Pediatric Nurse at Adventhealth Waterman

When her grandmother became critically ill, Sadie felt a pull in her heart to serve like those who took such good care of someone closest to her. 

After graduating from Mount Dora High School, she began her journey at Lake-Sumter State College before transferring to AdventHealth University in Orlando to complete her degree and step into a career in pediatrics. 

Her first role was at AdventHealth Orlando in 2020, where she worked in the pediatric epilepsy unit at the children’s hospital. Entering the field during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic became one of the scariest times in her career. 

“Our workload was crazy, and our orientation wasn’t orthodox,” she says. “I went straight into being a COVID nurse where healthcare was in a very challenging space.” 

Despite these challenges, she remains grateful for the experience. 

“We experienced the most challenging times in healthcare during that period, so I believe things can only improve from here,” she says. 

As she and her husband started a family, the need to be closer to home led her to AdventHealth Waterman in Tavares, where she now works as a pediatric nurse.

“Being a pediatric nurse means you’re not just caring for the patient but also for the family,” she says. “They are the ones making medical decisions, and you have to ensure everyone is on the same page.”

Sadie treats a range of pediatric patients, from those suffering from viral and bacterial infections to children requiring IV fluids or short-term oxygen therapy, where they serve as an essential step between home care and higher-level facilities in Orlando.

For Sadie, nursing is more than just a career—it is a calling. 

“I love being a part of God’s healing hands,” she says. “I feel like I am a piece of what He is doing. He is ultimately the healer, but we get to be part of His healing practice. That gives me so much joy.”