We’re proud of the ambitions and accomplishments of our students and alumni – learn some of their stories in our monthly feature:
Student Spotlight
Eulalia Sanchez-Lutchkus ’21
Three-Year BSN program
After working as a respiratory therapist at Penn Medicine Lancaster General Hospital for 15 years, following five years in a PRN capacity for UPMC Pinnacle Lititz, Eulalia Sanchez-Lutchkus needed a professional change and yearned to learn more. She decided to become a nurse, and with the support of tuition assistance from LGH, Eulalia enrolled in PA College. She has undertaken our intensive Bachelor’s degree program in nursing while continuing in her current role at the hospital. “I love that the program is just three years and I can do it while still working fulltime to provide for my family,” she shares.
And that family has grown during Eulalia’s busy student days. She gave birth to her son this past May during her summer internship and is proud to be on track to graduate with her cohort next year! Eulalia is also energized by the unity she feels among the nursing profession all around the world. She hopes to start her nursing career in either the ICU or NICU and looks forward to drawing on her knowledge of adult, pediatric and neonatal respiratory – while also broadening her professional experience. One day, Eulalia aspires to continue her education to become a nurse anesthetist.
In addition to her newborn son, Eulalia and her husband of twelve years have a six-year-old daughter. She also has a 24-year-old stepdaughter and 19-year-old stepson who she helped raise since they were 5 and 10 years old, and a beautiful 2-year-old granddaughter. Eulalia enjoys singing karaoke and dancing. Her hobbies also include paddle boarding and traveling to tropical destinations with her family; they hope to one day move closer to the water.
Alumni Spotlight
Laura Burns ’18, RN
RN Case Manager for Home Hospice, Hospice & Community Care
“I have always wanted to be a nurse. I love to help others,” shares Laura Burns ’18, RN. “PA College helped me to achieve that dream.”
Laura began nursing school as an adult, after she married and was raising two small children. She values the lifelong friendships that developed during her time in our ASN nursing program and credits the college with providing her with the skills and knowledge she’s needed to be successful as a new nurse. Laura started her career on a medical-surgical floor at WellSpan Ephrata Community Hospital, and then moved to hospice nursing in December 2019.
Currently an RN case manager for home hospice at Hospice & Community Care, Laura oversees approximately 15-21 people at any given time. She manages symptoms, medications and provide quality care at end-of-life. Laura shares: “Patient and family education are huge in hospice nursing. I meet people at a very vulnerable time and through trust and knowledge can build a relationship that the patient can accept and find comforting. My transition to hospice nursing has been the proudest moment in my nursing career so far. It is a hard profession with emotionally draining days, but I find great pleasure in helping people at end-of-life. Hospice nursing has tested my critical thinking and my clinical skills. I enjoy learning new things every day.”
Laura lives in Denver, PA with her husband of 11 years, and their two daughters. She hopes to continue her nursing education in the near future, to earn her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. In her spare time, Laura enjoys being with family, traveling to new places, visiting the beach and reading.
Seeking People of PA College
Do you know an exceptional current student or alumnus whose experiences and accomplishments would help tell the PA College story? Or someone who has overcome an obstacle or reached a challenging milestone during their PA College experience? Please email your suggested names (and identify them in one of these categories) to Karen Jenkins. Self-nominations are also welcome!
