At 17 years old, after dropping out of high school during his senior year, Jeremy Murphree married his high school sweetheart, Misty, and began his career as a butcher at a local grocery store. Soon after, he made his way into the manufacturing industry and began working at a furniture factory in Houston. A lot of life, a happy home, four children and 15 years later, Jeremy needed a fresh start in his career.

He underwent surgery on his elbow and wrist, and it became apparent that he couldn’t continue working in that industry. He was also looking for a better way to support his family.

“I knew I needed better options for my future,” Jeremy says. “I wanted retirement savings, better benefits for my wife and kids and stability most of all.

”He contemplated a career in health care, and Misty encouraged him. At her urging, Jeremy took the ACT test to gauge his interest in pursuing higher education.

Jeremy did well enough on the ACT to land a scholarship to Itawamba Community College. He left his furniture manufacturing job to work construction with his father on nights and weekends while he completed his prerequisite coursework. With those courses behind him, he applied and was accepted to nursing school, a dream of his since a life-changing experience while a youth working on staff at Camp Tik-A-Witha. At camp, Jeremy worked with four boys his age who were severely handicapped, helping them bathe, dress, eat and play.

“That changed my life,” Jeremy says. “It felt good and helped me look at things completely differently. I knew that’s what I wanted to do.”

Jeremy began his nursing school journey in 2019. After failing his second semester, he knew he needed to reset and refocus, but life was happening all around him and he was worried about supporting his family.

“I felt defeated,” Jeremy says. “I knew I needed to work, but I didn’t want to give up on this dream.”

Once again, Misty supported him and encouraged him to keep plowing ahead. He began his second semester once more, and the rest is history.

“Misty actually did the same thing in the early 2000s and became a radiologic technologist while I worked to take care of our family and support her through school,” Jeremy says. “I guess this is what she considered as paying back that favor!”

In 2020, after completing his first year of nursing school, Jeremy joined the North Mississippi Medical Center team as a nurse extern on 3 Central (Pulmonary Intermediate Care) during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Boy, that was eye-opening!” Jeremy laughs. “It was fulfilling though, and it solidified for me that this is what I wanted.”

Jeremy says his externship was tough but rewarding. Not only was he experiencing nursing for the first time during a global pandemic, he also quit his other jobs and focused solely on gaining hands-on experience with the program. His hard work was soon rewarded, and Jeremy was selected to stay on board with NMMC as a nurse intern where he could work extra hours to support his family. He remained on 3 Central during his internship and as a first-year registered nurse before transitioning to the Surgical Intensive Care Unit where he currently works. Jeremy says he’s thankful for his time spent on 3 Central and credits his success and passion to his team there.

“It was the right move starting out working stepdown on 3 Central,” Jeremy says. “They made me the nurse I am today.”

Jeremy’s original intent was to continue advancing his career as a nurse anesthetist or nurse practitioner. But three years in, he believes he has found his calling as a bedside nurse.

“You can teach anyone policies, procedures or how to give an IV or a shot, but you can’t teach people how to care,” Jeremy says. “These people are my heart, and I love what I do.”

Jeremy believes paving a new road for himself mid-career made his experience even more special, crediting his success and perseverance to his more seasoned perspective about work and life in general. He smiles in reminiscing on this major turning point in his life and career.

“If it’s something you know you want, you’re wasting time overthinking it,” Jeremy smiles. “If you wait until tomorrow, you could be missing a day of something great.”

Compassion, work ethic and drive run in the Murphree family. Misty currently serves as the office manager for Med Serve clinic in Tupelo, and their daughter, Kaitlynn, is working as a nurse intern at North Mississippi Medical Center-Tupelo.

Jeremy is extremely proud that his daughter is continuing the legacy.

“I try to be there for her and keep her motivated,” Jeremy smiles. “She’s just like me.”

If you’re looking for a fresh start in your career, we have a place for you at NMHS – and we’ll help you get there.