A lot has changed for former Indiana University East men’s tennis player Keaton Akers since he graduated in 2019.

Keaton Akers is a 2019 graduate of IU East. He currently works as a registered nurse for Reid Health.

“I am currently a registered nurse in the float pool at Reid Health,” Akers said. “I am trained in every unit and go wherever there is a need during my shift. This includes ICU, Progressive Care, hospice, orthopedics, oncology, psych and general medical surgical floors.”

The hospital may be different from a tennis court. However there seems to be some surprising similarities, especially during the current situation caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) that has changed so much for everyone.

“Tennis is a sport where everyone has to come together to work as a team,” Akers said. “One person cannot win the whole match for your team. We see this same aspect with nursing. We all depend on each other during a shift, sometimes I need another set of eyes to assess my patients to figure out what is going on or just need another set of hands to help me out.”

Teamwork isn’t the only thing that Akers learned as a student-athlete while earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) at IU East.

“Time management is huge when you are a nurse,” the Terre Haute native said. “As a student-athlete and a nursing student, it was very challenging to manage my time between school and athletics. I had to make many sacrifices to make this all work. My coaches were great in working with me, saw that I was a student first, and athlete second. When I’m working, I have to manage my time well because there are certain lab draws or medications that have to be done right at that time.”

Karen Clark, dean of the School of Nursing and Health Sciences, said Akers was an exemplary student and athlete during his time in the B.S.N. program.

“His ability to combine both of his passions into a calm, reasoned approach prepared him well for the health care environment,” Clark said. “I am proud of the nurse he has become and the role he has undertaken in the delivery of safe, quality patient care. Keaton is indeed an asset to the Reid team and to the patients for whom he cares.”

Akers recently joined a virtual panel for the Nursing Synthesis course taught by LaDonna Dulemba, assistant professor of nursing at IU East. The virtual panel included nursing faculty, alumni and mental health professionals to discuss how graduating nursing seniors can effectively cope with stress, burn out, and self-care as they enter the profession during the COVID crisis.

Nursing is a perfect fit for Akers according to IU East tennis coach Erskine Ratchford.

“Keaton is a remarkable people person who you count on to complete successfully what he commits to do,” Ratchford said. “He can communicate, help and socialize with virtually anyone. Keaton has a strong empathy for people and brings positivity to all he comes in contact with. His career in the medical profession is a perfect fit for his kind and caring personality. Keaton personifies what a good person and friend should be.”

Akers played singles and doubles during his four years with the Red Wolves, and that time competing on the court helps today.

“It’s hard to prepare myself for what I may encounter especially being in float pool,” he said. “I never know where I am going to end up till about an hour before my shift. There’s even sometimes I’ll move to different units during the middle of a shift. I have to have a variety of skills to tackle these obstacles and the same is true for tennis. I really don’t know much about my opponent until we start playing. If my normal routine isn’t working, I need to be able to switch things up quickly to find a way to win.”

As a senior, Akers was a member of the River States Conference (RSC) Champions of Character team, RSC All-Conference Scholar-Athlete along with being recognized nationally as a Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athlete.

“Keaton plays tennis with a true passion and love of the sport,” Ratchford said. “I liked his aggressive and hard hitting style of play in tennis. Keaton was always there for the team and was unwavering in his support of the Red Wolves. Some of my most fun times working with the tennis team were playing Keaton in practice tennis matches. We had some great battles and left nothing on the court indicative of his commitment to do his best in all things he undertakes. The tennis team and I really enjoyed having Keaton as a teammate and a friend.”

The nursing program at IU East was a factor in Akers deciding to become a part of the tennis team.

“When I was in eighth grade, my mom was diagnosed with cancer,” Akers said. “During this time, I would go with her to many appointments she had and her chemotherapy treatments.”

“The doctor would spend 5-10 minutes with her, but the nurses were there constantly treating her as more than a patient,” he continued. “They got to know her and developed a relationship that was more than just her cancer treatment. During multiple hospitalizations, it was the nurses who stayed by her side. I felt they cared and truly understood the pain, anxiety and frustration that comes with being sick. I really valued that and wanted that to be me.”

Away from the intense hospital environment, Akers does have time to relax and even get back on the tennis court.

“I have been to some IU East practices and played with the team,” Akers said. “With the current situation, the nets have been taken down, so I actually took up a sport called Disc Golf. It’s a fun time and something I am able to do alone.”

As the 2019-20 academic year comes to an unusual end due to COVID-19, Akers has some advice for those following his path into the nursing profession.

“For the future nurses reading this who are preparing to take the NCLEX in a few months, remember you have been preparing for this for three years,” Akers said. “I promise you guys got this and will be surprised how much you know when you take the exam.”