Sisters, Nurses Share Special Bond

Like most sisters, they bickered in high school but once they started college, Payton and Sutton Knapp were inseparable.

“She has a heart of gold,” said Payton Knapp about her older sister. These days the sisters share their passion for nursing in the same hospital – IU Health University. Payton works in bone marrow transplant and Sutton works in surgical oncology. They also share the same manager.

Payton says she chose nursing before her sister did but Sutton says they were destined to pursue careers in healthcare.

“Our mom worked in a hospital cardiology department so Payton and I grew up in the hospital,” said Sutton. Their parents are Martin and Melia Knapp. At Decatur Central the sisters ran cross-country and participated on the swim team together.

Sutton started working at University Hospital first and Payton followed two years ago. Sutton works nights and Payton works days.

“I love having my sister work at IU Health. This is such a great system, and hospital, to work for, especially when you are first starting out in nursing. IU offers so many opportunities to help you grow in your field and I feel as though everyone really strives to create a sense of community and family here. It is really special to me that she chose to work at the same hospital, and that she actually works on our unit’s ‘sister unit,’” said Sutton.

Payton said she loves the patients she works with and the other nurses on her team. “I’ll just poke my head out of any room and they’ll come running,” said Payton. 

It’s not unusual for the sisters to share nursing stories, celebrate accomplishments and mourn the passing of a patient. 

“It just makes it ten times better to have a sister who shares your passion for nursing,” said Sutton.

And there’s something else they share too. Sutton will be married in September and Payton will be standing by her side as her maid of honor.

— By T.J. Banes, Associate Senior Journalist at IU Health.
   Reach Banes via email tfender1@iuhealth.org.