Nursing News and Stories

Join us in celebrating Megan Champion and Chantal Dengah, the CU Nursing Alumni Association DAISY Awardees for 2021.

Katelyn Nolan | December 28, 2021

A nursing student at the University of Colorado College of Nursing has been named the 2021 Woman Veteran of the Year in Wisconsin for her dedication to helping post-9/11 service members leave the military and make the transition to civilian life, her volunteer work and serving her country with the U.S. Army Reserve.

Deborah Sherman | December 22, 2021

Unexpected and unforgettable are two words that describe this past year. 2021 will be remembered as unique. We know it’s been challenging, and you and your classmates have stepped up during these extraordinary times.

College of Nursing Marketing | December 15, 2021

Patient care doesn’t always happen within four walls or in buildings with controlled climates and cupboards full of supplies. Sometimes it happens in a parking lot, on the sidewalk, by a trail – wherever a person with need happens to be.

Rachel Sauer | December 14, 2021

When Jasmin Valdez Eastman was five years old, she told her family she wanted to be a “baby doc.” As a first grader, she checked out all the birthing books at her school library. For her high school senior project, she compared midwifery versus obstetric care. “I guess you could say, I’ve always been obsessed with pregnancy and birth,” says Eastman. You think?

Dana Brandorff | December 13, 2021

When RN to BS student Christina Messer first graduated with her associate degree in nursing in 2013 it was the tail end of the recession. At the time, Messer was a full-time student and mother, and like many people she was struggling financially. “I was applying everywhere.

Dana Brandorff | December 10, 2021

War, terror, pain, death. It will change someone. It changed the course of Salwa Mourtada Bamba’s life when she was a child living with her family in Liberia, West Africa, and led her to study medicine in Colorado.

Deborah Sherman | December 08, 2021

As a native Coloradan and first-generation college student, Gilbert was encouraged by her mother to pursue higher education, but it was her eldest sister who was the reason she wanted to become a nurse.

Dana Brandorff | December 06, 2021

Lieutenant Colonel Christopher H. Stucky, PhD, RN, CNOR, CSSM, CNAMB, RN-BC, NEA-BC discusses CU, his career, and his nursing inspirations.

Guest Contributor | December 03, 2021

Whether it’s learning to drive, graduating high school, or moving out, there’s a lot of freedom that comes with young adulthood. For Christopher Battelli, the transition from child to young adult meant the ability to make his own medical decisions.

Dana Brandorff | December 02, 2021

For Chantal Dengah (BSN ’19), her master’s degree specializing in Nurse-Midwifery came with some “Indiana Jones moments.” Unexpected stressors arose for the University of Colorado College of Nursing student and single mother of three, especially as COVID crashed her entire graduate school experience, at times, turning her into “a ball of stress.”

Debra Melani | November 29, 2021

Whether it’s taking a class, helping the disadvantaged or planning her future, Kiera Connelly likes to dive in deep. Before she started school at the University of Colorado College of Nursing, she worked  with the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless on the COVID Response Medical team.

Deborah Sherman | November 04, 2021

This two-part video showcases how University of Colorado College of Nursing student Gabriel Toepel’s life has been a series of unfortunate/fortunate events. But despite setback and “what ifs”, Gabriel’s positivity shines through.  

Dana Brandorff | September 30, 2021

Adopted at the age of two from a Japanese orphanage by American parents, Gabriel Toepel (born Tateshi Sakurai) was part of a military airlift in the 1990s. His adoptive parents were serving in the United States Navy and living in Japan at the time. Half Japanese and half Kenyan, Toepel was dropped off at Aikeikai Baby Home in Tokyo and subsequently adopted by the Toepels.

Dana Brandorff | September 14, 2021

A student at the University of Colorado College of Nursing has been awarded a scholarship from the American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA) to study and eventually treat an epidemic of mental illness and suicide in Colorado. Julie Bremer was one of 30 student scholars chosen nationwide by APNA.

