From ED Tech to Pediatric ER Nurse: Leah Wagner’s Leap

Some nurses discover their calling in a classroom. Leah Wagner found hers years earlier, working the front lines of patient care long before she ever wore a nursing badge. Today, the 2026 graduate of Bryant & Stratton College’s Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program at the Virginia Beach campus is an emergency department RN at a Level One pediatric trauma center in Philadelphia. Getting there took long shifts, moving, and the courage to take a leap.

A Strong Healthcare Foundation

Leah came to nursing school with nearly five years of experience at Sentara, one of the region’s largest health systems. “I started in registration, got my EMT and volunteered with Virginia Beach Emergency Medical Services,” she explained. From there, she moved into emergency medicine as an Emergency Department Tech at Sentara Norfolk General, and later at Sentara Princess Anne.

When Leah decided to go back to school, she started taking prerequisites at another college, but her coworkers had other ideas. “I worked with a few Bryant & Stratton College graduates that convinced me to leave my previous school and go to B&SC,” she reflected on. It turned out to be the decision that set everything else in motion.

Balancing Work, Clinicals, and Class

Leah didn’t step away from her career to go to school. She took a new ED Tech position at Sentara Independence, where she worked from 7 am to 7 pm every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday throughout her time in college.

She’s honest about how demanding that schedule was. “It was a bit difficult with clinicals and classes,” she remembered. “However, I was able to continue to work full time, make the Dean’s List and graduate with honors and nursing honors.”

That combination of hands-on emergency department experience and classroom learning gave Leah a perspective many new nurses don’t have on day one. And the results speak for themselves. “I was so proud I was able to accomplish that!” she said, “relishing the memory.

Taking the Leap

As graduation approached, Leah had a job lined up close to home. She was hired as a Registered Nurse at Sentara Independence. Bushe had also applied to a few hospitals in the Northeast, and one of them called back: St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children in Philadelphia.

Leah didn’t let a packed schedule stop her. “One day I drove there and back for a shadow opportunity. I fell in love with the hospital and knew I wanted to work here.”

She spent the next few months focused on finishing her degree. Then the news came at the perfect moment. “While sitting on a beach I got the call that I was being offered this job,” she recalled. Leah accepted and started in August as part of St. Christopher’s new grad residency program.

Thriving in Philadelphia

Today, Leah works as an ED RN at a Level One pediatric trauma center, caring for some of the city’s most vulnerable patients. She says the support she’s found there has made a real difference. “My hospital is part of a union, that is new to me, and I feel so secure and supported in my role,” she said.

She’s already making her mark. Leah was recently nominated alongside 160 other area nurses for a Healthcare Honors night next month at a Philadelphia Flyers game, drop a vote for Leah’s recognition here. She also represented her hospital and department at the Philadelphia Zoo’s Boo at the Zoo event and ran a 5K to support her unit.

Life outside the hospital is pretty good, too. Her dogs, Huckleberry and Eli Manning, “are loving city life in South Philly” and have been exploring the nearby state parks.

The Journey Continues

Leah isn’t stopping with her ADN. She is now enrolled at Drexel University for her BSN/Master’s path. “I’m happy to say it all began at B&SC,” she credited.

From registration desk to EMT, ED Tech to pediatric emergency nurse, Leah’s story is proof that experience, determination, and a willingness to bet on yourself can take you further than you ever planned. We can’t wait to see where her career goes next! Congratulations, Leah, and thank you for sharing your story!

Ready to start your own nursing journey? Learn more about Bryant & Stratton College’s nursing degree programs and connect with an admissions representative today!