A Day in The Life - Karissa Tranel, Nurse
Pictured are Karissa and Jake Tranel, along with their children Kaynen (left) and Jameson.
By Rachel Mergen
“I’ve always wanted to help people,” Karissa Tranel, registered nurse (RN) at Crossing Rivers Health, noted about her love for her career. She has been working for the past five and half years as a RN with Crossing Rivers, previously working as a certified nursing assistant (CNA).
Tranel, a resident of Bloomington, began her career working at a nursing home as a CNA, followed by working to receive an associate’s degree so she could start to really immerse herself in the career path she was passionate about.
Her typical day will either be based in the surgical ward or the obstetrics ward (OB).
When working in the surgical ward, she's out on the floor constantly, assisting patients in a wide range of states, from chronic to acute, dying to healthy and stable. This wide range of cases has led her to help patients get ready to head home. For Tranel, having to support someone and their family during those last breaths is a very emotional event for her, even as someone who may not know the patient.
In the obstretics ward, where those who are pregnant, giving birth or are in the postpartum stages are treated, nursing proves to be “a very rewarding profession,” according to Tranel. She looks fondly on helping infants enter into this world and helping the mothers have a smooth process of birth.
“It’s different every day,” Tranel said. She meets a variety of people, some who greatly show their appreciation to the nurses on the team and some who forget to note the real importance of RNs.
She does enjoy learning the lives and personalities of every patient though, no matter their thoughts on her career. She finds delight in being able to interact with people she may have never met in her life away from her work. She is able to play a key role in their lives, even though she may only be active in a few days of their existances overall.
When it comes to her fellow staff members, she enjoys a happy, helpful atmosphere. She noted there is rarely any drama between the team members.
“We’re well supported by the charge nurses,” Tranel mentioned. She explained that even though Crossing Rivers is constantly occupied by a large number of patients, she rarely feels overwhelmed by the work load she covers each day. Even though her job is filled with stress, as she’s required to know information and lives are in her hands, she is able to keep her calm due to the support of her fellow staff members.
Tranel is the wife of Jake Tranel, owner of Tranel’s Restaurant in Bloomington, and the mother of two young sons, Jameson and Kaynen.
“You know what can happen, so you’re a lot more cautious with a family,” Tranel explained how the nursing career affects her life at home.
She noted, the balance of home and work is a challenging, saying “I wouldn’t be able to do it without Jake.” She works three long shifts each week, but there is still a large effect on her home life. She’s grateful for the effort her husband puts in, especially after she has had a long night shift, along with the community and her family to help take care of the children.
For future nurses, she hopes they know that, yes, there is a lot to learn in the beginning and the job will start out very stressful and hard, but they are “never alone.” She wishes they embrace being able to continue learning every day at work and to help people in important moments of their lives.
