from Lincoln University. She is currently enrolled in the University of Missouri's Master's degree program. After graduating Schwaller will have a master's degree as a clinical nurse specialist in women's and children's health. She is one year into the program.
Schwaller is currently studying to earn an international certification as a lactation consultant.
“I am unlike many lactation consultants - I want to do what is comfortable for the family and their situation and if that means breastfeeding is not for them than I am okay with that,” she said. “It is about personal decisions.”
As Schwaller earns her certification she will be branching out her services to St. Mary's clinics and community educational events.
“Some pediatric nurses and myself will also be taking infant massage classes and incorporating this where we can,” she said.
A humble person, Schwaller finds it difficult to talk about how her job impacts the unit. “Breastfeeding is a very important thing that needs to be discussed,” she said. “Some people have questions and I am available to help them here and after they go home. But the other nurses who work in this unit play just as important of a role.”
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