Father and Son Answer New Call to Become Nurses
When Satchel Nash, 27, of Sherwood, was thinking about what he wanted to do for a career, he naturally looked to his father, Greg Nash, 50, of North Little Rock, and followed in his footsteps to become a firefighter and EMT.
Even though he enjoyed his long and challenging career, Greg, however, also had a long-held desire to become a nurse. Years later, he would follow a suggestion from Satchel as they both embarked on an incredible journey to become nurses together.
“I’ve always thought about it, certainly for the last 10-15 years,” Greg said. “The timing was never right. Now with the kids out of the house, Satchel wanting to do it, and retirement around the corner, it made it an easy decision for me.”
In May 2023, the father-and-son firefighting duo answered a new call to enroll at UA Little Rock in the accelerated Associate of Applied Science in Nursing program.
“We’ve had a great time,” Satchel said. “We ride to class and clinicals together. We always make sure to hold each other accountable. We’ve really enjoyed it, and it’s been an absolute blast.”
Satchel left his position at the Cabot Fire Department to focus on nursing school, and he now works part-time as a patient care technician at the Baptist Health Medical Center-North Little Rock Emergency Department.
“I’ve really love it,” Satchel said. “The nursing program allows me to work while I am in school. It prepares us for the NCLEX exam and a real-world nursing career after that.”
Greg continued to balance work as a firefighter during the first part of school. He retired from the North Little Rock Fire Department after 23 years in August, just three days before the fall semester began.
“I’ve enjoyed going to nursing school,” Greg said. “It’s challenging, and it’s stressful a little bit of the time. It’s a fun program. UA Little Rock is the first program and the only program we picked. I’m glad we got to do it together.”
When it comes to school, the Nashes have different styles. Greg is more structured and likes to hand in his assignments well ahead of schedule, while Satchel is much more laid back. Even though Satchel is a responsible adult, Greg admits it’s sometimes hard to turn off his worrying dad mode.
“The hardest part for me is stressing out over him not stressing out,” Greg said. “He always manages to get everything done, and I’m always worried about him getting everything done. I tend to freak out about grades and tests, and he’s a little more calm than me. We balance each other out.”
As for the faculty in the UA Little Rock School of Nursing, this is the first time they can recall having a father and son completing the associate degree program at the same time, and they said it’s been a fun and unique experience.
“Having both a father and son in my class has been an extraordinary experience,” said July Staley, assistant professor of nursing at UA Little Rock. “Their dedication and commitment to their studies are truly inspiring. They’re always eager to learn, approaching each new challenge with a smile on their faces. I am genuinely excited to see where their journey in the nursing profession will take them.”
The Nashes received scholarships from Baptist Health to earn their nursing degrees, and they are both excited to start their nursing careers at Baptist Health after they graduate in December. They also plan to finish their bachelor’s degrees at UA Little Rock together as well.
“It’s something that we’ll always remember,” Greg said. “We’ve had every single class and every single clinical together. It’s been a neat experience. We’ve definitely gotten closer in the last two years.”
