Three generations of women in one Utah County family have followed the same career path, working as registered nurse at Utah Valley Hospital. The women are working in different specialties but continuing to learn from and inspire each other.
Star Clayson, mother to Jada Hansen and grandmother to Whitney Waters, started her career after raising most of her children.
“I went to Utah Technical College at 40 years of age after raising most of my children,” Star says. “I wanted an education and decided on nursing. My husband had been in a terrible life-changing accident and watching doctors and nurses help him inspired and heightened my interest in medicine and how the human body functions.”
Star started working at Utah Valley Hospital in 1991 after receiving her LPN certificate and continued to work at the hospital while continuing went on to get her bachelor’s and master’s degree in nursing. At the same time, her daughter Jada was also attending nursing school. Jada had started working in the NICU at Utah Valley in 1990 as a secretary working nights while in school.
“I graduated in 1995 with my RN and later received my BSN,” Jada says. “As a young mom, I knew becoming a nurse was a great profession to be in, especially here at Intermountain. My mom was in nursing school just a few years ahead of me and she was also an inspiration, showing I could do this.”
Jada has worked in the NICU for 30 years. She’s been a charge nurse for 13 years and on the Neonatal Life Flight team for five years. Star and Jada never worked together in the same department but often shared experiences and continued to learn from each other.
“Even though we had different types of patient care experiences, we could talk about medical situations and learn from each other,” Star says. “I admired her ability to treat and care for preemie babies as well as her kind treatment of parents in this difficult time. She’s a great teacher. I believe she goes above and beyond what’s expected of her for her patients and fellow workers.”
Jada’s daughter, Whitney, joined the legacy in 2013 when she started working as an orderly in Same-Day Surgery. Whitney then went on to become a registered nurse in 2019 and continues to work in Same-Day Surgery at Utah Valley.
“I was motivated and inspired by my mom and grandma as I watched them have a fulfilling career in nursing. My mom worked graveyards full-time for 16 years so she could be home with me and my three siblings. I was also inspired by my grandma who worked as a nurse for 18 years and then went back to school to be a nurse practitioner. I’m grateful for their example because they paved the path for me showing me, I can have a career in nursing and be a mom,” says Whitney.
Jada and Whitney crossed paths in the operating room and had the opportunity to work together one time so far in their career.
“I have assisted in the OR with my mom during a trauma where a patient had to have an emergency C-Section. It was an amazing experience for me to watch my mom assess and care for the baby, while I helped care for the mother,” shares Whitney.
Star, Jada and Whitney have been able to share medical questions, exchange experiences and share experiences over the years as they have followed in each other’s footsteps.
Star now works as a nurse practitioner for the Utah Neurological Clinic, located in the Physicians’ Plaza at Utah Valley. She looks back on her time with Intermountain with gratitude as she experienced the changes that took place over the years.
“I watched Intermountain change over the 18 years I worked there. We went from paper charting to computer charting. I enjoyed the comradery at Intermountain Healthcare. There were easy days and very hard days, but all in all we learned many valuable lessons about medicine, and how to care for each patient individually and medically,” says Star.
Jada also shares her gratitude to have worked at Intermountain and experience the advancement of medicine.
“I love my work family and the wonderful work environment I’m in. It can be difficult at times, but it’s one of the most rewarding jobs and I’m grateful to work where I do. I have seen a lot of growth and change with Intermountain, especially in our NICU. We moved from a 28-bed unit in the old building to a 55-bed unit in 2000. We’re continually advancing in taking care of premature babies, and I'm proud to be a part of it,” says Jada.
Three generations and 30 years later, Star, Jada and Whitney are still practicing medicine and carrying on their family legacy.
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