Kaitlin Pureza

Student Ambassador

Biography

Kaitlin Pureza found her path to nursing while in high school in Round Lake, Illinois. Although she initially planned to pursue a career as a physician assistant, Kaitlin was drawn to the meaningful patient relationships at the heart of nursing. She transitioned her academic plans while remaining committed to attending UW–Madison. “From being an R1 institution, having 3 high-quality hospitals no more than a mile out from campus, to the amazing balance of city and nature, I knew no matter how my journey towards becoming a nurse took me, the UW–Madison School of Nursing will prepare me to become the best nurse I can possibly be for my future patients,” she says.

Kaitlin loves her current position on the 4E cardiovascular intermediate care unit at St. Mary’s Hospital in Madison. She’s keeping an open mind as she explores specialties for the future, with interests ranging from cardiovascular care and women’s health to psychiatric nursing.

Her advice for future nursing students is to find ways to care for themselves and stay grounded, no matter how challenging the situation is.