Even as a young child, Latoya Dale knew she was meant to be a nurse.
“I used to purposely break my toys just so I could put them back together,” she laughs. “Barbies, action figures, stuffed animals, you name it. I’d find tools around the house and set up my own operating room. I think that’s when I realized … this is what I’m meant to be.”
Her childhood curiosity deepened during her beloved grandmother’s long illness.
“She was in and out of the hospital, and I wanted to understand everything happening to her,” Latoya says.
“I would hang around her visiting nurses and ask questions. After she passed, I told myself, ‘Maybe I could make a difference for someone else.’”
And she has.
Today, 26-year-old Latoya is a licensed practical nurse on Gaylord Hospital’s Hooker I unit, caring for patients recovering from severe strokes and acquired brain injuries.
But Latoya’s path to nursing wasn’t linear. After high school, she juggled multiple jobs until a chance encounter with Gaylord board member Mary Pepe changed everything.
“She told me about Gaylord’s CNA Academy, and I applied right away,” Latoya says.
A Pathway to Nursing
Gaylord’s Certified Nursing Assistant Academy is an immersive, hands-on educational experience held at Gaylord Hospital to the hospital’s specialized patient population.
Kristen Berg, BSN, RN, CNA Program Coordinator, says, “Traditional CNA programs weren’t preparing students to care for the complexity of Gaylord Hospital patients. The Academy was designed to help bridge that gap and help create a pathway to develop the next generation of healthcare workers in our region.”
For Latoya, it was the launch pad that propelled her career forward.
“She was consistently one of my top performers,” says Berg. “She asked thoughtful questions, scored high on exams, and refined her clinical skills through repeated practice until she executed them with precision on the practical exam.”
But it was Latoya’s compassion, she says, that truly stood out.
“Most students focused on the task, but Latoya always made sure patients felt safe and heard. I remember her gently holding the hand of an elderly patient who was trembling. She took the time to talk, and it instantly put that patient at ease.”
“The Nurse I Was Always Meant to Be”
Upon graduating from Gaylord CNA Academy, Latoya joined the hospital staff as a Patient Care Technician. While working full-time, she completed her LPN training and enrolled in the RN program at Gateway Community College.
Her nurse manager, Jillian Mattson, BSN, RN, CRRN, says Latoya stood out from the beginning.
“She was dedicated, always eager to learn, and had an intuitive sense of patient care, responding with both skill and empathy,” says Mattson. “Patients trust her immediately. She brings warmth, compassion, and clinical expertise to every interaction.”
Latoya was recently awarded the Kornguth Family Scholarship, a $2,000 award given to Gaylord staff pursuing advanced clinical education.
“Winning that scholarship means everything,” Latoya says. “It’s not just financial help - it’s validation. Like they’re saying, ‘You’ve got this. Keep on going.’”
Kristen Berg says Latoya’s story reflects exactly what the CNA Academy was designed to do: create a pathway for passionate caregivers to grow. “Latoya’s journey proves that when we invest in caregivers, we invest in the future of nursing.”
For Latoya, the motivation has always been simple: to be there for others.
“One patient cried when I helped her in the bathroom,” she remembers. “She kept saying, ‘I’m so sorry you have to do this.’ I told her, ‘This is what I want to do, this is why I am here.’ After she was discharged, she sent me a postcard that said, ‘You have a heart of gold.’ I’ll never forget that.”
As she works toward her RN degree, Latoya has already set her sights even higher: becoming an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse. She credits Gaylord with creating an environment that allowed her to thrive, not just as a student or an employee, but as a person with purpose.
“Gaylord gave me the opportunity to grow into the nurse I was always meant to be.”
