Monk’s journey of dedication and growth
WAYCROSS – Memorial Satilla Health is proud to celebrate the journey of one of our newest RNs, Jacob Monk.
He officially transitioned into a year-long nurse residency program in July and is now working full-time in the ICU.
Monk’s career path began early after he was exposed to the medical field through a healthcare class at Ware County High School.
This initial exposure led Monk to join Memorial Satilla almost four years ago as a patient care tech (PCT), a role he embraced to gain firsthand experience and confirm his passion for healthcare before committing to nursing school.
“I liked it,” he shared. “I liked helping people, and my work family inspired me.” While working weekends as a tech, Monk began his nursing education at South Georgia State College.
His dedication was evident as he continued to work part-time at the hospital. Monk completed most of his clinical rotations right here as well, on the second floor medical-surgical unit and in the Birthing Center.
After completing his first semester of nursing school, Monk seamlessly transitioned into a nurse extern role, allowing him to work more closely with staff nurses and take on additional clinical responsibilities.
Monk’s why is simple yet profound.
“I enjoy making a difference for people,” he said. “Healthcare is a good way to do this.”
Monk’s excited about being more involved with patient care as an RN, expressing, “I’ve been really blessed, and I feel like it’s my duty to reciprocate those blessings to others in some way.”
“Nursing is both fun and challenging, a field where I can work hard and see myself grow in the role.”
Healthcare is clearly a family affair. Monk’s mom, a former nurse manager and critical care nurse, was his inspiration and a constant source of support throughout his nursing school journey.
His sister currently serves as a Vice President of Quality and Medical Staff at Memorial Satilla. Monk’s dad worked as a tech in orthopedics.
A 2019 WCHS graduate, Jacob’s career journey is a true local success story.
Looking ahead, Monk is eager to build a firm foundation in nursing. He is in no rush to leave the community, but would consider traveling within the HCA Healthcare network once he’s established himself, and he’s also open to furthering his education.
Monk highlighted the value of HCA’s tuition reimbursement and student loan repayment options, noting them as “great assets,” even though he didn’t personally utilize them. He was also “amazed at how well the hospital worked with his schedule while he was in school.”
