National Nurses Week Highlight - Rhonda Swift, RN

Rhonda Swift’s mother always said she would make a great nurse. That prediction would come true, but not right away. Rhonda considers nursing her third career, after being a stay-at-home mom and later a teacher.

At first, she was convinced there was no way she could be a nurse. As a 10-year-old girl at diabetic camp, she could administer her own shots, but no one else’s.

She thought if she couldn’t give anyone a shot, how could she become a nurse?

After staying at home with her kids, and then teaching, she wanted to try something new. She thought she could work as a diabetes educator — living with diabetes herself she knew she could relate to patients. However, as she was researching programs, her mother’s words came back to her.

“That’s when it started to click,” Rhonda said, who has now worked at Mays Cancer Center, home to UT Health San Antonio MD Anderson Cancer Center, for four and a half years.

“My whole goal is to listen to people because they live with this illness. I feel we need to do that more: listen to them when they speak to us. Even though this illness should not happen, it is happening.”

That is something Rhonda understands more than most people, because both of her parents passed away from cancer. Her mom had lung cancer and was treated at the Mays Cancer Center in 2006 — Rhonda said she received excellent care. Her dad had bladder and kidney cancer.

“I can't pay back the nurses who helped my parents, but I can definitely pay it forward to somebody else.”

Now, Rhonda enjoys her time outside of work with her husband, kids and grandkids, playing games and going to church.

We are so thankful for your positive attitude, Rhonda!