Madisin Randolph x’24
Traditional BSN Student
Hometown: Chicago, Illinois
What has been your favorite class or unit in the nursing program?
- My favorite class from the fall semester has been Pharmacology. Despite the class being quite rigorous and requiring a lot of memorizations, I have enjoyed learning about the different medications and the mechanisms that allow them to help in health interventions for patients. The class is incredibly engaging—I have enjoyed collaborating with others to help with my learning process.
Where have your clinical placements been? And what were your experiences like?
- Thus far I have only had one clinical placement, it is located at UW Health on the medical surgical short stay unit. I have enjoyed working on this unit as a first-year nursing student because it has exposed me to many different illnesses and treatments for patients. I love clinical because I am able to talk and connect with patients while also practicing my nursing skills. One of my favorite moments was when I was able to administer my first Heparin shot. It felt so rewarding to finally use the skills that I have been practicing in action.
What are you involved in outside of nursing school?
- Outside of nursing school I am involved in a new organization on campus called GLAM Squad. This organization allows me to explore my interest in fashion and cosmetics, while also forming connections with other minority students with similar interests. I am the marketing coordinator for this group, and I enjoy creating flyers and discovering the best marketing techniques for GLAM.
What are your nursing goals and/or career aspirations?
- Short term, I would like to work on an emergency department unit or in women’s health. After gaining experience, I hope to eventually earn my master’s and work on health care policy and advocating for underserved populations. More specifically, I am interested in preventative care and ways to adjust health care procedures to be more inclusive of different patient populations to combat the health disparities that are present in the health care system.
How would you describe the culture of the nursing program?
- Although the program is really rigorous, it feels like I am a part of a huge family. All of my classmates, professors, and clinical instructors are extremely supportive. Whenever I become discouraged about my performance on an evaluation or exam, I feel that I have people in my corner who will help me to succeed.
What advice would you give individuals interested in pursuing nursing?
- I would encourage them to continue to do research on what they are passionate about and how this will translate into their nursing process, and to lean on peers for support and help when you might need it. Lastly, do not compare yourself to others, now that I am in the nursing program, I realize that everyone is different and that should be used as a strength when interacting with patients, peers, etc.
What’s on your Spotify/Pandora/Apple Music playlist?
- Currently I’ve been listening to Mariah the Scientist, G Herbo, Steve Lacy, and Erykah Badu. I also enjoy sharing playlists with my friends every month or so just to compliment whatever season of our lives we might be going through.
What is your favorite UW tradition?
- My favorite UW tradition is by far attending the football games and participating in Jump Around. It’s so fun to see all the students come together and show their school spirit.