Aspiring to Healthcare and Beyond

What made you consider nursing as a career?

During my adolescence, I was a volunteer with the local fire department and EMS. I really enjoyed helping people and the extended family I gained by being a first responder. My grandmother used to tell me how she loved working in a hospital helping nurses. So, nursing seemed to be the logical choice for a career. However, I didn’t start that path with WVU. Instead, I thought I wanted to be a physician. I remember calling my father and telling him I was switching to nursing before my first semester, and he agreed that nursing was the choice for me.

Did you have an ah-ha moment about wanting to become a nurse?

WVU presented during a recruitment day at high school. I knew after talking with the recruiter I wanted to attend WVU, but I still hadn’t decided what my major would be. At that time, I was deciding if I wanted to take pre-med courses or computer science courses; not really thinking about what I wanted in a career.

Once I started signing up for classes, it finally became clear that nursing school was the correct path, thanks in part to a few of the WVU staff that pointed me in that direction. The pieces were all there, I just couldn’t see how it all came together without the assistance of the WVU staff.

What set WVU SON apart from other colleges?

I chose WVU because it is a great institution with a variety of options. The School of Nursing was my choice because it also has a great reputation and provided a well-rounded education for a graduate nurse.

Could you share a positive experience from your time at the SON?

Our class was small enough that we all knew each other. This allowed us to created relationships with fellow students and our professors. Our class could learn from each other and not be overwhelmed with academic life. We attended classes together and, in the evenings, had study groups where each of us shared our strengths with the group. It made being part of a large university less intimidating and studying much more fun.

What’s one piece of advice you would give your freshman self?

College is vastly different from high school, so you will need to spend more time teaching yourself and studying the material. Pay attention, take good notes, and take time to enjoy yourself and build new relationships.

How has your WVU SON education helped you in your career?

I have been able to do much more that I thought possible with my education. Nursing is a very diverse career and an undergraduate degree from the SON allows you to work in so many places. After graduation, I was able to get jobs in healthcare, education, and information technology.

Could you tell us more about your career?

After graduation I began my career as a critical care nurse in an ICU. While at that institution, I progressed and took on roles as an educator, charge nurse, assistant nurse manager, manager, and director. During that time, I completed my MBA. Then I decided to move onto an academic facility where I worked in ICU as an assistant nurse manager and then nurse manager.

I continued teaching nurses and managers while working as a manager. I completed the inaugural nurse manager fellowship with the American Organization of Nurse Leaders. Then I completely changed course and switched to working in nursing informatics and helped implement our inpatient electronic medical record.

During that time, I completed my doctorate in education. Now, I work as an IT Security Architect where I focus on automating processes though the use of technology. And I am an adjunct assistant professor of clinical practice with the college of nursing at The Ohio State University.

Anything else you’d like to add.

I love being a nurse and I am so grateful that WVU provided the education needed for me to have so many experiences.