Isabel Faircloth Education

Isabel F. Faircloth was born and raised in the Philippines, the second of nine children. She grew up surrounded by relatives who were healthcare professionals. Her mother was a nurse, and four of her siblings are also nurses. Growing up with parents and relatives in the medical profession, she cultivated her passion and interest about caring for the sick very early in life. When she was in high school, she spent her Saturdays at the Public Health Clinic in her hometown helping out the nurses and midwives do their home visits. She was very impressed by how knowledgeable, competent and caring they were. These experiences had a great influence in her decision to take up nursing. In 1965, she received her diploma in nursing from St. Luke’s Hospital in Quezon City, Philippines. She came to the United States under the Exchange Visitor’s Program in 1966. Her first experience as a nurse in the U.S. was at Cook County Hospital, under the Exchange Visitor’s Program. She trained in the surgical units and after two years received a certificate in Surgical Nursing. After her contract was over, she met her husband Terence, got married and moved to Pennsylvania. While in Pennsylvania, her son, James, was born. Both Isabel and her husband wanted to continue with their studies, so they decided to return to Chicago. She returned to Cook County Hospital and worked as a staff nurse while pursuing her education. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Nursing from the University of Illinois in 1972. Working as a staff nurse and later as the head nurse of her unit developed her supervisory and leadership skills. Excellence in nursing has always been her professional goal. Mentoring nursing students and orienting newly hired nurses has given her the opportunity to share her knowledge, mission and vision of providing quality, compassionate nursing care to patients and their families. These experiences and the desire and mission to provide excellent nursing care, led her to teaching. She believes that it is through mentoring that nursing students become competent, compassionate nurses. In 1973, she was offered a teaching position at the Cook County School of Nursing. She taught at the school until it closed its doors in 1981, teaching medical – surgical nursing. She enjoyed her experience as a teacher; she enjoyed teaching her students, and learning from each other. She learned a lot from this renowned teaching institution. She believes that teaching is perhaps the most satisfying and important vocation. Teaching is more than classroom activities; it involves mentoring, advising, teaching, curriculum development and modeling. To be able to fulfill these responsibilities, and expectations, she went back to school to further her education. She received her Masters in Education, majoring in Curriculum and Instruction from Loyola University in 1976 and a Masters in Nursing in 1983. Her education and experience opened other teaching opportunities. She experienced teaching in different programs, from diploma programs to baccalaureate nursing programs. At the same time, the opportunity to meet and work with people with varied educational and teaching experiences enriched her experience as a teacher/instructor. After twenty-plus years in academia, she felt it was time for her to try other areas of nursing. She decided to return to Cook County Hospital to join their Nursing Education Department. As a Clinical Specialist, she was assigned to do in -service training and planning and to develop continuing education programs for the staff nurses. After ten years, she felt it was time to move on, this time she wanted to go back to caring for patients .I She ecided to go back to school and become a nurse practitioner. She received her certificate in Adult Nurse Practitioner from North Park University in 2002 with honors. She was offered a position as a Practitioner in the Dept. of Nephrology and Hypertension Clinic at Stroger Hospital. This position allowed her to treat her patient’s holistically, and teach them skills to promote and maintain their health. Her career as a Nurse Practitioner ended when she retired and took up a bigger role in caring for her grandson, William. She stayed home to look after him until he started pre-school. Once he was already in school, she found herself in need of something to occupy her time. This has brought her to Northwestern Institute of Health and Technology(NWIHT), teaching in the Practical Nursing Program. She says, “my position as a Director of Nursing Education has been rewarding and enjoyable. I am fortunate to be working with talented and dedicated colleagues and ambitious students. My student’s enthusiasm and eagerness to learn have been the catalysts in my desire to continue teaching. I enjoyed the challenges of teaching in both the classroom and in the clinical settings. I am proud to have been given this opportunity to direct the professional future of our students and to uphold the mission and vision of NWIHT. As a director, and instructor, I am honored to be a part of the development of our students’ life; shape a path for them to strive to reach their professional aspirations to be competent and safe practitioners.”