Samantha Johnson, RN

Samantha Johnson didn’t wait for opportunity — she built it. Starting as a sterile processing technician and working her way into the operating room, she turned her curiosity about patient care into a clear path forward, using education as the bridge at each step.

She joined the Doctors Hospital of Augusta HCA Healthcare family in 2020, drawn to the clinical environment and eager to build a future in healthcare. While supporting patient care behind the scenes, she pursued her associate degree in surgical technology, supported by HCA Healthcare’s tuition reimbursement program. That step opened the door to her next role as a surgical technologist and inspired an even bigger goal.

Determined to expand her impact, Samantha set her sights on nursing school. This time, she leveraged HCA Healthcare’s student loan repayment program to help make that goal possible. In March 2025, she achieved a major milestone, graduating with a Master of Science in Nursing from Augusta University and becoming an operating room nurse.

Now thriving in her role, Samantha is passionate about encouraging others to follow a similar path. “Don’t be discouraged,” she said. “Utilize the resources [HCA Healthcare] has available because everyone here wants to see you grow and be great. Take advantage of every opportunity you have.”

Read Samantha’s message to our nurses as well as powerful stories of nursing colleagues making an impact across our organization.

Did you know? In 2025, HCA Healthcare provided more than $40 million in tuition assistance and over $10 million toward student loan assistance to eligible colleagues across the country.