Deborah Sherman | July 22, 2021

It was a promise between a mom and son that would prove to be much harder to keep than either could ever imagine. In the fall of 2017, Emily Barr made a deal with her son Maren (who goes by Michael), that’d they’d graduate together in the spring of 2021 and celebrate with a party.

Deborah Sherman | July 09, 2021

The American Revolution. World War II. The War on Terror. While millions of soldiers have been killed over the years, most casualties happen off the battlefield years later, quietly, without recognition or ceremony. Injuries, sickness, suicides, and homicides kill military members at a higher rate than combat – taking four out of five lives, according to the Defense Manpower Data Center.

Guest Contributor | July 01, 2021

While on duty in Syria in 2017, insurgents routinely shot at U.S. Air Force nurse Damon Toczylowski and other military troops as they transported patients to safety in helicopters or fixed-wing airplanes. Now, years later as a first-year student at the University of Colorado College of Nursing, he remembers the chaos, the stress, the fear - and wants to help other military veterans.

Deborah Sherman | June 30, 2021

Across the country, more than 30,000 soldiers fight an internal battle against the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) that turns their cells into factories that seize other cells and weaken their immune systems. If the veterans aren’t treated quickly, it can lead to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), for which there is no cure.

Deborah Sherman | June 28, 2021

For most college students, the summer between their junior and senior years is filled with part-time jobs and a break from school. But for three University of Colorado College of Nursing students — Dustin Bell, Jakob Nelsen, and Gabriel Toepel — their summer will be spent creating valuable working relationships, building a resume, and increasing clinical skills, clinical judgment, and critical thinking while caring for our nation’s veterans.

Dana Brandorff | June 22, 2021

AURORA, CO, 6/14/2021– The University of Colorado College of Nursing is proud to announce it has been awarded a new grant of $45,000 from Jonas Philanthropies, a leading national philanthropic funder of graduate nursing education. Matched by $45,000 of its own monies, the grant will fund the scholarship of three University of Colorado College of Nursing doctoral nursing students in 2021.

College of Nursing Marketing | June 15, 2021

Extraordinary and memorable are two words that come to mind to describe this past year. 2020 – 2021 will be remembered as unique. We know it’s been challenging, and you and your classmates have stepped up during these extraordinary times. Your resilience will serve you well in the years to come.

College of Nursing Marketing | May 20, 2021

From a young age, Colleen Waggoner, RN, BSN, has been fascinated with the complexities of our bodies, as well as our mind’s influence on our physical being. “For me, nursing is about using compassion, health expertise, and advocacy to promote wellness.”

Dana Brandorff | May 17, 2021

When Omarah Macias was in middle school, kids made fun of the way she spoke. She had learned most of her English and Spanish from her father, who had moved from Ecuador to New York when he was 14 without knowing the language. So, her voice had a unique sound with a Spanish and Bronx, New York accent.

Deborah Sherman | May 15, 2021

Brandie Galicia’s love of nursing began at age 11 when her mother was diagnosed with a rare congenital disease in which brain tissue extends into the spinal canal.

Dana Brandorff | May 14, 2021

Kerith Earlix spent more than 20 years as a music teacher and eventually owned her own music school. She took a few years off to raise her kids who are now 13, 14, 15 and 17. And then decided to do “something completely different.”

Dana Brandorff | May 13, 2021

A 10-year-old girl smiles for the camera as she holds her artwork — a picture of a dangerous-looking creature — in front of her chest. Plastic tubes poke out from behind the masterpiece, covering her lap. Peach fuzz tops the little girl’s head as she beams up from her hospital chair.

Debra Melani | May 12, 2021

Seiloni Sanft moved to Colorado with her family from Tonga fifteen years ago. The move from the Polynesian kingdom of more than 170 South Pacific islands was a bit of a culture shock for the seven-year-old.

