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

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 | May 18, 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