Where are they now? Alumni Spotlight: Sarah Ferguson, MS’98
Where do you consider home? Where do you currently reside?
I consider both New York and Tennessee home, though I currently reside in the Knoxville/Sevierville area of Tennessee.
Why did you choose the UW–Madison School of Nursing?
I chose UW–Madison specifically for its master’s program, which offered a Clinical Nurse Specialist track. It was exactly the direction I wanted to take my career, and the program delivered.
Explain your journey into nursing and what is your current role?
Photo: Young Air Force Captain Ferguson
I always knew I wanted to be a nurse. For my undergraduate degree, I chose Duke University as it was the top-rated nursing school at the time. I earned my BSN in 1978. During my final two years, I was awarded an Air Force ROTC scholarship and entered the Air Force as a Second Lieutenant in 1979. I thought I would stay for four years to fulfill my commitment and move on, but 22 years later, I retired.
My nursing experiences included: general med-surg; labor & delivery with level II nursery; nursing education; emergency; cardiac care; intensive care; family practice; and diabetes education. When the opportunity came to have the Air Force send me to graduate school, I initially thought I would focus on intensive care. But my professors at UW–Madison encouraged me to take a step back and look at all my strengths — not just my clinical skills, but also my love of patient and family communication and my passion for research. With the guidance of a wonderful preceptor who challenged me and championed my projects, I found my true calling in diabetes education and management.
After retiring from the Air Force (photo), I managed a diabetes education clinic for Northwestern Medicine and volunteered as a diabetes clinical nurse specialist at two clinics serving underinsured and underserved communities, where I provided medical management and patient education. When my husband retired in 2020, we moved to Tennessee so he could ride motorcycles. I landed a diabetes education reserve position at what is now Dolly Parton Children’s Hospital in Knoxville, where I work one to two days a week. I assist with accreditation documentation; keep the team current on new technologies, disease developments, and medications; and encourage the use of motivational interviewing to help patients and families develop strategies that genuinely improve outcomes.
What’s the most rewarding part of being a nurse or within your current role?
Working with a team of nurses, dietitians, social workers, and doctors to find the best options for our patients and their families.
What advice would you give to current nursing students or individuals who are considering teaching or instructing?
If you are passionate about nursing, then you must teach. Precept on your unit. Keep your team updated with new developments in technology and medicine. Earn your advanced degrees to allow you to continue teaching. Teaching is nursing.
Is there anyone from the School of Nursing who had or continues to have an impact on your nursing journey? If so, how and why?
I still remember my professors who guided me through my thesis and my clinical preceptor. I carry their support with me to this day, almost 20 years later!