Dana Brandorff | May 11, 2021

Coming from a military family, it’s no surprise that Andre Pacho, MS, RN, AGCNS-BC, CEN, TCRN, joined up as soon as he graduated from high school. The surprise is that he chose the Army, while his father, uncles, and brother are career Navy men.

Dana Brandorff | May 10, 2021

Parents usually sit in the audience rooting on their sons and daughters as they walk the graduation stage and accept their diplomas. But this May, Julia Plotke will be right next to her daughter Abigael during the University of Colorado College of Nursing commencement ceremony and also graduate.

Deborah Sherman | May 09, 2021

For Iris Heidenfelder, nursing is in her blood. Her maternal grandmother, Katherine Peterson (now known as Katherine Enloe-Miller), was a diploma nurse and graduated from the Mercy Hospital Program in the 1960s.

Dana Brandorff | May 08, 2021

Danielle Perley decided to pursue nursing after her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. “During her treatment, I got to know the nurses pretty well and appreciated the care she received.” Perley originally received a B.S. in Biology with a focus on genetics benchwork. “But after I got my degree, I couldn’t get a job due to the recession.” So, she pursued nursing and earned her second bachelor’s degree.

Dana Brandorff | May 05, 2021

“The nursing student connected so well with my mother that I requested she continue working with her even though a new cohort of students was supposed to take over,” said Natascha Palmer whose mother and father-in-law are both enrolled in the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus program that matches health care students with seniors.

Dana Brandorff | March 30, 2021

Four students in the University of Colorado College of Nursing Adult Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist master’s program are getting a taste of academic life by presenting research addressing commonly encountered problems in critical care settings. The students will present during the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists (NACNS) annual conference March 9 – 11, 2021 that is being held virtually.

Dana Brandorff | February 23, 2021

Like many nurses pursuing an advanced degree, Rafal Mirowski set his sights on attaining a nurse practitioner degree, specifically a DNP in adult-gerontology. After all, the NP degree is one of the most pursued advanced nursing degrees in America.

Dana Brandorff | January 25, 2021

Leo Tyler is a University of Colorado Accelerated Nursing (UCAN) student graduating December 2020 and was recently awarded the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Students. Originally from Salt Lake City, Leo moved to Colorado with his husband five years ago.

Katelyn Nolan | December 23, 2020

Three doctors, three different treatment plans. X-rays. MRIs. Referrals to new doctors and new examinations. Despite months of medical appointments, it will still be at least six more weeks until Alexis Koutlas knows the extent of her 83-year-old mom’s arthritis in her neck and how to treat it. And that, Alexis says, is not O.K.

Deborah Sherman | December 11, 2020

“My grandfather was a general surgeon, so I grew up around a medical mind and hearing his incredible stories,” said Renee Andrews. “I was probably two years old when Poppa Doc had me try his stethoscope for the first time. I was amazed when I could hear his heart beat so clearly.”

Dana Brandorff | December 10, 2020

For Antoanela Findlay, nursing was not her first career choice. “I was an accountant. I love numbers, but it is very impersonal, and there’s a lack of human connection that I craved.”

Dana Brandorff | December 10, 2020

Twenty-twenty will be remembered for many years to come as a unique time. We know it’s been challenging, but you have much to be proud of, and CU College of Nursing wants to celebrate with you. 

College of Nursing Marketing | December 10, 2020

Most college students spend their Friday nights socializing and winding down from a long week of studying, not in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) cuddling babies.

Dana Brandorff | December 09, 2020

While COVID-19 has hit many of us hard, Nurse Jeanne Burnkrant who works with people at the end of their lives, lost eight patients in April alone. She grieved. She missed them. But Jeanne never once questioned what she does or why she does it.

Deborah Sherman | December 08, 2020

Sometimes you have to find your own way. When Michael Morgan graduated high school, he knew he didn’t want to follow in his parents’ footsteps. His mom is a dental hygienist, and his dad has spent 30 years in a cardiac catheterization lab.

