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A Nursing Degree Translated Into A Career In Law For A Chicago Nurse Attorney

Kathleen Naughton-Sparks received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing and then achieved a law degree. She is currently a nurse attorney at Salvi, Schostok and Pritchard P.C. She uses her unique skills in education and expertise of nursing in medical malpractice and personal injury cases. Kathleen is a great example of how getting a degree in nursing can help to lead to other careers related to the health field.

What insight can you provide about your educational background?
 
"Nursing school was an exceptionally challenging experience. In many ways, it was more difficult than law school. Nursing school taught me how to remove my own interests from the equation through the theories presented in texts and examples by professors."

How has your education helped with success in your career?
 
"A Bachelor's degree in Nursing is not just any degree. It changes who you are and how you view the world. Classes in biomedical ethics, classical philosophy and microbiology force a person to ask the hardest questions in life. My educational foundation is more than success in my career; it is a catapult into a thoughtful life. It is what made me who I am and taught me to value successes not in terms of monetary compensation, but in moments that I can say I have truly helped another human being."

What advice can you offer others looking to go into nursing?
 
"Nursing is a calling, not a career. If you are going into it for the money, remember that there is no amount that can make up for the suffering and injustice you will witness and often be powerless to change. It's not about you; it's about what you can do for someone else. I measure my success by the people who are even slightly better off for having interacted with me."

Sara Lugardo is a professional writer out of Chicago, Illinois. She has a Bachelor's in Communication and is currently working on her Master's. Her work can be found on Examiner.com.

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