New Health Science Teacher Mrs. Noel Griffin comes to Socastee after working as a registered nurse for eight years.
She worked as a nurse informaticist, working closely with administration, nursing staff, and IT to make sure that the software that was used for documentation met national standards including patient safety and revenue requirements.
“I specialized in electronic medical record build, data and maintenance,” Ms. Griffin said.
She was hired as part of a special program for people with industry experience, so she has a non-traditional teacher certificate.
“You have to go through a certification process known as DIRECT certification, which qualifies us to teach courses that are in CTE,” she said.
She said she switched careers to teach students about the medical field and give them a glimpse of what it’s actually like to work in it. Her goal is to get them excited for new opportunities and give them a chance to experience some of it starting young.
“I was given the opportunity to teach at a time when I felt like I wanted to be a part of my community in a different way,” she said.
Mrs. Griffin is originally from Myrtle Beach and graduated from Socastee High School, then went to college at NC State University and the University of North Carolina. She moved back to Myrtle beach because she met her husband here and they both had great work opportunities here.
“I always said I would never move back when I went to school, but we truly live in a great area with many wonderful people around us and I’m grateful for the life I live here,” she said.
Ms. Griffin has a very busy life now, juggling the demands of a new job along with being a mother to a 2-year-old little boy.
“I miss certain aspects of my last job as a nurse informaticist,” she said. “I had more flexibility in my work schedule working from home and I got to see my son a little more throughout the days.”
However, she said she had a lot of encouragement to take on teaching as my new profession.
“I have family members in education who thought I would be amazing at it, and as I see it I would say it is going well so far.”
