By On a fated Friday in July of 2021, the cries of a newborn met the ears of those present in a delivery room of Helena’s St. Peter’s Hospital.
To many of those on staff, this was but one of many babies delivered that week. However, to Kendra (Kloker) Grove, a Carroll College nursing alumni who graduated in 2021, this was the first birth she had ever witnessed.
Grove had been working at St. Peter’s for just a short few weeks before she helped deliver her first birth as a Labor and Delivery nurse.
The delivery room echoed with beeping monitors, a mix of emotions from the family and mother, and a healthy newborn cry.
Grove was present for the first few breaths of this baby.
“It was such a surreal moment for me,” said Grove. “There were so many emotions during the delivery. I was so glad to be in that position as a nurse helping that patient. I knew I was in the right spot.”
Grove had been preparing for this moment throughout her time at Carroll.
“I can remember how excited she was when I saw her that night at dinner,” said Mckayla Kloker, Grove’s sister. “She was so happy to tell me she delivered her first baby during her shift.”
Assisting in the delivery of that baby set Grove up for fulfilling years working at St Pete’s
“That feeling that I had made me know that everything I had done to get to that point was worth it,” said Grove.
Grove was born in Helena and grew up some five miles outside in Montana City. She has found her way to making an impact on the community by assisting in labor and deliveries in the same hospital where she was born.
Working at St Peter’s Hospital, now St. Peter’s Health, has helped Grove make deep community ties. She found success quickly after graduating. Both of Groves’ parents, Becky and Tony Kloker are successful alumni. Grove followed closely in her parents’ footsteps, especially her mother, who works as a nurse in Helena.
“I knew about the successful Carroll nursing program because my mom is an RN and went through it,” says Grove. “My dad also went to Carroll and graduated from there, so I knew it was a great place to be for athletics and academics.”
Not only did Grove attend Carroll because of familial ties, but her athletic talent landed her a scholarship. Grove competed in multiple sports at Helena High School.
Grove participated in basketball, volleyball, and track and field. It didn’t come as a surprise when Carroll reached out to Grove to recruit her to run distance for the track and cross country teams.
“I got a scholarship for Carroll in academics and athletics which ultimately helped me decide where I wanted to go,” said Grove. “I knew that I was going to be able to continue running track and get a great education at the same time.”
After completing a clinical rotation in the obstetric unit for a nursing class, Groves’ heart was set on that department. Shortly after graduation, Grove started working at St. Peter’s. She loves her time as a labor and delivery nurse.
“My most rewarding experience would be delivering babies into the world,” said Grove. “I really enjoy helping mothers transition into motherhood.”
Reflecting on her time as a collegiate student-athlete and her experience of Carroll’s nursing program, Grove was immensely grateful.
“I am really thankful for the nursing education I received,” said Grove. “Carroll’s program prepared me to be successful in a specialty this early on in my career.”
Grove is not entirely certain what the future holds, but having strong family support in Helena is important to her.
“I’m not sure about my future career,” said Grove. “I love what I do now honestly. I will most likely stay in Helena because my husband’s family business is here and we have all our family support here too which is great.”
