From Summer Teen Volunteer to BayCare Nurse
In the summer of 2016, Dylan Hildabrand joined several teens to volunteer at St. Anthony’s Hospital. Although his mother was a nurse and he was a student at the Boca Ciega High School Medical Magnet program, he wasn’t sure about a career in health care.
But spending the summer at St. Anthony’s Hospital changed that and he became an example of how BayCare’s efforts to expose young people to medical fields can pay dividends, sometimes years later.
That summer at St. Anthony’s Hospital, Hildabrand’s earned volunteer hours in the food and nutrition department with Karl Thomas, a team member for 31 years. Hildabrand then graduated high school the following year and attended Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) in Fort Myers. After a year, he returned home and attended St. Petersburg College (SPC).
“I decided to follow up on an offer from Karl to come back if I ever needed anything,” Hildabrand said. “I knew when I came back from FGCU that my plan was to become a nurse.”
After working part time for more than a year in food and nutrition, he took a step toward his nursing career by becoming a certified nursing assistant (CNA). He transferred from food and nutrition to work on St. Anthony’s Hospital’s cardiac medical unit as a patient care tech (PCT). Once Dylan had finished his prerequisite courses and officially started the SPC nursing program, he shifted to part -time as a PCT on weekends while attending school during the week.
Linda Pondexter-Gidron, St. Anthony’s Hospital’s volunteer resources manager, said she’s proud that Hildabrand started his journey as a summer teen volunteer. “He used the teen volunteer program as an opportunity to gain experience and to evaluate if he really wanted to pursue a career in the medical field,” Pondexter-Gidron said.
Hildabrand is grateful to have found a home at St. Anthony’s Hospital. He is now a registered nurse on the same floor he began as a PCT and precepts new nurses. “I'm very fortunate to have had this experience,” he said. “I am now working to finish my bachelor’s degree in nursing in December and keep growing professionally.”
Hundreds of Teens Volunteer at BayCare Hospitals This Summer
This summer, BayCare hospitals have once again opened their units and departments to more than 500 teen volunteers. Students ages 14-17 volunteer throughout the health system to earn valuable hours for scholarships and magnet school requirements, And so much more, as in Hildabrand’s case.
“Our goal is to introduce the students to clinical and non-clinical careers throughout the hospital, such as nursing, food and nutrition, admitting and hospitality,” said Heather Rutkowski, volunteer resources director for the Morton Plant Mease and St. Anthony’s hospitals. “These students may not be thinking of a career in health care until they are exposed to the different kinds of roles that are available.”
Lyca Buyser, a guest services volunteer, hopes to follow Dylan’s path to a nursing career. “I want to be a nurse,” said Buyser, who will begin her junior year at Pinellas Park High School this fall. “Both my parents are nurses here (St. Anthony’s Hospital). The team has been so nice to me. Being here has helped me to feel comfortable in a hospital setting. I know that will help as I work to become a nurse.”
Opportunities Continue for Teens at BayCare Hospitals
BayCare offers other programs during the summer to help young people determine if health care is the right career choice. St. Joseph’s Hospital recently hosted its second annual Career Camp for ninth and 10th grade students. At Mease Dunedin Hospital, the longtime annual Diane Rauch Camp Nurse Junior offered seventh- and eighth-graders a chance to explore a variety of health care and non-clinical careers.
BayCare also has partnered with the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Suncoast (BGCS) since January 2023 to create a student apprenticeship program. And in June, BayCare partnered with CareerSource Pasco Hernando to provide eight days of instruction to 16 high schoolers who have expressed an interest in pursuing careers in health care.
Jackie Miller, St. Anthony’s Hospital Cardiac Medical 1 unit nurse manager, said that Hildabrand has learned so much during his two years as a nurse. “He is now … precepting new nurses,” she said. “He comes to work with a great attitude and his gentle personality. The patients and team love him. I am so proud of the person and nurse he has become.”
As for Hildabrand, he hopes his story will inspire teens who are trying to decide what they want to do after high school. “I try to share my story with others who aspire to continue their education,” he said. “Everyone is usually surprised when I tell them my story. I encourage others to take the same path.”