Deborah Sherman | December 04, 2020

Lauren Ledford’s interest in natural disaster response began with a five-week search and rescue-training course in Colorado, and a stint coordinating an international program with pre-med students to Nicaragua.

Dana Brandorff | December 02, 2020

Born in Georgia, E’Jaaz Abdulkabir moved to the Virgin Islands at the age of 9. “Living in St. Croix was like living in a small town – surrounded by water,” said Abdulkabir. Her father was a physician. In fact, he was the attending physician during her birth and delivered her at home. For Abdulkabir, nursing was familiar and comfortable; and home births normal.

Dana Brandorff | December 02, 2020

For Chris Griffin that is the question she posed during her PhD thesis presentation. A nurse at Children’s Colorado Hospital for the past 19 years, Griffin has had her share of intense heartache and joy. “We live these extremes every day. They aren’t fictional stories. They become a part of our consciousness and affect who we are,” said Griffin.

Dana Brandorff | December 01, 2020

Given all the work that deans do, it is unusual for one to take it upon himself to provide clinical oversight and precept a student. The University of Colorado College of Nursing Dean Elias Provencio-Vasquez tends to do the unexpected. “We were thrilled when Dean Eli offered to precept a student during our flu clinic,” said Director of the Campus Health Center Emily Cheshire, DNP.

Dana Brandorff | October 30, 2020

As a child, Ashley Chacon Percival became her family’s interpreter; helping her Spanish speaking parents navigate the health care system. At 8 years old, she was accompanying them to medical appointments, interpreting and translating for them, and when her father suffered a stroke she attended his specialty appointments with him.

Dana Brandorff | October 26, 2020

Jessica Cumley’s journey to midwifery began 12 years ago with the birth of her son. “It was the most empowering experience I have ever had. I loved my care so much that I wanted to become a midwife and share that with others,” she said. Now enrolled in the University of Colorado College of Nursing Midwifery program and 32 weeks pregnant, Cumley wonders why it took her so long.

Dana Brandorff | October 07, 2020

“In May and June I felt my whole world tumbling,” said CU Nursing master’s student and nurse manager Stephanie Lee. An iLEAD (Innovation in Leadership and Administration in Nursing Health Care Systems) master’s student, Lee was entering her final course in the specialized track, when coronavirus hit.

Dana Brandorff | August 18, 2020

CU Nursing alumna Ruby Martinez, PhD, RN, was recently awarded the 2020 Latino Legacy Award from the National Association of Hispanic Nurses (NAHN). Each year at the national conference, NAHN recognizes one member who has contributed to the nursing profession with commitment to advancing the health in Hispanic communities and to lead, promote and advocate the educational, professional, and leadership opportunities for Hispanic nurses. Like many national conferences, this year’s NAHN conference was held virtually in July due to coronavirus.

Dana Brandorff | August 13, 2020

Volunteering is in Carrie Brouillette’s nature. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the nursing student has marshaled her neighbors to donate fabric and created a mini assembly line to make cloth masks. “My mother is an incredible seamstress. So I measured and cut, and she sewed,” said Brouillette. The two churned out about 600 cloth masks in their makeshift in-home manufacturing facility! And that’s not all. Brouillette also volunteered at a homeless shelter with the intent of learning how to be a better nurse.

Dana Brandorff | August 10, 2020

In 2015, Josh Simpson’s world stopped. Soon after the birth of his youngest daughter, his 33-year-old wife received an earth-shattering diagnosis -- breast cancer. Originally misdiagnosed as clogged milk ducts, the diagnosis came after she switched doctors, and a subsequent biopsy. “I can’t tell you how many times people have said that you don’t typically get breast cancer while breastfeeding. One thing I discovered is that there is no normal with breast cancer,” said Simpson.

Dana Brandorff | July 16, 2020

Since George Floyd’s killing at the hands of police on May 25, and the senseless deaths of Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor and others, the country has been struggling with how to support the Black community while demanding change. One thing is clear – something seems different than all the other protests and events that have preceded it. The protests are larger, more vocal, more frequent, diverse, and persistent.

