Nursing and Outdoor Adventure with Julia

Transcript

Let’s hear from Julia, a nursing student who’s busy developing her patient care skills and enjoying UP’s access to the outdoors. No matter what major you choose at UP, hands-on experience will play a big role. And the on-campus Simulated Healthcare Center for Nursing Majors is a prime example. Give us the inside scoop, Julia.

– Thanks Alex, hi everyone. Back home in Alaska, I volunteer as an EMT at the fire department and in the neonatal intensive care unit in the hospital. Through these experiences, I learned how much I enjoy patient care, but I also like playing music and spending time outdoors, so I chose a school where I could get the best nursing education and still do all of the things I love, the University of Portland. When I first visited UP, the pep band was playing and they showed me around the musical hall, I was sold. I’m now in the pep band myself and the jazz ensemble. This year I started a running club and we take advantage of all of the great trails just minutes from campus. We can even use the school’s vans to travel. So far, the nursing program has been everything I wanted. The program is direct admit, so you know you’re in as soon as you’re accepted to UP. Best of all, as a sophomore, you get to use the phenomenal Simulated Health Center. It’s the only fully accredited, state-of-the-art sim lab in the state where you can practice your nursing skills on realistic mannequins and patient actors. By junior year, you’ll be practicing in real healthcare settings during your clinicals, and there are other hands-on opportunities too. I have a paid internship in malaria research and I’m hoping to join the summer study abroad program in East Africa to learn about global healthcare. When I graduate, I plan on returning to Alaska to start my nursing career, but knowing how much I’ve learned and experienced since coming to UP, who knows where my final years on the Bluff will take me? One thing’s for sure, I can’t wait to find out. Back to you, Alex.

– Wow, Julia, classroom lessons look different when they’re applied to real life, don’t they? That’s why UP emphasizes hands-on experience, whether it’s working on research or taking advantage of the wealth of internship opportunities in all fields, just minutes from campus in the Portland Metro Area. Thanks, Julia.