Careers start on similar paths for Andrea Endinger, Jessica Graves at North Dakota State Hospital
Mar. 30—Editor's note: This story and accompanying photo are advertorial content in the 2024 "Community Cheerleaders" special section of The Jamestown Sun. The special section features volunteers in the community.
JAMESTOWN — Jessica Graves and Andrea Edinger took similar paths to their careers at the North Dakota State Hospital.
Graves and Edinger have been employed there for 25 years and 19 years, respectively.
"Our stories are kind of similar in that we both ... started as CNAs and were encouraged and supported by nursing up here (at the hospital) to go on and further education," Graves said. "We were both assisted to go to LPN school, both assisted to continue on to RN school, and she's (Edinger) currently in RN school."
Edinger expects to graduate in May with an associate degree in nursing. Graves is Edinger's direct supervisor.
A native of Kulm, North Dakota, Graves said she has always been interested in psychiatric health care.
Graves said NDSH staff encouraged employees who were interested in continuing their education, offering financial assistance and working with employees' schedules to accomplish those goals. Graves completed a two-year LPN program and then continued her education to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.
"As I went along in my educational progress ... this place has provided me different opportunities to see psych nursing in different areas," Graves said.
As an LPN, she worked in the rehab unit for about three years. When she became an RN, she worked in the admission unit for 10 years, where there were the most acute cases. Graves said her career has continued to evolve. She decided to work in infection control during the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 and is the hospital's infection control nurse.
"I'm still learning, I'm still able to challenge myself and learn different aspects," she says, after 25 years at NDSH.
She and Edinger say that's another plus to working at the State Hospital, having opportunities to grow in areas of interest.
"Always different opportunities available for you to expand your skills or learn new skills," Edinger said.
Edinger, who is from Jamestown, said she started working at the NDSH as a CNA in 2004 right out of high school.
"I actually had family that had worked here, like a couple generations worth, and so I kind of knew what it was about and it seemed interesting," she said. "So I ... decided to come up here and try it and I liked it. So I've been here 19 years."
After Edinger graduated with her LPN in 2011, she worked on the hospital's units. About two years ago, she began working full time at the hospital's Medical Consult Clinic, where she serves as nurse manager, she said.
"If a client needs to be seen by the doctor, we'll help them get down (to the clinic), see them, assist with any medical procedures that we're able to do here," she said. "Coordinate care if they need to be seen by a specialist ..."
Edinger said she began studies to become a registered nurse with the support of Graves and the administration and has received educational assistance and flexibility in her schedule.
Graves says being assisted in furthering their career in nursing helps them and the State Hospital, which is investing in nurses.
Graves also noted the benefits for employment through the state are "very good," including free health insurance, which Edinger said was an important consideration for her in employment.
Graves and Edinger say choosing a career in psych nursing can be very gratifying.
"Psych nursing can be rewarding working with people who are in their acute phase of their mental illness ... it really teaches you how to develop those communication skills, how to connect with people on different levels while getting them the care that they need," Graves said.
The two say it's about meeting the client where that client is at and trying to build trust from the bottom up.
"And so that can be very rewarding after you see them through the process and they are better, whether it's a young kid who had their first mental break or it's maybe someone who struggles to find stability in their mental illness," Graves said.
She encourages anyone who wants to work in health care or the medical field to consider psych nursing.
"I think people have preconceived notions of what psych nursing might be," she said. "I've had a lot of fun working with the clients on the unit. You meet a lot of neat people that kind of stay with you. It really is very interesting and very fun to work with those individuals."
"For me, it's also rewarding when you get to see them, like the progress that they've made and then them getting to go back to the community," Edinger said, where they are stable and a member of the community.
To learn more about careers at the NDSH, visit
