Some places become part of a family’s story, woven into the milestones and memories that shape their lives.
For Carol Powell, NP, FMOL Health | St. Francis has been one of those places for as long as she can remember.
It’s where she welcomed her children into the world, where loved ones have turned for care and where she has experienced the compassion of neighbors caring for neighbors. Through generations of family experiences, St. Francis has remained a constant in her life.
So, when Carol’s career in healthcare eventually brought her to St. Francis in 2010, she was joining a community that already felt like home.
Today, as an acute care nurse practitioner, she brings that same sense of connection to patients and families facing some of life’s most difficult moments. For Carol, those relationships and the opportunity to make a difference have made nearly three decades in nursing a fulfilling calling.
Finding Her Calling at St. Francis
Carol’s journey into healthcare began with a different career in mind.
After graduating from what was then Northeast Louisiana University in 1992 with a degree in elementary education, she spent several years teaching before pursuing nursing. Encouraged by her father and inspired by her mother, who worked as a nurse for a pediatrician, Carol returned to school and earned her nursing degree in 1997.
“I’ve always been a teacher. I love to teach, and I could do that in healthcare as well,” Carol says.
Her background in education continues to shape how she approaches patient care and mentoring younger nurses.
“What I find most rewarding is the interaction with the patients and with the staff,” Carol says. “Teaching young nurses new things that I’ve known or learning from them as well.”
Finding Purpose in Every Outcome
Throughout her career, Carol has been drawn to caring for critically ill patients. Even during difficult circumstances, the opportunity to help patients recover and return to their families keeps her motivated.
While much of Monroe is still asleep, Carol is already making her rounds.
Her workday typically begins around 3 a.m., checking on patients in the intensive care unit and throughout the hospital. Working alongside pulmonary and critical care physicians, she helps assess patients, coordinate consultations and prepare care plans.
“What keeps me inspired is that we always do have the good outcomes and we’re saving lives and we’re extending people’s time with their family members,” Carol says.
She especially treasures moments when families receive encouraging news after fearing the worst.
“It just makes me happy to see a family member who possibly didn’t have any hope then turn around and realize, ‘Oh yeah, I’ll get to spend more time with mom or dad,’” Carol says.
After more than 16 years at St. Francis, the relationships she’s built with fellow team members and their shared commitment to patients remain among her greatest reasons for staying.
Deep Roots in the Monroe Community
Carol Powell (right) with cousin and fellow St. Francis nurse practitioner April Jones and St. Francis President Dr. Thomas Gullatt.
Carol’s connection to Northeast Louisiana extends beyond the hospital walls.
Monroe is home to generations of her family, and two local institutions have played meaningful roles in their lives: St. Francis and the University of Louisiana Monroe (ULM).
At St. Francis, Carol has experienced healthcare as both a provider and a patient and family member. At ULM, she’s watched relatives pursue their education, build careers and establish traditions of their own.
Both institutions have strengthened her appreciation for the community she serves and the people who make Monroe home.
For the Powell family, Warhawk pride runs deep.
Carol holds two degrees from ULM, and her husband, Lynn, daughters and numerous extended family members have attended the university.
“We just always have instilled that pride of our local college,” Carol says. “It’s just been part of our lives.”
Her family’s football traditions grew when her nephew played for ULM, including during the Warhawks’ memorable 2012 Independence Bowl season.
Family tailgates became lasting friendships with other football families. Some former players still call her “Aunt Carol,” and several continue visiting when they return to Monroe.
“It’s kind of like its own community,” Carol says. “Everybody has that same love for the Warhawks.”
Warhawk of the Game
Carol got to experience that community from the field as the Warhawk of the Game celebrating two institutions that have shaped her life. Together with her husband, Lynn; cousin and fellow St. Francis nurse practitioner April Jones, NP; and other friends and family, Carol got her moment in the spotlight as ULM took on the University of Louisiana on November 12 at FMOL Health | St. Francis Stadium.
“It’s rewarding to know that just an average Joe can be acknowledged for just being a fan of a university and of a hospital system,” Carol says.
And when it comes to her allegiance on gameday, there’s never been any question.
“I am loyal to my alma mater, and I’m always going to cheer for ULM,” Carol says. “No matter what.”
