Meet Maggie J.
What made you consider nursing as a program of study?
My dad is a doctor, so I have grown up around medicine my entire life! We were that family where we would pull up gross trauma pictures and talk about surgeries at the dinner table! I love learning about the human body and that truly at the end of the day, we are all the same humans made up of flesh and bone.
Nursing also offers a special aspect of care in the sense that we care for the entire patient, on one of their worst days of their life. We are the ones holding their hands, calling their family, and sitting with them at their bedside. It’s an honor to be able to be a light in their life when they are hurting, alone and scared.
Did you have an ah-ha moment about wanting to become a nurse?
There wasn’t every a lightbulb or sudden moment… more of just a gradual realization of what I want to do and how I want to care for people.
Why did you choose WVU School of Nursing?
I am from Charleston and have grown up going to WVU sporting events for my entire life, so WVU has always been my dream school!
Could you share a positive experience from your time at the SON?
A positive experience I have is with the clinicals for my OR observation day! We are able to go to the operating room for a day to observe a surgery! On mine, I was able to observe a complete hysterectomy that had a mass on the front of it. During the procedure, the surgeon had me come right up to the side of the table as he walked me through the entire procedure. I loved he took the time to explain what he was doing — it was an amazing experience!
What’s one piece of advice you would give your freshman self?
My one big sister tip is that anything worth doing is worth doing 100%! Show up early, ask the hard questions, take an extra 10 minutes to sit with your patients, and never stop learning. We have the ability to play such a sweet and vital role in these patients’ care, so do it with your entire heart and do it with honor!
What are your plans after graduation?
I am going to work in the pediatric intensive care unit at the WVU Children's Hospital!
How do you feel WVU prepared you for your next chapter?
I feel very prepared for whatever is going to come next — whether its taking my boards, starting in the PICU being a new grad nurse, traveling, or going back to school! It is a very rigorous program but you leave feeling confident to handle what is coming up!
Anything else you’d like to add?
Some fun facts:
- I was a tour guide all though college!
- I love to workout and ski! I ran a half marathon for the first time in May!