Nursing student John Fickbohm continues his journey at STLCC
BY: LILLIAN THUM
Staff Writer
Nurses are the lifeblood of any medical organization. They do a lot of the base level work and logistics so the doctors can do their best as well. Without them, everything would grind to a halt. And in the halls of the Science West building, the Saint Louis Community College-Meramec nursing program prepares those willing to venture into the medical field.
One student, John Fickbohm, is a non-traditional second semester nursing student. John is a 36 year-old family man from Alabama, with a rambunctious Border Collie-lab mix named Duke. At first, he was like many 18 year olds as he didn’t quite know what to do with his life. With guidance, he got himself involved in a respiratory therapy program and with the help of many others, he found a love for pediatric care and for working with people.
Over 14 years, Fickbohm was already doing “some of the gross things that make most people go “eww nursing” as a pediatric respiratory therapist. He wanted to get more involved with patient care and eventually he said “Well, why don’t I just go with that?” He joined the Meramec nursing program out of his faith and his desire to make the world a better place, one child at a time.
Fickbohm humbly describes himself as an average guy guided by his faith. He found his faith when he was 15, and that has led him to healthcare and to the nursing program. The program has treated Fickbohm well, he said “it’s difficult work, but it’s not all just book work…..This is what happens in the real world, and carry it out.” The teachers have been amazing, when Fickbohm says “I can’t make it” they respond with “when can you make it?”
“You get the feeling they really care about you succeeding,” he said.
After finishing the program, Fickbohm hopes to return back to pediatrics with a nursing position. He first wants to return to a bedside position and eventually become a pediatric nurse at Saint Louis Children’s Hospital.
Nurses do an important job in making sure the doctor has everything they need to treat a patient, and that the patient is taken care of. It takes a special kind of person to take on such a gigantic task, and people like John Fickbohm rise to the challenge, look the task in the face and say “I can do that!” We all want what’s best for our children, and with STLCC’s nursing program having a state board exam pass rate of 84%, five percent above the national average, it produces some incredible nurses. Fickbohm hopes to be one of them.
