Keaton Akers

Former THN tennis player now working front lines as a nurse

At any events..... so many athletes from the wabash valley are making a big difference during the coronavirus pandemic.

A former terre haute north patriot is doing it on the frontlines.... < several years ago while supporting his mom through cancer, keaton akers realized what he wanted to do with his life.

"i would attend her chemo therapy.

Saw nurses spend a lot of time with her while the doctors just 5-10 minutes.

Nurses got to know her better.

They were there to help her emotional and physical health problems".

A year into his nursing career and akers is having those same special relationships now with patients at reid health in richmond, indiana.

"i love it.

Get to create a bond that's more than diagnosis with my patients.

Really enjoy that aspect of nursing".

Akers is a float nurse at reid health.....he does a little bit of everything, working on several different units....he credits his tennis career at terre haute north and iu east for being to handle all this.

"trained in every unit.

Icu, psych, general medicine.

Depends on where i'm at that night depends on my game plan.

Have patients decline during night.

I have to contact doctor to get patient better.

This is same as tennis.

Sometimes my norm that i usually do isn't working.

Have to change it up, try new things that works best for myself and the team."

With the coronavirus pandemic keaton has had to be on top of his game even more lately.

"being on frontline of coronavirus has been a major change to my nursing and all of our lifestyles."

Because at the end of the day, getting all his patients healthy and back home is priority number one to this young nurse.

"enjoy seeing others get better.

Makes job better."> a big honor is a big honor is