All images courtesy of Meghan DeBot.
Tell us a little bit about yourself, your journey into nursing, and how you ended up at UW–Madison.
I’m from Stevens Point; Wisconsin born and raised. I got my first degree in psychology from UW–Madison, but ultimately, my goal was always to go into the health care field. I grew up wanting to become a pediatrician.
What led me into nursing instead of being a physician assistant or doctor was the patient interaction. I really wanted that patient-centered care and hands-on experience.
I loved being here for my first undergrad and love the city of Madison, so I was super happy to get into the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program.
What do you like about the ABSN program?
It’s a 12-month program, which is faster than some others that can be 15 to 18 months. I love that it’s one year.
For someone who already has a background in health care, it’s great to get started quickly. That’s the goal of a program like this: to be the best nurse you can be and get into the field.
What’s one thing you really liked about the program at UW–Madison?
I loved the cohort. There were about 50 of us, and I knew everyone’s name. We helped each other out, had a big group chat, and shared resources.
If someone had a question, others volunteered to explain. It’s not competitive like pre-med or pre-nursing classes. It’s a team-building environment where everyone believes we can all make it through together.
It’s a team-building environment where everyone believes we can all make it through together.
What advice would you give to someone interested in the ABSN program?
It sounds scary—I considered doing a two-year program—but you can do it.
It’s fast and intense, but the cohort helps you through. You make friends right away, and the professors genuinely care. I’ve never had such genuine conversations with professors or felt so supported.
Just have confidence in yourself. You might not know everything, and that’s okay, you learn a lot on the job and grow so much in just one year.
I’ve never had such genuine conversations with professors or felt so supported.
What are your career plans after graduation?
I’m very excited to have a nurse residency spot at American Family Children’s Hospital. I’ll be a pediatric hematology-oncology nurse.
Even though it sounds sad, it’s about creating meaningful experiences for kids, even if they don’t survive. I want to help them smile and feel cared for.
My cousin died of cancer when we were four, and I remember how amazing the nurses were. That inspired me.
What do you think about the future of nursing?
It’s really promising. In my first degree, I was part of a research study on a hard-to-cure form of breast cancer. We were treating mice and seeing amazing results—tumors going away, survival rates improving.
I probably won’t be on the research side; however, knowing that research is happening and will help save lives is exciting.
What does being a Badger nurse mean to you?
A Badger nurse is passionate and very proud of the care they give. They provide patient-centered and holistic care. They want to give the best care possible and are taught to do so in a very holistic way.