Dana Brandorff | June 25, 2020

As Liz Phelps opened her book bundle from CU College of Nursing, she began to cry. An unexpected gift from the College and the Alumni Association was included with her books – a stethoscope. “When I opened the stethoscope and saw the note I, to be honest, immediately started to cry. The fact that nurses who once stood in my shoes would be willing to lend a hand to their future colleagues made me proud of this profession that I am lucky enough to have the opportunity to enter into,” said Phelps.

Dana Brandorff | June 17, 2020

Two students in the University of Colorado College of Nursing Adult Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist master’s program, Cailly Haning and Cassie Lang, recently published articles about their experiences addressing commonly encountered problems in critical care settings –  from oral hygiene with stroke patients to controlling postoperative pain. Haning, MSN, RN, ACCNS-AG, CCRN, and a critical care nurse at Swedish Hospital analyzed hospital-acquired infections due to poor oral hygiene after a stroke. Lang, MSN, CNS, ACCNS-AG, CCRN, a critical care clinical nurse specialist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center looked at harnessing a variety of pain management therapies after surgery (acetaminophen, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, cold and music therapy) to reduce overall opioid consumption.

Dana Brandorff | June 11, 2020

The impact of coronavirus on our students has been far reaching. Clinics and inpatient facilities where our students typically complete their clinical hours shifted their focus to caring for coronavirus patients and suspended training.

Dana Brandorff | May 28, 2020

Seventeen years ago, Eaba Dechasa arrived in America from Ethiopia with his family. His father was a geologist. His mother a teacher. The Dechasas came to America through the Diversity Immigrant Visa program (also known as the visa lottery), which provides up to 50,000 immigrant visas each year. Drawn from random selection among all entries, the visas are awarded to individuals who are from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States. Distributed among six geographic regions, no single country can receive more than 7% of the available DVs in any one year.

Dana Brandorff | May 18, 2020

Born into a service-oriented family with strong roots in pediatric cardiology, China Opland knew from a young age that her path would focus on giving. Her maternal grandmother Francine Leca, the first female cardiac surgeon in France, founded Mécénat Chirurgerie Cardiaque in 1996 –  an organization well known throughout the world for providing free heart surgery to children in need.

Dana Brandorff | May 15, 2020

Sara Schwartz had a bumpy start to her nursing degree. Notified 14 days prior to the start of orientation that she was accepted into CU Nursing, she drove to Colorado from California. “I was homeless for a week and planned to live in my car,” she said. Fortunately, she met a girl during orientation whose family allowed her to live in their basement. 

Dana Brandorff | May 13, 2020

All he wanted was a plastic toy car. At 4 years old, that was what Josh Harrington wanted and he was going to get it.

Dana Brandorff | May 13, 2020

For 15 years, Bill Martchenke was a high school and middle school teacher. A devoted teacher, he regularly worked 12-14 hour days. When his wife became pregnant with their first son, he couldn’t justify it any longer and got a job working for Kaiser Permanente in their electronic medical record (EMR) department training nurses on the system. After supporting the hospital for five months, “I recognized nurses had the greatest job in the world and why wasn’t I doing this?”

Dana Brandorff | May 12, 2020

Eleven years ago, Erika Vaske was on a two-year waitlist to get into a nursing program. “A lot of my inspiration came from my mom, who has been a nurse’s aid for over 35 years,” she said. For Vaske, the wait was “interminable.” So she chose another path -- changed majors and earned a bachelor’s degree in social work.

Dana Brandorff | May 12, 2020

Originally trained as a physical therapist in her homeland of Germany, Sabs Sheppard chose nursing after moving to the U.S. 12 years ago. After working with nurses for years, she realized that the profession more closely aligned with her goals and ambitions to work in critical care. 

