Darlene Goepfrich '15, a nurse for nearly 44 years, is the recipient of the 2025 Wisdom in the Workplace Award from Memorial Hospital and Health Care Center in Jasper, Indiana.
Darlene’s daughter, Mallory Terwiske '11 BSN, RN, CCRN (at right), was also a nominee at this year’s nursing awards at Memorial Hospital and Health Care Center.
Q&A with Darlene Goepfrich
Where are you from originally? I am originally from Loogootee, Indiana, and graduated from Loogootee High School in 1978.
Who or what inspired you to pursue nursing as a career? I thought I was going to be an accountant, but it never felt right. As a senior in high school I joined the Health Club. Our school nurse was a graduate from Deaconess School of Nursing, and she arranged a field trip to visit the school. It felt so right, and I applied to nursing school. I am a 1981 graduate of Deaconess School of Nursing.
How long have your worked at Memorial Hospital and Health Care Center? All of my years of nursing have been at Memorial (nearly 44 years). I graduated from nursing school on June 7 and started in critical care at Memorial on June 8 in 1981. In 1995, I transferred to Cardiac Lab/Cardiac Rehab. Part of my job was working in the Cardiac Cath Lab. It is there that I really found my niche and am still working there today.
Why did you decide to return to school for your BSN? Memorial Hospital and Health Care Center had Professional Growth Incentive (PGI) which is now (Nursing Clinical Ladder) NCL. I have applied and have received NCL since its inception. At one point, the requirement for the highest level was going to require a BSN. I was encouraged by my director to obtain my BSN. Memorial was very helpful by helping pay for tuition, and also I received funds from the former Deaconess Hospital School of Nursing Alumni. I benefitted from both and was able to obtain my BSN without any cost to me. All I had to do was put in the time.
What are your other nursing credentials? I received my RCIS (Registered Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist) in 2007. This is a certification that can be obtained for cath lab personnel, or it can be a special class one can take to obtain you RCIS so you can work in a cath lab. For me, because I was already a RN, I could apply and sit for the exam. You can apply after you have been involved in over 700 cases in the cath lab and submitted proof of your RN degree or completion of a RCIS program. I obtained my CCRN (Critical Care Registered Nurse) when I was still working in critical care in 1993.
Describe your experience with the USI RN to BSN Program. Obtaining my BSN from USI worked well with my schedule and home life. It was totally online, and I never had to go to the USI campus. I would recommend it to others.
How does it make you feel that your daughter followed in your footsteps? No one was more surprised than me that my daughter decided to become a nurse! She was a part of the HOSA program at Jasper High School and considered being an occupational therapist. She attended all the OT offerings the HOSA program offered. During the last rotation, she decided to follow the critical care nurses at Memorial. It was after this rotation she decided to pursue a career in nursing.
Mallory has really followed my footsteps: her first position was in critical care and then three years ago she transferred to the Cardiac Lab/Cardiac Rehab department. It is wonderful having a daughter who is a nurse. We can speak the same language and understand the ups and downs of nursing. We have grown closer because of this connection.
Anything else you would like to add? I feel nursing is a great career for anyone, female or male. There are so many different opportunities that can take you anywhere you want to go!