V-CARE Spotlight On: Kedrian Guy, En-Route Patient Staging Facility Registered Nurse in the U.S. Air Force

Since its inception, the USF Health College of Nursing’s V-CARE pathway has graduated hundreds of student veterans from all branches of the military. Known for its veteran-friendly support system, the College of Nursing’s V-CARE pathway is a bridge between military experience and a bachelor’s degree in nursing.

V-CARE alumni are sharing updates on where they are now and how their time at USF got them there. 

What brought you to the USF V-CARE pathway?

In 2013, I started examining schools commensurate with Air Force NECP (Nurse Enlisted Commissioning Program) requirements. During my research, I discovered an article about Florida’s nursing shortage and USF’s visionary V-CARE program. I applied to several nursing schools, but humbly accepted my seat at the USF College of Nursing in Fall 2014. I graduated in 2015 with a bachelor’s in nursing. In 2020, I earned a master’s in healthcare administration from Oklahoma State University.

What did you like best about the program?

The curriculum was created to build on previous military tech training and experience, which allowed acceleration of our coursework. The rigors of the program prepared me well academically and ultimately for the NCLEX (National Council Licensure Examination). I loved the excellence the College of Nursing represented in the Tampa community.

What did you do after graduation?

After graduation, I was commissioned as an officer in the United States Air Force and attended the Nursing Transition Program for 10 weeks in Scottsdale, Arizona. Upon completion, I was stationed at Wright-Patterson Medical Center in Ohio where I served as a medical-surgical nurse for two years. My next assignment ushered me abroad to South Korea where I worked in the PACU (Post-Anesthesia Care Unit) for one year.

Photo submitted by Kedrian Guy.

What type of nursing do you do now and how are you continuing to use what you learned at USF?

In 2020, I moved to Germany and was assigned to the COVID Intermediate Care Ward. This ward’s capabilities include caring for ICU and medical-surgical COVID patients. The foundation developed at USF facilitated growth to adapt my professional practice to meet nursing needs during the pandemic. In January, I started a new position as an En-Route Patient Staging Facility Nurse where I receive or prepare patients for Aeromedical Evacuation.

Photo submitted by Kedrian Guy.

What’s next for you?

I was recently selected for flight nursing. I’m excited to join this career path so I can help bring our nation’s proud warriors home! I still represent our school to the fullest. Proud Bull Nurse here. Go Bulls!

Story by Elizabeth L. Brown, USF College of Nursing