Veronica Perez, Stacy Faulkner, and Roger Perez
Muskegon is home for Veronica and Roger Perez, siblings who recently accepted permanent positions as Registered Nurses at Trinity Health Muskegon. Their families live in Muskegon, and their mom — Clinical Manager Stacy Faulkner — has worked for Trinity Health Muskegon as a nurse for more than 20 years.
So, choosing nursing as a profession wasn’t a stretch for Roger and Veronica. In fact, they entered nursing school, recently graduated, and passed their RN NCLEX certification — at the same time.
Trinity Health Muskegon Nurse Externship Program
Another shared experience for the siblings was their participation in the unique opportunity of the Trinity Health Muskegon Extern program. Students who qualify are paid for their hours working and learning in the hospital while attending nursing school. And the program is designed to work around students’ schedules.
From Veronica’s viewpoint, the best part of the extern program was being able to shadow a nurse in action on the Med-Surg floor.
“You can see if you like what the job actually requires,” she said. "You get to see the ‘real’ side of nursing, not just the ‘student’ side.”
Roger agrees. He worked on the seventh floor that serves Renal/Cardiac Med-Surg patients.
“I would encourage anyone who is a nursing student to try the Muskegon Extern program. Even if you don’t work for Trinity Health after graduation, you will learn so much more than you ever could from a textbook or classroom.”
The greatest lesson Veronica learned during her externship was time management.
“I watched a nurse give personal, professional care to five patients throughout her shift. By watching an experienced nurse work, you pick up tips that will help you develop your own strategy later.”
For Roger, his greatest takeaways were time management and learning to prioritize.
“Working alongside a seasoned nurse, you see things you can incorporate into your way of doing things.”
Why Live in Muskegon?
Veronica received a scholarship from the Community Foundation for Muskegon County to help with her education.
“Staying in Muskegon to work as a nurse is part of my giving back to the community. I love the area and the people of Muskegon. It is a smaller community but up and coming. Everyone is welcome. It has a great diverse feel. The beaches and parks are beautiful, and there is always something to do. The schools are good, and it’s a wonderful place to raise a family.”
Giving back to the community is important to Roger too.
“After high school I started working in a human resources job, but I decided I wanted a more hands-on job, so I went for nursing. In Muskegon, I have gotten along with everyone I’ve met. I like the diversity and the fact that you can live downtown or in the country and still be close to work. Plus, the beaches are beautiful and dog friendly. And P. J. Hoffmaster State Park is great for hiking.”
Trinity Health’s Culture
Veronica describes the culture at Trinity Health Muskegon as truly welcoming.
“There were so many preceptors who wanted to show me things; they didn’t make me feel like I was in the way. The teams are tight-knit, and they have each other’s backs. They put patients first.”
Veronica is expecting her third child, so she is working a relief position on the Med-Surg floor.
“My manager is always checking on me, and she understands that family comes first. I know the care is great at the hospital because I gave birth to one of my children there.”
After nursing school graduation, Roger received job offers from other health systems in West Michigan, but he chose Trinity Health.
“I thought about accepting other opportunities, but in the end, I wanted to work alongside the nurses I had met during my externship. I had already worked with them and knew they were the kind of colleagues I was looking for.”