Carroll College nursing student Christine Elliott, '28, was recently featured in the American Red Cross quarterly newsletter Nursing Matters Past and Present.
Elliott was first introduced to the Red Cross when she was in elementary school and accompanied her mother on volunteer activities. When she turned 13, she became an official volunteer, and since then she has volunteered in a variety of activities across lines of service in both the Cascades and Northwest regions. For the past six years she has been actively involved with the Home Fire Campaign and Sound the Alarm, spending time canvassing neighborhoods, installing smoke alarms and educating families. She has also done fundraising, served as a blood donor ambassador, and participated in Service to the Armed Forces activities. During her senior year in high school, she served as president of her school’s Red Cross club. Most recently she has been taking disaster training to prepare for deployment during breaks from college.
Elliott first became interested in nursing in fourth grade, when she dressed up as a World War II Red Cross Nurse for a Memorial Day event. She believes her experience as a Red Cross volunteer has helped prepare her for a career in nursing. “My experience with the Red Cross has not only inspired my passion for nursing but also equipped me with the skills and values needed to make a meaningful impact in the profession,” Elliott said. “I plan to bring the knowledge and leadership I’ve gained through disaster response training, leading clubs, presentations and watching volunteers hard at work to nursing.”
Her future plans include staying involved with the Red Cross.
“I plan to uphold and continue to foster a long-term dedication, leadership and clear vision for integrating my nursing career with humanitarian efforts through the American Red Cross. The opportunity to continue to do this will help me focus on my education and professional development so I can become a nurse who not only treats patients but also leads, educates and inspires others. Becoming a nurse means I get to make a positive difference in healthcare and in communities.”