HCTC Helps Knott Countian Jessica Hall Move up Ranks with RN Degree

Knott County Health and Rehab Administrator Jessica Hall says she never imagined herself in the position she’s in now when she started Hazard Community and Technical College (HCTC) straight out of high school in 2000.

“In the beginning, I did not plan on going into nursing,” the Knott Countian says. “When I first started college, I was going to get a business degree.”

While working at a local gas station, Hall was able to obtain her Associates of Arts degree from HCTC by 2002 and began her career at the Knott County Health and Rehab Center in the dietary department. Less than a year later she was promoted to a more outward-facing position that more often put her into contact with residents and their families.

“This was where I began to develop my working relationship with the residents and their families,” she explains. “Once I was working in the front office here, it was seeing the residents, it was being around them, them getting used to me and expecting to see me coming in, and the family members—just the whole atmosphere brought me to the decision that I want to go back to school.”

But working a full-time job while going back to school didn’t necessarily seem achievable to Hall at the time. That is, until she learned that HCTC offered it’s RN program classes as night classes. 

“Without being able to do the night program for the nursing, I would not have been able to be where I’m at. I was working full-time at the front office, and I was working there 8 to 5, Monday through Friday,” she says. “When I started school again at HCTC in 2007, I would go immediately after work for my nursing classes.”

Hall says she chose to go back to HCTC not only because it was close and cost effective, but she remembered the faculty and staff being great to work with.

“I had a really good experience with them,” she says. “The instructors were wonderful—even the ones that were online—if you had a question, they were easy to reach out to. They were willing to help you and they were wanting to see you succeed.”

“Those that were there strove to get us through it and made sure we were confident in what we were doing. They would walk hand-in-hand with us to get where we needed to be a competent nurse,” Hall adds.

Since graduating from the HCTC RN Nursing Program, Hall’s career has made leaps and bounds, being promoted to director of nursing and, 7 years later, to administrator of the Knott County Health and Rehab Center in 2022. 

Hall’s life has changed even more since her latest promotion. Being able to buy land and a newer, larger home are just some of the perks of her new job.

“I have just an all over feeling of pride and accomplishment that I was able to actually do that—to go to school and work full-time at the same time,” Hall says. “It was a wonderful experience knowing that I made it through school and I was competent enough to be able to be there to help my residents and other staff and even train new people as they came in.”

For anyone thinking of becoming an RN, Hall strongly encourages them to go to HCTC.

“There’s flexible scheduling, many degrees, and the staff is very courteous and willing to help. I wouldn’t be where I’m at today without going to HCTC,” she says.

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