Susan Crusan
RN
Sarah was born and raised in rural Pennsylvania. She completed her AD in Nursing at Mount Aloysius College but not before her now husband proposed then promptly surprising her by joining the AirForce. He knew she would have opposed the idea, even though it was likely the best thing that happened to them both! This decision began their adventures leading them years later to Bandera, Texas.
Four days after graduating college, the couple married only to have him leave for basic training a mere sixteen days later. Sarah kept busy and utilized her nursing degree at a Skilled Nursing facility in Pennsylvania until the AirForce ordered the new family to Hampton, Virginia. While stationed there, Sarah found a Long Term Acute Care facility. Her love for wound care, complex medical and educating patients and new nurses was fueled. While passionately chasing her nursing dream, the young family welcomed their first child, a perfect little boy.
A few short years later, the family of three and a little princess on the way, received orders to Lackland AFB. Sarah continued to pursue her career and obtained her Bachelors in Nursing while in Texas. Juggling a growing family, on-going college, Sarah found that being a float RN gave her various experiences in mental health facilities, medical surgical units, cardiac units, and home health care, while still allowing her to care for her family. She eventually settled into a leadership role at a local home health agency. Her husband finished his military career during this time and was blessed with a new career path. This provided many blessings allowing Sarah to step back temporarily from nursing to raise their biological children and add some bonus children to their brood as well. The desire to be a nurse and help others never went away and as the children grew, the desire to return to her first passion resurfaced! Warriors Heart provided her a place to let her nursing passion call home.
My Why
After some time out of scrubs, I was anxious about finding where my nursing career may lead me. The time home raising children opened my eyes to the brokenness and struggles that children face when their loved ones suffer from drug abuse and addiction. Thus began a deep desire to merge my love of nursing and the desire to change the trajectory of families who also are struggling with addiction/substance abuse and mental health issues. Warriors’ hearts provided that avenue especially with the focus being on veterans and first responders. While my family is no longer active duty, military life runs in our veins. To help a veteran or first responder, who selflessly gave so much for our country and community is of the highest honor.
