By On Monday nights, when Carroll students are starting to wind down for the day, Krupa’s night is just getting started at Billings Clinic ICU, where she works from 7 p.m. to 7:30 a.m. for her Capstone Clinicals. The clinicals assist nursing students in integrating the competencies needed for professional nursing practice.
On Tuesday afternoons, she drives the three and a half hours back up to Helena and does some homework before catching up on sleep. At 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, Krupa wakes up and has a hectic day of class, the gym, back to class, and then work. After work, she does more homework and then goes to bed around midnight.
Welcome to the busy life of Krupa Patel.
“I grew up watching my parents be go-getters,” said Krupa. “My dad worked three full-time jobs until 2004, and then he worked two full-time jobs. My mom somehow balanced being a business owner 24/7 while still managing to do all the house duties. (She still) made it to all the extracurricular events.”
Born and raised in Medford, Oregon, the child of two immigrant parents who came from India, Krupa learned the importance of hard work and resilience at an early age.
Her diligence has earned Krupa recognition while at Carroll.
She received the 2021 George M. Dennison Civic Engagement Scholarship by Montana Campus Compact for her service at Carroll College. Additionally, she earned certification in ACIS (advanced cardiovascular life support) and STABLE (neonatal post-resuscitation/pre-transport stabilization certification).
Her volunteer work at the Friendship Center, Helena Food Share and God’s Love earned her the Hunthausen Activity Center’s Freshman Service Leadership Scholarship. During her junior year, she researched and presented a study on virtual reality and pain management in pediatric oncology at SURF 2022.
In this, her final year, she works four jobs: property manager for On Point Property Inc, in Medford, Oregon; patient access specialist for St. Peter’s Health Hospital, a tutor in anatomy/physiology, and as a nursing lab aide.
She is also the current secretary and former president of the Carroll College Student Nursing Association (CCSNA).
“I’m so academically oriented, aside from volunteering and working,” said Krupa. “I like to keep myself busy. Carroll has provided resources to get me involved in the community, so I couldn’t pass up those opportunities.”
Following graduation, Krupa will join the critical care unit at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center in Medford, Oregon. She hopes to earn her DNP (doctor of nursing practice) later and specialize in pain management as a family nurse practitioner.
“I am astounded at her accomplishments,” said Janet Johnson, a nursing professor at Carroll. “But when you talk to her about all she has accomplished, she is very humble. She is so hardworking, articulate, and selfless. She goes above and beyond to meet her and others’ high expectations and is very driven. She is also a very creative problem solver.”
I just want to be kind and a motivating presence in life.
Her mind is full of knowledge, but it’s her heart that led her to nursing.
“When it comes to my values and what matters most in life, I value my family and friends as I wouldn’t really be anywhere without my support system,” said Krupa. “I also just want to be kind and a motivating presence in life.”
Although Krupa has achieved a great deal, what she will most likely be remembered for at Carroll is the kindness and mentorship she provided to her peers. The nursing program gives its students a variety of experiences. From labs to simulations and clinical field hours. Although these encounters are rich with learning experiences, they can be stressful.
But not for Krupa.
She is always calm, diligent, and knows what to do in any situation thrown at her.
She takes charge of the room and puts her fellow nursing students at ease in these stressful situations with her calm approach, which translates into patience.
“If she sees an issue, she will advocate for her peers,” said Annie Woods, a senior nursing student and a friend of Krupa. “She is confident in what she does because of her hard work and has made Carroll a better place.”
When she is working as a lab aide on Sunday evenings for the underclassmen, and they come to her for help, she explains things in a clear and straightforward way showing her natural ability to convey complex concepts to people.
Moreover, she never gives the impression that they are asking stupid questions or that they are inferior to her in any way. And she always prioritizes other people’s needs before her own in order to make sure that they receive the help they need first.
“I used to look up to the lab aides when I was a sophomore nursing student learning new skills because they knew so much, and I thought I’d never get to that point,” said Krupa. “Being in that role now comes with a sense of pride and enjoyment, knowing that I can help others in the same way they helped me.”
With the nursing pinning ceremony fast approaching, she and her fellow nurses can’t help but reflect on the journey, and be grateful for those who helped them along the way.
“As my journey at Carroll comes to an end, I will be forever grateful for the experiences that have well prepared me to go out and be the best version of myself and individuals who have influenced the way I carry myself in everything I do,” said Krupa. “ I look forward to my career in nursing. Serving the community that raised me has always been a dream of mine, and I feel as though the best way for me to do that is through the nursing profession. I am excited to have earned the qualifications to do so through my nursing education here at Carroll.”
