Victoria Eichorn, NP - Memorial Hospital

About Briana Long Between having a mom who was a nurse, an older sister who is an oncologist and her own personal health conditions, it wasn’t a surprise that Briana Long, NP, would have a career in health care. “As a child, I had a medical condition called a tethered spinal cord and I was in and out of several hospitals in the area and had more tests than I could count,” she says. “I have distinct memories of both good and poor experiences with my various encounters with healthcare professionals.” Briana is a graduate of Indiana University South Bend, IN, where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree and of Chamberlain University, Chicago, where she attained her Master of Science in Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner track. When it came time to choose a specialty pediatrics and oncology pediatrics in particular, were her choice. “I have always known I wanted to work in some realm of pediatrics so I could help children going through these scary and difficult times and be a strong advocate for these children,” Briana says. “Once I started working at Beacon Children’s Hospital and taking care of peds hem/onc children, I immediately felt like I had found my niche. I enjoy being able to provide medical care as well as helping them navigate the emotional, physical and social aspects of these difficult diagnoses, and celebrating the triumphs.” Nurses are taught to be the patient’s advocate and Briana says that as a nurse practitioner, she is able to elevate this basic cornerstone in various ways in her role as a provider. “I will always be a strong patient advocate and will always strive to provide evidenced based, compassionate, holistic care,” she says. In her own words… Who is or was the most influential people/role models in your life? My parents. They worked so hard for us growing up and have always been present and helped me and my siblings achieve our goals. I wouldn't be where I am without their love and their support. What was your first job growing up? What do you remember about it? My first “real” job was McDonalds as a cashier when I was 15. I actually enjoyed the fast pace and talking to customers. What is your favorite food? Movie? My favorite food would probably be pizza or Chinese food. I enjoy most movies that are book adaptations (Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings). My husband and I, and now our kids, really love all the superhero movies too. It has always been a bonding experience for us! What was your best/worst subjects in school growing up? Best: English and science.Worst: Spanish and most math classes. If you could sit down to dinner with anyone (alive or deceased) who would it be and why? I have been fortunate enough to have not lost many family members that I was very close to. One interesting person that I have read about over the years that comes to mind is Henrietta Lacks. She was an African-American female with very unique cervical cancer cells. Her cancer cells (HeLa cells) have been crucial in modern medicine and the development of a variety of medical treatments and vaccines in the past century. I find her story and her immortalization in medicine absolutely fascinating! In addition to medicine, what are you passionate about? I am passionate about my family; my husband and sons. I have also always been very invested in volunteering and community work. I went on several mission trips as a teenager and have volunteered in the homeless shelter and animal shelters as an adult. What are your hobbies, interests? I love reading and cooking in my spare time. I enjoy spending time outside with my husband and sons. We are always looking for a new trail, beach, or park to explore. Do you have pets? We have two dogs. Hopefully some chickens in the near future, too! What is something most people don’t know about you? I was very into writing short stories and poems when I was a teenager and I wrote a poem that is published in a poetry book.

Sarah Geyer, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, joined the US Air Force after high school, and worked as a Mental Health Technician in Germany for four years. She saw the work that the Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners did, and decided to continue her education to become a PMHNP. Sarah graduated from the Community College of the Air Force in Montgomery, Alabama, with an Associates in Applied Science in Mental Health Services in 2013. She then went on to receive her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Indiana University in South Bend, Indiana. Most recently, she graduated with her Master of Science in Nursing, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, in December 2019. “Working in the Air Force, I saw a great need for mental health care,” she said. “I love the idea of working with people who suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.” From the beginning, Sarah has been a part of the Beacon family. She started working at Elkhart General Hospital as a Patient Care Assistant, and then went on to work at Epworth Hospital when she became an RN. “The management and the people really solidified my choice to stay at Beacon,” she said. “The staff are the absolute best.” Now, you can find Sarah practicing at Beacon Medical Group Behavioral Medicine, where her philosophy is to treat the patient as a whole, not just a diagnosis. She hopes that her patients learn that she wants to be a part of their treatment team and work alongside them. In Her Own Words Who is or was the most influential person/role model in your life? My older brothers both had a really big impact on me growing up and even now. What was your first job growing up? What do you remember about it? I worked for Allstate Insurance as a secretary. I learned a lot about organization, time management, and professionalism within an office. What is your favorite food? Movie? My favorite foods are sandwiches and friend rice; my favorite movie is ‘Now and Then.’ What were your best/worst subjects in school growing up? My worst class was math and my best class was English. If you could sit down to dinner with anyone (alive or deceased) who would it be and why? I would sit down with either Dr. Seuss or Billy Joel. Dr. Seuss because his books have been a huge part of my life and I would love to hear how he came up with so many wonderful and creative stories. Billy Joel because I listened to his music growing up, and the songs keep me connected with my dad. In addition to medicine, what are you passionate about? I am passionate about cooking (not baking) and animals. What are your hobbies? I love anything to do outside; camping, hiking, fishing, hunting, kayaking. Do you have any pets? I have two cats, Gizmo and Dot. I also have three dogs: Ruger, Remi, and Molly. What is something most people don’t know about you? Most people aren’t aware that I was a rodeo queen that grew up in Idaho.

Dr. Kate Goze decided on a career in medicine when she was 15 years old. Being exposed to her grandmother who loved being a nurse, and spending time herself in the hospital for her own illness as a child confirmed this decision. "Not only was I raised knowing that nursing is a truly noble profession," Dr. Goze said, "but the comfort I felt knowing that the doctors and nurses would take care of me was something I knew I had to share with others." She began her career as a nurse in the Emergency Department at Memorial Hospital. Dr. Goze enrolled at the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis to transition from registered nurse to physician, initially expecting to choose a path in Emergency Medicine. The more time she spent in the operating room, however, the more she realized surgery would be the perfect fit so she can care for patients throughout their journey. "I wanted to be able to see patients through their entire hospital experience and then back in the clinic after they recovered," Dr. Goze said. "This was the biggest thing that led me to a career in surgery. I fell in love with the operating room and the feeling of being able to ‘fix' a problem and see the result in a very rewarding way. I knew that there was no other job for me." Dr. Goze has returned to Beacon Health System because of its model for excellence and patient-centered care. "I hope my patients know that I truly care about their well being and their outcome. I treat each patient as if they are family; that way, I am certain that they are always getting my best," she said. "And my nursing background gives me a unique perspective and a very compassionate approach to patient care." What was your first job? My first job was babysitting. I loved it because I got paid to play! What's your favorite food? Chocolate. If it were up to me, it would be its own food group. In addition to medicine, what are you passionate about? I love music. I enjoy playing the piano and I am learning the violin. I also enjoy attending live music and musical theater performances, as well as cooking, baking, hiking and spending time with my family. If you could sit down to dinner with anyone who would it be and why? I would have dinner with Neil Armstrong to discuss his journey to walk on the moon. Who is the most influential person in your life? My mother has always been a very important role model for me. She gave me both the courage to believe in myself, and the support to be who I wanted to become.