Dana Brandorff | May 12, 2020

Pam:  So, uh, Greg. How’s your job?
Greg:  Um, good, Pam. Thanks for asking. I recently got transferred to triage.
Dina: Oh, is that better than a nurse?
Pam: No, Mom, triage is a unit of the E.R. It’s where all the top nurses work.
Greg:  Well—
Pam:  No, they do.
Jack: Not many men in your profession, though, are there, Greg?
Greg:  No, Jack, not traditionally.
Jack:  Mm-hmm.

Dana Brandorff | May 12, 2020

Arriving in the U.S. at age 4 from Colombia, South America, Kay Maldonado knew when she graduated from high school that challenges would lie ahead.

Dana Brandorff | May 12, 2020

Struggling with depression as a teenager, Rachel Johnson came to a pivotal moment in her young life.

Dana Brandorff | May 11, 2020

When Captain Taylor Allen, BSN, RN, arrived in Denver in March for an internship with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) before entering CU Nursing’s Master’s program, she never thought her army experience would be in demand. Boy was she wrong.

Dana Brandorff | April 20, 2020

With the help of University of Colorado leadership, CU Nursing faculty, lobbyists, and State Representatives and Senators, Governor Jared Polis signed Executive Order D 2020 038 on April 15, 2020 to temporarily suspend State Board of Nursing statutes in order to expand the health care workforce. The Order temporarily suspends some State Board of Nursing rules for nursing programs. This allows our students to complete their programs in a timely fashion to help fight the Covid-19 outbreak, and also addresses the current nursing workforce needs in the state of Colorado.

College of Nursing Marketing | April 16, 2020

Combining my passion for nursing with the unreal setting of Nepal -- a place that I have wanted to visit for so many years -- was a dream come true!

Guest Contributor | April 16, 2020

When CU Nursing PhD student Brittni Goodwin, MSN, RN, realized there weren’t enough N95 masks for her colleagues at area hospitals, she went to work to get the needed supplies. Like many health care professionals, Goodwin felt the need to help co-workers who were being stretched so intensely during the Covid-19 outbreak. “It’s a bit like survivor’s guilt. I felt I wasn’t doing enough,” said Goodwin.

Dana Brandorff | April 13, 2020

4/10/20 - CU Anschutz Student Parking Refund

Dear CU Anschutz Students,

As the Chancellor’s communication outlined yesterday, the Parking Department will be refunding all students on the Anschutz Medical Campus for any parking permit fees that were paid in advance from March 16, 2020 forward. This process will begin immediately, but will take time to complete as we must review each student account individually to determine the refund amount that is due. All refunds will be mailed to students in the form of a check to the current address on file. In order to ensure the most timely and accurate return of funds, we ask you to review your parking account online and provide the most current mailing address. We know that this pandemic has caused a great deal of change in your world and we are committed to returning funds as quickly as we can.  Thank you in advance for your patience and understanding. It is our goal to have all refunds issued by the end of April. If you have an questions regarding this communique and your specific situation, please contact the parking office at (303)724-2555 or by email to CUParking@cuanschutz.edu.

College of Nursing Marketing | April 10, 2020

Please join us for a virtual film festival, presented by CU Nursing and Seedworks Films.

Similar to a book club, participants are encouraged to watch one of the following documentaries and then join us via Zoom Sundays at 3 p.m. (MST) for a lively chat hosted by Sue Hagedorn, PhD, RN, FAANP, FAAN. These "fireside" chats will include special guests Drs. Loretta Ford, Ginny Pepper, Jean Watson, Ms. Karen Zink and Dixie Melton, and Daniel Weinschenker. You're not going to want to miss it!

Dana Brandorff | April 03, 2020

We asked our current student workers at CU Nursing how they are handling the new normal. See how a few of our students are making their new normal work for them.

College of Nursing Marketing | March 31, 2020

Aurora, Colo. (March 19, 2020) -- The University of Colorado College of Nursing has received a #8 placement for its Nurse-Midwifery program, and a top 10% ranking for its Master’s in Nursing program, according to U.S. News & World Report. The Master’s program was ranked against 578 programs, while the Nurse-Midwifery program was compared 36 programs throughout the country. In addition, the Doctor of Nurse Practitioner program ranked #48 out of 319 programs, placing it in the top 15% of DNP programs. The 2021 rankings were released on March 18.

