The calling and tradition of nursing is often passed down among families. Our "Tradition of Nursing" series spotlights nurse relatives who have earned their degree from USC College of Nursing.
The path to nursing is not always obvious. Shelley Knox (MSN’99, BSN’96) returned to college later in life as a mom, only one year ahead of her daughter Amy Funderburk (BSN’97). Not long after, Shelley’s second daughter Beth-Ann K. Bowers (MSN’22, BSN’13) followed the career to nursing as well.
“We each chose different career paths as RNs but still had much in common with working with patients and co-workers. It’s nice to know we each understand to a degree what the other is going through,” said Shelley.
Learning from mom
Shelley and Amy’s time at the College of Nursing coincided.
“We took a few of our prerequisites together, which was an adventure in itself! Overall, since she was a year ahead of me in school, it was great to have someone who knew the teachers and the coursework to bounce ideas, frustrations and celebrations off,” said Amy.
“She was always there as a reference in school, to talk me through the thought process behind a rationale as to why one answer was “more right” than the other three right answers. She had a way of focusing me on the crux of the disease process which helped to guide my thought processes—and still does to this day,” said Beth.
Three different paths
Shelley enjoyed working as a nurse practitioner, building relationships, and advocating for patients. She is retired and is proudly supporting her daughter’s career development. Beth is a family nurse practitioner with Lexington Family Practice, and Amy is Vice President of Nursing Excellence and Professional Development for Centura Health.