Registered nurses Jean Hellerud (left) and Judy Reese visit with Tuff Home resident Bob Olson.
By Jolene Farley
Graduating from nursing school in May was the culmination of four years of hard work and learning for Jean Hellerud, Hills, and Judy Reese, Beaver Creek.
The two women, both licensed practical nurses for more than 30 years, decided in 1998 to continue their education and become registered nurses. The friends both work at the Tuff Home in Hills.
The idea to go back to college after years in the workforce started when Hellerud's daughter was going off to college.
"We started at the same time as her daughter," said Reese. "We decided to see if we could still learn."
Reese has two adult children and Hellerud has three adult children.
Hellerud and Reese began attending classes two evenings or more a week at the University of South Dakota on the Sioux Falls campus.
"The thinking and trying to study É it almost made your brain hurt when you first tried to study," said Hellerud.
Every single evening was spent studying, according to the women. They modestly attribute much of their success to their husbands who they say filled in for them around the house when needed.
"We never could have done it without our husbands," said Reese. "They were very supportive."
Composition was Reese's favorite class because it was an outlet during a difficult time in her life.
"It came at the time when I needed it most," she said. "My father died, a family member was sick. The daily journal was a good outlet."
Hellerud's favorite class was anatomy and physiology.
Oddly enough, both women earned their LPN degrees from the same institution but didn't know each other until they started working at the Tuff Home.
Reese graduated from St. Joseph's School of Nursing, Mitchell, S.D., in 1963. When Hellerud graduated in 1964 the name of the college had been changed to the Mitchell School of Practical Nursing.
Hellerud always wanted to become an RN. "I had just enough money for the LPN," she said. "You get married and have a family."
The women said their last year of class was a surprise to them. "We didn't expect it to be quite so time consuming the last year," they said.
They were forced to drive to Sioux Falls or another location five days a week the last semester.
They attended clinicals at Sioux Valley Hospital, Avera McKennan Hospital, and other facilities in the area.
Their final test, passing the state boards, became a reality for Hellerud in June and for Reese in July.
Reese and Hellerud plan to continue working at the Tuff Home. Both agree their advanced education will help them offer better care to the residents.
"We gained knowledge," said Reese.
Hellerud and Reese offer the following advice to those thinking of furthering their education.
"Go for it É you are never to old," they said.