Dana Brandorff | March 19, 2020

Like most of her classmates, Emma Bielfeldt struggled to finish her thought as she answered her fellow student’s question. She faltered, tried again and finally gave up, laughing at her inability to speak coherently. It’s hard to think straight when someone is whispering orders in your ear.

Debra Melani | January 31, 2020

She hails from Denver, not Atlantica. She swims in an encased pool, not an ocean. And although she maybe thinks he is, her dad is not a king.

Debra Melani | January 15, 2020

Growing up in a rough Denver neighborhood, Crystal Santos chose forensics as her future profession early on. She wanted to help people find closure after losing loved ones, especially to violence.

Debra Melani | January 15, 2020

“I grew up racing mountain bikes and cross country Nordic skiing in Eagle,” said Clare Baker. The two sports took their toll on Baker’s body. 

Dana Brandorff | January 02, 2020

Want to stop youth vaping?

Debra Melani | December 17, 2019

When College of Nursing student Elizabeth DePalma, (MSN, ’18), graduates with her DNP and takes off into the wild, blue yonder, she will leave behind a potentially life-saving legacy.

Debra Melani | December 13, 2019

On Dec. 14, when Gurpreet Cheema accepts his nursing diploma on the stage in the Colorado Convention Center, it will be his second major life-changing ceremony this year.

Debra Melani | December 13, 2019

Teacher. Waiter. Insurance Agent. Yoga Instructor. Massage Therapist. CNA. And, soon-to-be nurse. If it seems as if Alex Wilson has led an interesting life, you’d be right.

Dana Brandorff | December 12, 2019

“Nursing kept calling me and I finally answered,” said Christopher Heftka. After 13 years as a professional ski patroller and a stint as a firefighter, Heftka made the tough decision to switch to a nursing career.

Dana Brandorff | December 11, 2019

She cannot quite put her finger on why, but Claire Donovan always knew she wanted to help the underserved.

Debra Melani | December 11, 2019

Air Force scholarship recipient leaves mental health program behind

Debra Melani | December 06, 2019

After 27 years with the University of Colorado working on all four campuses, Senior Vice President and Chief of Staff Leonard Dinegar told a group gathered for the College of Nursing Scholarship Luncheon on Nov. 22 that CU Nursing held a special place in his heart.

Debra Melani | December 02, 2019

Exquisite chocolate, stunning views and comprehensive reproductive health services colored a clinical experience in the lush lands of Ecuador, according to students who took part in the Global Health Nursing program last May. Combined with the intensive work, the cultural immersion made for a life-changing experience, they said.

Debra Melani | October 28, 2019

For the next 10 months, University of Colorado College of Nursing alumna Heather Mena (MSN, ’18) will roam the jungles and traverse the hills of Ecuador, learning the tricks of her trade from native women intent on saving their ancestral tradition.

Debra Melani | October 04, 2019

“This is the hardest thing I’ve done in years.”

Those were the words of one of four judges who had the task of perusing, paring and picking just three winners from two dozen posters lining the Education 2 North-South Bridge on Sept. 5.

Bachelor’s, master’s, DNP and PhD students were all represented at the event, which kicked off the first-ever College of Nursing’s Research and Scholarship Symposium on Sept. 6 and highlighted the level of scholarship among its students. CU Data Science to Patient Value (D2V) co-sponsored the symposium.

Debra Melani | September 12, 2019

New and returning doctoral students were welcomed back Tuesday morning with a table of gold sunglasses, a buffet of steaming food and a playlist of eclectic songs, from Pharrell Williams to Kool & the Gang.

Hosted each year by the College of Nursing’s Office of Admissions and Student Affairs team, the breakfast kicks off a week of events focused on connecting new PhD students with returning students. This year, the Health Systems Leadership DNP students were also invited.

