Gayle Owen, RN, MSN, IBCLC, says her journey to becoming a nurse began when she was a candy striper in high school. “I knew then that I wanted to do something in the medical field, but I didn’t go to school right away,” she explains. “I got married and had kids.” Owen’s oldest child is disabled, so she had hands-on caregiving experience. “I had a lot of medical experience on the other side of the bed as a parent,” she says.

A rewarding career

Owen finds her career as a lactation consultant at Piedmont Henry Hospital rewarding. “I get to be with a family during a happy time,” she says. “They have a new baby, a new family member.” She works with fathers to teach them the importance of skin-to-skin touch with their babies and teaches mothers proper breastfeeding techniques.

“If there are siblings, we do everything we can to make them feel really important during this time,” she says. “Sometimes they’re losing a spot if they’re the first and only child at home. All of that is so special and so rewarding,” Owen says.

“Nursing has been nice to me and has given me great opportunities to share happy times with new moms and dads.” Click here for more information on nursing at Piedmont.

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