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    University of Wyoming
    1000 E. University Ave.
    Laramie, WY 82071
    Phone: (307)-766-1121

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    2015 Event

    Online Mentoring Event

    Two Online Mentoring Events Held Spring 2015

    On March 24 and 26, 2015, The UW Alumni Association Nursing Chapter held the first mentoring events, encouraging a mentoring climate between alumni and current students. Twelve alumni represented six nursing careers as follows:

    - Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing
    - Long-Term Care Nursing
    - Acute Care Nursing (with bonus specialties in organ transplant, hematology, oncology, & bone marrow transplant)
    - Public Health Nursing
    - Nursing Administration
    - Pediatric Nursing

    Read about the alumni who staffed the 2015 online events below.

    Alumni Staffing Spring 2015 Online Events:

    Emily Bandel Hill ('13)

    ACUTE CARE (plus Hematology, Oncology, Bone Marrow Transplant) NURSING: Emily Bandel Hill ('13)

    "I love being able to make a difference in my patients' lives. I enjoy the patient education and trust that they place in us with their care. Our patients are often very high acuity as well, so caring for them is also mentally challenging, and I am constantly learning something new." [Click on title for more on Hill and Acute Care Nursing.]


    Rachel Johnson

    ACUTE CARE (and Transplant) NURSING: Rachel Johnson ('12)

    "I love how versatile a nursing career can be. There are so many opportunities in many specialties, but ultimately we are all saving lives and making a difference! Organ transplantation continues to be researched and developed. I am so fortunate to be part of it. [Click on title for more on Johnson and Acute Care (and Transplant) Nursing.]


    Arika Oberholtzer

    LONG-TERM CARE NURSING: Arika Oberholtzer (BSN '08)

    "It is rewarding to get to know people over a long period of time (as you do in long-term care). It is different from the acute care setting, where people come and go fairly quickly. You really get to know residents and their families."[Click on title for more on Oberholtzer and Long-Term Care Nursing.]


    Jeanine Niemoller

    LONG-TERM CARE NURSING: Jeanine Niemoller (BSN '81; MS '96)

    "I have worked in the nursing home, home health, public health and hospice. What drew me to this career? My mother was afflicted with a brain tumor when I was five years old. She was treated surgically, which left her with severe rehabilitation issues and needs. So I grew up with that as a focus. The care she received and the care she did not have at her disposal gave me insight into the needs of disabled persons as they age." [Click on title for more on Niemoller and Long-Term Care Nursing.]


    Karleen Goerke (BSN '86)

    NURSING ADMINISTRATION: Karleen Goerke (BSN '86)

    Going back for my Masters in Education afforded me opportunities to prepare for a career in nursing administration. I try to read as much as possible, journals, books, research, etc. And finding mentors in the career is always helpful. I also had the opportunity to work with a couple of outstanding executive coaches. All of these people help keep you balanced and focused objectively on your goals. [Click on title for more on Goerke and Nursing Administration.]


    Taylor Burke

    NURSING ADMINISTRATION: Taylor Burke (BSN '11)

    I am currently residing in the Twin Cities, where I am a manager over Quality, Risk, PI, Safety, Patient Satisfaction and Infection Control. I think the most crucial component of being in Quality is being a strong leader who engages others in necessary practice changes that ultimately improve care for patients. [Click on title for more on Burke and Nursing Administration.]


    Danielle Johnson

    PEDIATRIC NURSING: Danielle Johnson (BSN '13)

    I am a nurse in the Surgical Multidisciplinary Specialty Center (SMSC) at Children's Hospital Colorado in Denver, Colorado. It is basically the surgical inpatient unit with many other specialties like rehabilitation, burns, transplants, neurosurgery, seizure monitoring, and more! I am continually learning new things and loving my job! [Click on title for more on Johnson and Pediatric Nursing.]


    Sarah Stepans

    PEDIATRIC NURSING: Sarah Stepans (BSN '04)

    I feel that working with families can be the most challenging part about working with the pediatric population...[and] it is one of the most rewarding aspects of this career. [Click on title for more on Stepans and Pediatric Nursing / Pediatric Rehab.]


    Hillary Gillis

    PSYCH NURSING: Hillary Gillis (BSN '04)

    I am glad that I chose to specialize in the mind and behavior, which to me are by far the most fascinating subjects a person can study. I have been able to help others when they are at their lowest emotionally, and it is an honor. [Click on title for more on Gillis and Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing.]


    J'Laine Proctor

    PSYCH NURSING: J'Laine Proctor (BSN '00; MS '03; PMHNP post-master's '08)

    I feel fortunate to practice in a specialty that is as intriguing and as mysterious as the human brain and its dysfunctions/disorders. Mental health care is an exciting specialty in nursing that most students seem to enjoy! [Click on title for more on Proctor and Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing.]


    Johnna French

    PUBLIC HEALTH NURSING: Johnna French (BSN '11)

    Employed at Albany County Public Health / French's advice: "Anyone interested in being a public health nurse needs to be comfortable submerging him or herself culturally into a variety of challenging situations; therefore the nurse must be very comfortable in their own culture, ethics and values and be able to see beyond themselves." [Click on title for more on French and Public Health Nursing.]


    Ashley Lair

    PUBLIC HEALTH NURSING: Ashley Lair (BSN '10)

    I love the positive approach to healthcare in Public Health Nursing, and the opportunity it provides to be involved in patient's lives for the long term...I think it's a field of nursing that involves a lot of insight and creativity, and going out into the community is an added bonus. [Click on title for more on Lair and Public Health Nursing.]


    Contact Us

    University of Wyoming
    1000 E. University Ave.
    Laramie, WY 82071
    Phone: (307)-766-1121

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