During National Nurses Week, Volunteer State Community College is proud to celebrate Jera Lewis, a Springfield‑campus nursing student who recently received HCA Healthcare’s Flower Bud Award at TriStar Centennial Medical Center. The award recognizes nursing students who demonstrate exceptional compassion, professionalism, and clinical aptitude, and Jera was nominated by a patient, a family member, and staff—an extraordinary testament to her impact.
Jera described the honor as both humbling and affirming, sharing, “At the beginning of the new year, I set an intention to bloom into a Registered Nurse. I treated my days at the hospital like a real job, not just another clinical day. My dedication did not go unnoticed, and that is incredibly humbling.” Her passion for patient advocacy stems from her own experiences as a patient, and during her preceptorship on 3‑North at Centennial, she developed a strong protective instinct toward those in her care.
This week, Jera will earn her Associate of Applied Science in Nursing (A.A.S.) degree. She reflects on her time at Vol State as a period of gratitude and growth, saying the experience has prepared “this flower bud to fully bloom.”
After commencement, she will begin a Nursing Residency in the post‑op surgical acute care unit at TriStar NorthCrest Medical Center in Springfield. We celebrate how Jera’s dedication, compassion, and intentionality have shaped her journey and will bring her future in nursing to full bloom.