Debra Melani | September 04, 2019

Growing up with two heroes — a firefighter dad and a nurse mom — Lindsey Tarasenko knew early on that she wanted a job focused on giving back.

For Martha Grubaugh, there were some early signs, including being the go-to girl in the neighborhood when the area kids got hurt.

Debra Melani | August 26, 2019

For Iris Heidenfelder, nursing is in her blood. Her maternal grandmother, Katherine Peterson (now known as Katherine Enloe-Miller), was a diploma nurse and graduated from the Mercy Hospital Program in the 1960s. Encouraged by a physician, Enloe-Miller applied twice to the University of Colorado School of Nursing’s Nurse Practitioner program and graduated in 1971.

Dana Brandorff | August 08, 2019

University of Colorado College of Nursing students displayed a slate of promising research at this year’s Western Institute of Nursing (WIN) Conference in San Diego in April, with topics ranging from halting the spread of HIV to easing the minds of kids with cancer.

Debra Melani | June 14, 2019

Vowing to serve with honor, CU Nursing’s newest group of 188 students was ceremonially launched down the path to becoming part of a “sacred practice” at the May 31 Nightingale Ceremony.

Debra Melani | June 06, 2019

After graduating from CSU Pueblo’s accelerated nursing program in June 2013, Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) student Terra Share worked as a psych mental health nurse. “The experience really set the stage for me to pursue a graduate degree,” said Share.

Debra Melani | May 21, 2019

After working with a medical team in the secluded villages of Guatemala, Rebecca Harmon finally listened to her mother. Seeing the sick, poverty-stricken people in such dire need of health care, she made the decision to follow in her mom’s footsteps and become a nurse.

Debra Melani | May 21, 2019

Honors student, rollerblader, snowboarder, and soon-to-be nurse, Marvin Mendez recently presented research at the Western Institute of Nursing (WIN) Conference.

Dana Brandorff | May 20, 2019

According to Grubaugh, obtaining her PhD was a lesson in endurance. “Life happens and you need to go with the flow.” And “go with the flow” is what Grubaugh did during the nearly five years it took to earn her PhD. 

Dana Brandorff | May 20, 2019

Ian Overton decided to become a nurse after a decade of adventuring and one escapade that brought him close to losing his foot.

An expert mountaineer, explorer, rock and ice climber, Overton said, “Through climbing, everything makes sense in the world. The chaotic environment slows down.”

Dana Brandorff | May 19, 2019

No one can predict who will make a great nurse, but when it comes to Chantal Dengah, the cards are in her favor.

As with any medical professional, skill and accuracy are required for nursing success, two characteristics engrained in Dengah, set to graduate from the University of Colorado College of Nursing during the May 24 Spring Commencement.

Debra Melani | May 19, 2019

The University of Colorado College of Nursing and student nurses are encouraging the community to celebrate the nurse in your life during the month of May. Nurses Week runs from May 6 – May 12, which was the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing. CU Nursing students appeared on CBS 4 Saturday morning to showcase the profession of nursing and some of the activities they have planned for the week including a 5K fun run at the Anschutz Medical Campus Sunday, May 5, and community blanket making for patients at Children’s Hospital on May 9th.

Dana Brandorff | May 06, 2019

Textbooks are no longer the primary source of education in the classroom. CU Nursing includes traditional lectures, simulations, practical clinical experiences, and physical transformations of faculty into patients.

Dana Brandorff | April 05, 2019

For burn survivors, Wayne Winkler and Shannon Bennett, participating in Dr. Teresa Connolly’s Nursing Care of the Adult Patient with Complex Care Needs class is a way for nursing students to become better nurses while giving back to those who helped them during recovery. For the students, understanding the physical and mental pain, anguish, and guilt associated with their condition is key to treating patients with compassion and empathy – essential elements in helping patients heal.

Dana Brandorff | March 11, 2019