Meet HCA Healthcare's Tara Lundberg, RN

"For me, caring for and improving life means that I am helping someone in their most vulnerable state and helping them achieve success by giving them knowledge and resources for better health outcomes." - Tara Lundberg, RN

HCA Healthcare is pleased to introduce and spotlight nursing colleague, Tara Lundberg, RN. Tara is a nurse supervisor at affilliate St. David's Round Rock Medical Center in Round Rock, Texas. Please take a few moments to read about her nursing career and journey below:

Why did you choose to be a nurse?

I decided to become a nurse after seeing the impact the nurses and other care team members had on my uncle, who was in and out of hospitals battling cancer. The connection they made with him and their love and support is what really drew me to this field - to be able to care for someone when they are at their worst or most vulnerable state.

When and where did you begin your career with HCA Healthcare?

I started my nursing career with HCA Healthcare at St. David's Round Rock Medical Center on 2 Main (Med/Surg/Ortho) as a graduate nurse in January 2013.

Have you taken on new roles since being hired?

Other roles I have taken on since being hired include: charge nurse, supervisor and Infection Control Task Force committee member.

Which national certification (if applicable) did you choose and why?

I plan to obtain my Medical/Surgical certification this year.

What have you learned about nursing during your career?

The most important thing I have learned about nursing is that there are many different avenues you can take, but they all have one thing in common...to ensure the best care for our patients. No matter what kind of nurse you are, bedside or not, we all have the same focus- THE PATIENT.

If you weren't a nurse, what would be your profession?

Prior to wanting to be a nurse, I had an interest in psychology, so if I weren't a nurse, I might have pursued something along that path.

Tell us about a significant moment that made you proud to be a nurse.

A significant moment that made me proud to be a nurse was taking care of my first hospice patient. As a new nurse, you always want to do the best you can to ensure your patient gets back to their baseline or prior state of health. For me, taking care of my first hospice patient made me realize they aren't always going to get back to their prior state of health. This moment brought me back to why I became a nurse- being compassionate, having an impact on your patient and their family, and being supportive of them.

What's your advice to nurses starting out?

My advice for nurses starting out is to be supportive of each other. Your team is what gets you through the day. People make mistakes. No one has all the answers in any role. We are all always learning. Ask questions. That's how you learn. Always be willing to help someone out. You never know what you can teach them or what you might learn from them.