A Nurse’s Path: From the Classroom to the Operating Room
Victoria Stahl wears an Operation Game badge reel with her CaroMont Health badge—a small but intentional detail. She knows that for many patients, surgery can be daunting, and a touch of humor can help ease their nerves. It's this combination of insight and compassion that makes Victoria the kind of nurse patients trust.
Her journey to the operating room (OR) began not far from where she now works at CaroMont Regional Medical Center-Belmont. Growing up in Gaston County, she spent time caring for her great-grandmother, an experience that nurtured her natural inclination to help others. Her interest in science took root in high school, where an anatomy class at Forestview High School, paired with the school’s health sciences pathway, introduced her to the world of healthcare. Through that program, a partnership with CaroMont Health, she was also able to take part in several experiential learning opportunities around the health system. This connection immediately planted the seeds for her future career.
Victoria Stahl, RN brings her expertise and compassionate care to the state-of-the-art operating room at the newly opened CaroMont Regional Medical Center-Belmont.
After high school, Victoria pursued nursing, earning her Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) from Southwestern Community College before continuing her education at Western Carolina University. Her first clinical rotation in nursing school was in the operating room, and she knew immediately she wanted to become an OR nurse. However, the typical path to surgical nursing requires extensive nursing experience, so she started her career at the bedside, working on an inpatient unit for more than a year before transitioning to endoscopy.
Her time in endoscopy proved critical to her nursing path, giving her insight into the complex care provided to patients during procedures requiring general anesthesia and sedation. When a leader encouraged her to apply for a surgical nursing role at the new CaroMont Regional Medical Center in Belmont, Victoria was ready to make the leap she dreamed of since becoming a nurse.
“My understanding of the endoscopy world was great experience to bring to the team in Belmont,” Victoria said. “We work together to provide a variety of surgical services, so while I’m learning new things, I’m also able to lend my prior experience and knowledge to what we do.”
For Victoria, being an OR nurse is about more than assisting in surgery, it’s about being there for patients during their most vulnerable moments.
“Surgery can be the scariest day of a patient’s life,” she explained. “There is something special about being there for them—to advocate, to offer comfort. I want to help them be at ease, and I want them to know they are in good hands.”
Now, working in the community where she was raised and for the health system that helped shape her path, Victoria represents the best of what having a great nurse can mean for patients and the community – someone who is truly invested in helping change and save lives.