Why Nursing?
When I was 19 years old, I watched a woman perform CPR—in heels—on a man at a train station. She continued until EMS arrived, and by the time they took over, he had a pulse. I remember watching her and thinking, I want to be the girl who saves a life. That moment stayed with me and ultimately inspired me to pursue nursing.
As my career progressed from bedside nursing into critical care and leadership, I discovered that making a difference in nursing could extend beyond the patients I personally cared for. I found a passion for education and mentoring future nurses. Teaching gives me the opportunity to take my clinical experiences, successes, and lessons learned and pass them on to the next generation. As a nurse educator and now a nursing leader, I have the opportunity to impact not just one patient at a time, but the countless patients my students will care for throughout their careers.
Implementing My Research
Much of my work has focused on translating evidence into practical education and improving patient outcomes. One project involved developing a nurse-driven Teach-Back Checklist to improve education and safe discharge for patients going home after a stroke. I also collaborated with a professional development team to develop self-guided nursing education on Swan-Ganz catheterization care and initiated nurse-driven interdisciplinary rounds. These experiences influence how I approach nursing education today—I believe students should understand not only the evidence behind nursing practice, but also how to turn that evidence into meaningful improvements in patient care.
Why Mount Union Nursing?
What makes the nursing program at Mount Union unique is our faculty and their commitment to continuously improving the curriculum. While our programs meet the standards and expectations of the Ohio Board of Nursing and our national nursing accreditor, our faculty do not view the curriculum as something that should remain static. Each time they teach a course, they evaluate and revise the content to incorporate current evidence-based practice, emerging healthcare trends, and changes within the nursing profession. This ensures our students are learning the most up-to-date techniques, skills, and information and are prepared to enter a healthcare environment that is constantly evolving.