“The way (the nurses) interacted with us and my dad and our family, they’re just so kind and caring and compassionate,” Mittelstaedt said. “I would just love to pay that forward and be that support system for someone else.”
About 30 hours before her dad died, Mittelstaedt lost her grandma to a heart attack.
“It definitely made an impact, but it made me more aware of everyone has their own story and everyone is going through things,” Mittelstaedt said. “Because no one knew all that stuff had happened to me because I wasn’t sharing it. Outside that, I was just a bubbly, happy girl.”
A few years later, Mittelstaedt began taking classes through the Allied Health Program at the Kettering Career Technology Center, which has a compact with Oakwood and Centerville high schools to allow students from those other districts to take career tech classes.
“I just thought it was a great opportunity to confirm that this is the path I wanted to (take),” she said.
Mittelstaedt said working hands-on in the career tech program in the hospital and competing in HOSA-Future Health Professionals, a program that encourages students interested in the health care profession to compete in basic health skills, confirmed to her that she wanted to be a nurse.
Kettering’s Allied Health program has students look at other options, like physical therapy and office work, but nursing still calls to her. She plans to attend the University of Kentucky next year for nursing.
Mittelstaedt said participating in HOSA was “a lot of fun.” Last year, she competed in the personal care category, and got first at regionals, first at state and third at the national competition. This year, she got first at the regional competition, second in the state competition and plans to attend the HOSA national competition in June in Nashville, Tennessee.
She gave special thanks to her mom, Patrice Noel.
“I’m really grateful for her,” Mittelstaedt said. “I would not have been able to win (HOSA) without her.”
Mittelstaedt said her mom watched her wash her hands — one of the events she competed in — hundreds of times.
Malia Pryor, instructor in the Fairmont CTC Allied Health program, said Mittelstaedt has the makings of a great nurse.
“During clinicals each week on hospital rotations, Marlow is always very interactive with hospital staff, and is always asking questions to help better her knowledge of the medical field,” Pryor said in nominating Marlow. “Just as importantly, her own experiences have helped to mold Marlow into a medical professional who shows great compassion and empathy toward all patients and their families.”
Credit: Bryant Billing
Credit: Bryant Billing
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