Bios

“As a member of the Northwood Tech ADN faculty, I am proud to say I am also an alumnus of this program. I graduated with my first nursing degree from the same campus where I now teach. I feel the education I received in this program provided a solid foundation upon which I have built my nursing career." 

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Degrees

ADN, Northwood Technical College, Rice Lake, WI

BSN, Viterbo University, La Crosse, WI

MSN, UW-Eau Claire, WI 

Biography

Prior to becoming a Registered Nurse (RN), I worked as a special education paraprofessional in a K12 school setting. My background in special education, with combined years in nursing and academic degrees in the field of nursing has prepared me for my current position as Associate Degree Nursing Faculty. 

Currently, there are more nursing jobs available than there are qualified individuals to fill those positions. The career outlook in nearly all areas of nursing is promising and will continue to be for years to come. 

The college offers real world clinical settings as a significant part of our curriculum. Even though the types of experiences through clinicals are unpredictable, simulation has been a long been a part of the ADN experience. With the most recent technological addition of the Health Education Center (HEC), we offer our students state-of-the-art, realistic, clinical simulation experiences to enable them to synthesize what they are learning in the classroom into clinical practice. Through simulation, we provide formative learning activities that expose our students to complex healthcare situations and better prepare them to enter the workforce.

I believe nursing is a caritive, patient-centered art and science that requires lifelong learning. I strive to create an environment that encourages curiosity and a desire to learn within my students that motivates them to continue to learn and grow throughout their nursing careers. 

I came to my nursing career a bit later than most. My children became adults, and I was looking for the next chapter in my life. I spent most of my adult life caring for my family and others around me. My paraprofessional years made me realize how much I enjoyed teaching.

As a nursing student at Northwood Tech, classmates often told me my responses to questions asked by our instructors helped them understand the concepts that were being taught. During a conversation with one of my nursing instructors, the instructor suggested I might want to someday consider being a nurse educator and the seed was planted. 

Upon graduating from Northwood Tech and working in the nursing field, I was often asked to mentor newly hired employees. As I continued to hone my nursing skills, I began to consider becoming an educator to help blend my passion for nursing and teaching as a nurse educator. I truly enjoy watching the expressions on the faces of my students when they experience those "AHA!" moments where something they have learned in class suddenly makes perfect sense. 

When I'm not working, my greatest joy comes from spending time with family. I keep active by walking and riding my bike. My hobbies include sewing and baking and even making my own vanilla extract.