RichmondCC Nursing Graduate Returns to Teach Classes

 July 7, 2023 - Lindsay Haire is living her dream as a registered nurse in the emergency department at First Health Moore Regional Hospital-Richmond. She recently added a new segment to her dream career: nursing instructor.

Haire was hired by her alma mater, Richmond Community College, to be an instructor for Nursing Assistant classes. She will teach her first class this August.

However, to get to this part in her life and career was not an easy ride for Haire. She faced many challenges while in school at RichmondCC to get her Associate Degree in Nursing.

The Anson County native decided that she wanted to become a nurse after having to care for her grandmother at home for two years.

“With the help of Union County Hospice, it became clear to me that I should have a career in nursing,” Haire said. “During this time, nurses had entered our home to take care of my grandmother, and they showed me what nursing was all about.”

Haire enrolled at RichmondCC in 2017 with the goal of becoming a registered nurse by 2020. Despite her best efforts, her plan did not go as she wanted.

“I felt like ‘challenge’ was my middle name while I was in the nursing program,” Haire said.

During the obstetrics summer semester in 2020, Haire got sick and unfortunately failed out on her first year of the nursing program.

“I am not scared to say that I failed out, because that’s what I did,” Haire said. “Although, I did not let that stop me from becoming a nurse.”

The first-generation college student was not ready to let go of her dream because of one test, so she came back and was able to pass the test that would allow her back into the program. However, several weeks into the semester, Haire took her first test and failed it by omitting the last five questions.

“I just knew nursing was not for me,” Haire said. “At that moment I went to my instructors and asked what could I do to pass.”

To help Haire and other nursing students, several instructors got together and created small study sessions on how to answer nursing questions, prioritization and study techniques.

As the summer went by, it became time for Haire to test again. Using all the techniques that her instructors taught her in those study sessions, Haire passed the obstetrics semester.

“The struggle of testing was not over. Every single test was a struggle for me, but I knew I wanted to become a nurse more than anything,” Haire said.

In July 2021 not only did she complete the Associate Degree Nursing program, she took the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX) and passed.

“Sometimes it takes a second chance to be able to fully understand what it means when they say failure is a part of success,” Haire said.

Haire is thankful that she persisted and did not give up. She also had financial assistance through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) that allowed her to afford nursing school.

“RichmondCC has made a huge impact on my life by helping me achieve my dreams of becoming a registered nurse,” she said.

Haire is currently enrolled at Fayetteville State University working on a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She plans to graduate this fall.  

Haire is thankful for her family and friends for always supporting her. She recommends anyone to attend RichmondCC, especially if they have dreams of becoming a nurse.

Sign Up for Classes

The next Nursing Assistant I class will be held Oct. 10  through June 4  at the Scotland County Campus. This is an evening class. Mandatory orientation will be Oct. 3 at 6 p.m. in the Honeycutt Center, room 124, Scotland County Campus.

The next Nursing Assistant II will be held Aug. 21 through Dec. 11 at the Scotland County Campus. Mandatory orientation will be held Aug. 16 at 9 a.m. at the Honeycutt Center, room 124, Scotland County Campus.

To sign up, call (910) 410-1700.