School Of Nursing, Acute Care Division
NUCO 471: Nursing Management
Common Health Problems
GNUR 821: Statistics I
Q: Where did you go to school?
A: Here. I earned my undergraduate degree here and I earned my master's degree at Catholic University, and I'm working on my Ph.D. at Virginia Commonwealth University.
Q: Having done your undergraduate studies here, have you noticed any
differences between the way students go through the School of Nursing now and the way they did when you were here?
A: Well, the curriculum has changed. When I went to school here you had to go to summer school prior to the third year. Beyond that it's pretty much the same; we still have clinical rotations and there's still the classroom part, and lots of labs. I think the acute level of care that the students have to deal with and the technology is phenomenal. And there's so much more knowledge now for the students to learn -- more diseases and a better understanding of those diseases.
Q: Tell me about your immediate family.
A: I have my mom and dad in Virginia Beach, and then I have my little nuclear family. I've been married for over 17 years. My husband works in administration at the hospital, and I have two children. Daniel's the oldest. He's 13, so I'm learning how to be the mother of a 13-year-old, which is a challenge. And my daughter, Betsy, just turned 9 on Sunday. My husband's family is here in Charlottesville, so he's a native Charlottesvillian.
Q: Did you meet him while you were in school?
A: The first time I was on faculty, they had the co-rec softball team. Well his administration was, of course, pretty much all men, and my nursing school faculty at the time was pretty much all women, so the two groups got together for a co-rec softball team. And that's how we met.
Q: What are your interests outside of school?
A: Well, I love to play piano. I've been doing that since I was in second grade. When I get stressed, I'll go to the piano. Also, my children are very into sports. I'm definitely one of those soccer moms or baseball moms. I'm countlessly on the road with them, watching their games, taking them to practice. The two kids take up most of my time, but I go to Ivy Creek Methodist Church, and I'm a student at VCU. I've finished my coursework and I'm writing my dissertation, which is good as far as flexibility of schedule and not having to be there every week.
Q: What is your dissertation on?
A: On helping patients cope while they're waiting for a heart transplant. What can nurses do to make that time waiting easier for them -- and I don't know what that is, that's my research. I'm trying to find out, from the patients, what it is that nurses can do to make that waiting time a little more bearable.
Q: Do you follow University sports at all?
A: Oh, yes. We have season tickets to football. When I was in school here we used to sing "The Good Ol' Song" when the other team scored, just so we could sing it. Those were tough and lean days. Now I guess I'm going to end up being a soccer junkie as well. We went to the women's soccer game on Saturday for my daughter's birthday party. I used to follow basketball more, back when the men were the ACC champions, but I haven't been keeping up with them. But football we love.
Q: Do you think we'll have a good season?
A: Well, we're 0 and 2 right now. But there's a difference between a good season and a winning season. I think they're going to have a very good season.
Q: Is there anything you would like to say to your students?
A: Having been to school here, I'd tell all my students to just cherish the time they have here, because no matter where you go in life, it's that undergraduate experience
the undergraduate experience at U.Va. is something they can never take away from you. You'll cherish it forever and ever. I'll always have an attachment here. That's why I stayed in Charlottesville, I guess. Why would you want to live anywhere else?
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