Kara Wangler
Family Nurse Practitioner, Board Certified
Danville Polyclinic

HISTORY
At the age of 13, Kara Wangler knew she wanted to become a nurse. Her grandmother was ill, and she found she had a passion to want to help people. During high school at Jamaica High, her guidance counselor helped her choose programs and a pathway to prepare for her chosen career field. Kara went to V.O.T.E.C (now College Express) and obtained her Certified Nursing Assistant (C.N.A) certification and began working in nursing homes in the area. She put herself through DACC working as a C.N.A receiving her Associate Degree in Science and then received her Associates Degree in nursing from Indiana State University. After graduation, Kara went to work for Provena United Samaritans Medical Center. They paid for her to get her bachelor's degree in nursing from Lakeview School of Nursing here in Danville.

Kara worked at Provena for 17 years in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) as a critical care nurse. She eventually got involved in the management side of nursing, but missed the aspect of the career that drew her to the field in the first place, and that is direct patient care. "The passion to want to help people is what has driven me to do what I've done to date."

Kara pursued her current career as a Nurse Practitioner through a 26 month, fast-track program for adults. She would attend one class for five weeks at a time and then do the rest on line allowing you to go to work and school at the same time. "I love what I do now. I am able to see, assess, diagnose, and order tests and treatments with the supervision of our practice physicians."

KEY SKILLS AND CHARACTERISTICS FOR ULTIMATE JOB PERFORMANCE
"It doesn't matter what gender you are. If you have a solid high school education, have the desire to help people and the drive to educate yourself and excel in what you do, the health care field is always in need. If you're an adult, there are so many pathways that allow you to go back to school and work at the same time. Health care always has a great need for great applicants - whatever the age."

REWARDS AND CHALLENGES OF THE JOB
"The most rewarding part of my job is the interaction with patients and helping them feel better and doing preventative medicine by educating them on how they can stay healthy."
"The most challenging is helping the patient find the financial pathways to afford the medicines they need and getting tests approved through insurance."


ADVICE FOR BEING SUCCESSFUL
"Make the most out of your education and get a good, solid base. Work with your school counselors. DACC has great programs to get you started and for nursing you can get a Bachelors Degree right here in Danville through Lakeview School of Nursing."

"Be the best you can be and take pride in your education and your career. Knowledge is something that no one can ever take away from you. You should never stop learning."

JUST THE FACTS
Bureau of Labor Statistics

• Registered nurses (RNs) constitute the largest healthcare occupation with 2.6 million jobs

• The three typical educational path to registered nursing are a bachelor's degree, an associate degree, and a diploma from an approved nursing program; advanced practice nurses - clinical nurse specialists, nurse anesthetists, nurse-midwives, and nurse practitioners - need a master's degree.

• Overall job opportunities are expected to be excellent

• Nurse practitioners serve as primary and specialty care providers, providing a blend of nursing and healthcare services to patients and families. The most common specialty areas for nurse practitioners are family practice, adult practice, women's health, pediatrics, acute care and geriatrics. However, there are a variety of other specialties that nurse practitioners can choose, including neonatology and mental health. Advanced practice nurses can prescribe medications in all States and in the District of Columbia.

Related Occupations include:
> Physician assistants
> Emergency medical technicians and paramedics
> Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

Workforce Cluster Employers in Vermilion County with Nurse Practitioner Positions include:
Carle Physician Group
Christie Clinic

Training Available through Danville Area Community College
Certified Nursing Asst. 139 contact hours
Nursing AAS 72 credit hours
LPN licensure after 1st year
Transfer AA Degree - 62 credit hours
LakeView College of Nursing

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