From Army medic to nurse educator, Taylor shares lessons of service at Phoebe

ALBANY — When Sharrell Taylor left the Army, the lessons she learned as a medic followed her into nursing: Stay calm under pressure, trust your training and support the people beside you.

Now a clinical nurse educator at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital, Taylor shared that connection Wednesday during a Veterans Day program hosted by Phoebe and the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce’s Military Affairs Committee.

“I learned that you don’t always have the luxury of feeling prepared and comfortable,” Taylor said. “That sometimes you must trust your training, rely on your team and act.”

The ceremony honored veterans and their families, with a presentation of colors by the Westover High School Color Guard and musical performances by the Lake Park Elementary School Show Chorus. Phoebe also introduced a veterans employee resource group intended to build connections among employees and support veterans throughout the health system.

Taylor, an eight-year Army veteran, said she joined the military at 22 as a single parent and became the first member of her immediate family to serve.

She had earned a bachelor’s degree in biology and planned to become a doctor. But while preparing for the medical school entrance exam, she felt overwhelmed and discouraged. She chose a different path into the Army, where she learned to assess patients, make decisions under pressure and work with a team.

Those experiences later became the foundation of her nursing career, she said.

Military service also brought challenges at home. Taylor met her husband while serving, and they became a family with both parents on active duty. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she said, her husband’s time stationed in Korea was extended, leaving her to manage parenting and daily responsibilities with limited support.

Eventually, she decided leaving the military was the best choice for her family. Health care offered a way to continue the work she had begun as a medic.

Taylor said she has been a nurse for 3 ½ years. As an educator, she now helps prepare future nurses to think critically, communicate, respond to emergencies and remain calm under pressure.

She described how military values carry into that work: Loyalty means supporting colleagues and advocating for patients. Duty means meeting responsibilities even when the work is difficult. Integrity requires honesty and accountability, including when someone makes a mistake.

Personal courage, she said, can mean speaking up for a patient or questioning something that does not seem right.

“Never accepting defeat does not mean we will never experience setbacks or make mistakes,” Taylor said. “It means we do not allow those challenges to define our capabilities. We learn, we adjust, and we continue to improve.”

The military commitment to supporting fellow service members also shapes how she approaches teaching. In health care, she said, that means helping struggling colleagues, mentoring new nurses and recognizing when students need additional guidance.

Taylor urged employers to recognize the skills veterans bring to civilian jobs, including discipline, teamwork, accountability and adaptability. Starting a new career after military service requires patience and a willingness to learn, she said.

“We have different backgrounds, experiences, specialties, skill sets, but we have many transferable skills, and veterans should be given an opportunity to demonstrate what they bring to the table,” she said.

The program also acknowledged sacrifices that extend beyond military members themselves. In an opening prayer, Chaplain Joey Holland recognized families who endure separations and veterans living with physical and less visible wounds.

“Behind every uniform there’s a story, there’s a family, there’s a sacrifice, a life that was forever shaped by their service,” Holland said.

Near the ceremony’s close, organizers outlined plans for Phoebe’s veterans employee resource group. The group will help coordinate activities recognizing and supporting veteran patients, family members and visitors, as well as connecting employees. Staff members were invited to join through Phoebe Connect.

For Taylor, the transition from soldier to nurse and educator has reinforced the value of the experience veterans carry into their next chapter.

“Your experiences matter, your sacrifices matter, your leadership matters,” she told fellow veterans.