Shameka Batchelor is on the front lines fighting COVID-19 in O’Fallon, Ill., where she has been since April 2020. She is making an impact every day in her patients’ lives, supporting and caring for them, while she’s hundreds of miles away from her family.
Originally from Long Island, N.Y., Shameka heard about Job Corps through an ad on TV. She had recently graduated from high school and had already worked a few jobs. When she learned that Job Corps was free and would provide her with the resources she didn’t have—but needed—to start college, she knew her next move. Shameka gave up her apartment and car and quit her jobs to enroll in Cassadaga Job Corps to complete the Certified Nurse Assistant program.
At Job Corps, Shameka was actively involved with the sports programs including soccer, softball, and volleyball and became a student residential advisor (RA). As part of her career training, Shameka went to Heritage Village, a rehabilitation and skilled nursing center, for clinicals. She keeps in touch with several students from Job Corps and even met her husband there. He trained in the Pharmacy Technician training area.
“My husband … I actually met him at Job Corps. One of our best friends we also met. We have quite a few couples that we met at Job Corps.”
Shameka was surprised by how supportive the Job Corps staff was for her. Leah and Adrian, Job Corps staff and Shameka’s mentors, were always there for her, especially when her little sister passed away.
“Their support to help me get home to my family, to be there for that situation, and even the support when I came back—it was overwhelming.”
Shameka completed the Certified Nurse Assistant program and went on to pursue the Licensed Practical Nurse program at Cassadaga Job Corps. After being unable to complete the LPN program beyond her first semester, she was able to transfer to Ashville BOCES to finish the program.
After the completion of her CNA and LPN, Shameka attended Mercyhurst University in Erie, Pa., where she became a licensed registered nurse. She also completed an online bachelor’s degree in nursing from Western Governors University (WGU) and is currently pursuing her master’s degree from WGU in nursing informatics. She uses the skills she learned at Job Corps and her continued education every day as a nurse.
“Even being a student RA, you learn responsibility, you learn how to diffuse situations, you learn to take challenges, and you learn to take chances on things. I was able to carry that and become more confident in my ability of being a nurse. All of those traits—confidence, trust, all of the things I learned from being a CNA—I take with me throughout my career.”
Shameka became a travel nurse and works as a nurse at UPMC Chautauqua WCA and Heritage Village and Heritage Park–Rehabilitation & Skilled Nursing by Heritage Ministries.
When COVID-19 hit the United States, Shameka felt called to go help. She knew she would not be able to stay with her family because the risk of exposure was too large, but felt it was worth the sacrifices to be able to help those suffering during the pandemic.
“I love to learn new things. I don’t like to be stagnant doing the same thing over and over, so I called up the travel agency and asked, ‘Can I go help … where can I go?’”
Shameka was sent to O’Fallon, Ill., where she has been since April 2020. She is away from her husband and two children, but they stay connected through Zoom calls and a security camera where her children can see her every day.
“It was tough in the beginning; I’m not going to lie. Leaving them was the hardest thing because I’ve never left them this long—maybe a weekend to go visit family. I think the first probably 2 weeks was really hard. Now I talk to my girls and they are like ‘Is it OK if I leave the Zoom meeting now?’”
Shameka, known as virtual mom, will be returning from her COVID-19 assignment soon and will continue to work at UPMC Chautauqua WCA and Heritage Ministries. She would like to pursue her doctorate in nursing after the completion of her master’s degree.
“It sounds cliché but, don’t give up. When I see current CNAs going back to school for their nursing license and degrees, I tell them my story. Even when you have those little pitfalls and little failures, don’t give up. I failed out of my LPN program at Job Corps, but they let me come back for my second semester. It was still possible. Even if you fail the test or fail the program, don’t give up. That little chance they gave me bloomed my whole career. I used that second chance they gave me to move on and become bigger.”
Graduated from Job Corps in: 2006;2008 Employer: Travel nurse Hometown: Long Island, New York Submitted by: NUVI monitoring