Brittany, Sarah, and Rachel Krawiec
CHICAGO (January 5, 2016) 鈥� At 黑料吃瓜鈥檚 recent , one poster in the university鈥檚 crowded gymnasium stood out. Sitting in the risers, Antoni Krawiec held up a hand painted sign reading, 鈥淎ll my sisters are RNs.鈥�
Among the graduates marching in were three of Antoni鈥檚 four sisters鈥攁 set of triplets, Brittany, Rachel, and Sarah鈥攅ach of whom received a .
The sisters completed the entire program together, following in the footsteps of their older sister, Jennifer Krawiec, who graduated from North Park鈥檚 nursing program in May 2014. 鈥淥ur parents strongly encouraged us to pursue a degree where we had the promise to a lifelong career,鈥� the sisters said in an email. 鈥淲e were unsure if nursing was the right fit for all of us until we entered the nursing program. We each found an area that we wholeheartedly enjoyed and know throughout the years our passion will continue to grow.鈥�
The four sisters鈥� studies at 黑料吃瓜 overlapped, but they don鈥檛 seem to mind all the togetherness. 鈥淲e鈥檙e a really close family in general,鈥� said Sarah. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been great to spend this time together.鈥�
Helene K. Pochopien, assistant professor of nursing, had the triplets together in a class and called them 鈥渢op performers鈥� and 鈥渁 joy to have as students.鈥� She described how the three rose to the challenge in a difficult class, where they 鈥渟cored almost identically, but missed different test questions.鈥�
Academics weren鈥檛 the only challenge for the Krawiec family, who live in suburban Niles, Ill., and had five kids in college at once. 鈥淭here was one car for the four girls attending North Park,鈥� said their mother, Tracy Krawiec. 鈥淲hen they had to go to different locations, it was stressful.鈥�
But at the triplets鈥� graduation, Tracy said she was overjoyed. For one thing, she鈥檒l no longer have multiple kids in college. But she鈥檚 also thrilled for what鈥檚 ahead for the triplets, who are all working at Skokie Hospital as patient care technicians. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e guaranteed nursing jobs as soon as they take their NCLEX exam,鈥� Tracy said.
After graduating from North Park, Jennifer got her first job at Skokie Hospital, and the younger sisters decided they wanted to follow suit. They enjoy the uniquely community-oriented, family-friendly environment of the hospital. Through their , the triplets got to know the staff, and eventually they all landed jobs in different units. Brittany works on the medical surgical floor, Rachel on stroke/tele, Sarah in the emergency department. After passing one more certification, the younger three plan to pursue nursing roles at the hospital, like their sister, Jennifer, who works as an RN in the orthopedic unit.
Equipped with BSNs, the sisters are ready to begin their careers serving at Skokie Hospital.
The sisters like working at a small hospital, where they sometimes float to each other鈥檚 units or work the same shifts. They currently live at home in Niles, but they鈥檙e planning to move together somewhere closer to the hospital. Despite all the similarities in their lives, they do differ when it comes to nursing specialties. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 intend on working in the same units,鈥� said Rachel, 鈥渂ecause we don鈥檛 like the same things in the field of nursing.鈥�
North Park鈥檚 , which teaches a caring philosophy grounded in faith, is among the University鈥檚 most popular departments. At this graduation ceremony, nearly a third of the undergraduate degrees conferred were in nursing. The Krawiec sisters say the people at 黑料吃瓜 were the highlight鈥攕taff and students who shaped their outlooks and one-to-one interaction with professors in small classes. 鈥淲e鈥檙e excited to graduate,鈥� said Sarah. 鈥淭his is an amazing program, and we think we鈥檙e going to become amazing nurses because of it.鈥�
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