Alumni Spotlight: Hahnah Williams, Esq, RN
(August 13, 2018) - Hahnah Williams, Esq, RN ’00 always knew she wanted to become a nurse. Her mother was a nurse, and the love and passion she displayed for her career led Williams to pursue the same professional path.
Seeking the right university, a member at Hahnah’s grandmother’s church—a nurse at the Clayton State student clinic—told Hahnah she should look at what was then Clayton College & State University. After meeting the nursing professors, she felt Morrow was where she should be.
“I felt at home there,” Hahnah recalls. “It was a very nurturing environment. It has been 18 years, and I still keep in touch with my professors, Dean Eichelberger, Dr. Cody, and Dr. Nteff, to name a few.”
After graduating from Clayton State, Hahnah spent the majority of her career practicing as a critical care nurse in the neurological intensive care unit (ICU), medical surgical ICU, trauma ICU, and coronary care unit with Piedmont Hospital and National Nursing Solutions, Inc.
While Hahnah remembers how physically demanding, intense, and stressful being a nurse could be, she also notes what a positive it was to care for patients.
“It brought me so much joy and fulfillment,” she says.
In 2007, Hahnah’s life took a sudden turn, when her father passed away. She decided to change course on her career trajectory and follow her childhood dream of becoming an attorney. After graduating from the Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University in 2010, she began her new career in law.
Hahnah has not completely left the healthcare field, though. As an attorney at Peters & Monyak, she represents healthcare professionals in medical malpractice cases, professional license matters, and business transactions. This blend of training and experience as both a registered nurse and an attorney allows her a unique perspective to understand her client’s needs.
“I intuitively know the key questions to ask during depositions and client interviews. I often empathize with a nurse who has been falsely accused of professional misconduct,” Hahnah says.
When asked for her advice to Clayton State alumni who may be considering a career change, she is not hesitant to recommend that a person should go for it—after doing thorough research.
“It is so empowering to ‘switch lanes.’ I have never looked back,” Hahnah says. “Research your prospective career and find a mentor. Ask yourself—what type of lifestyle do I want in my new career?”