Name: Camille Behounek
Education background:
MSN, nurse anesthesia, Mount Marty College, 2005
What inspired you to begin a career in nursing and eventually become a CRNA?
I was originally going into dietetics and wanted to be a dietician. I soon realized I wanted to be more hands on with people and decided nursing was a great option. I didn’t even know what a CRNA was when I graduated from nursing school. My last position as a nurse was recovering open heart patients and the CRNAs were bringing the patients out. So I followed a CRNA for a day and decided that was something I would really like to do.
Why did you choose UNMC and Nebraska Medicine?
My main clinical rotation was at Bergan Mercy hospital. I got to do a few months rotation at UNMC and Nebraska medicine and really liked it. I loved the CRNAs I worked with at UNMC and enjoyed taking care of the high acuity patients here. It’s a challenging and rewarding place to work. This has been my only job as a CRNA and this year is my 20th year of working here.
What is your greatest joy?
Hanging out with my family and watching my children grow up over the years. I have two daughters, 16 and 19. My oldest started her first year at college at University of Nebraska – Lincoln and my youngest is a junior at Marian high school.
What is your greatest challenge?
Over the years juggling all of the activities my girls have participated in while working, raising them on the path to become productive members of society and trying to maintain my sanity through it all.
Any words of encouragement for anyone thinking about a career as a CRNA?
Becoming a CRNA has been very rewarding. It’s a long and hard road but you won’t regret it! It’s a great profession and wonderful career.
Where can we find you when you’re not at work?
I’m hanging out on the softball field. My girls both play competitive softball which takes up a lot of time. I enjoy watching them play and cheering them on. I also love the beach, and we take frequent trips to the coast.
List three things people may not know about you:
- I was a gymnast growing up and I love watching competitive gymnastics.
- My husband and I lived in North Carolina for four years before coming back to Nebraska to start my CRNA career.
- We got our first family dog a year and a half ago. We rescued him as a puppy from a puppy mill in Arkansas. He’s a joy! We love him!