Meet Maddie Reese! She is a third-semester student from Draper, Utah, who loves the College of Nursing. She is currently learning about medical-surgical and pharmacology and likes to play pickleball, run, and eat out at fun restaurants in her free time.
Maddie always liked studying healthcare because she felt it was essential to help others. However, it wasn’t until her senior year of high school that she decided to put all her efforts into nursing. That year both of her grandpas passed away from cancer. She said, “Before that point, I thought maybe I'll be a doctor, a PA, or even a dentist. But after seeing the amount of time my grandpa spent with the nurses rather than the doctors, I decided that's what I wanted to do.” As a future nurse, Maddie hopes to be able to provide that same excellent one-on-one care she observed her grandparents receiving.
While attending the College of Nursing, Maddie has learned more about caring for others and practicing the Healer’s art. She said, “I was reading a talk one day from a woman who gave a devotional speech years ago. She talked about how most illnesses that patients have can’t be cured. Although we may not be able to heal them, as a nurse physically, we can heal through providing comfort measures and becoming their emotional support.” This talk stuck with Maddie and reminded her of the importance of the little things, such as bringing a blanket to a patient or giving them their favorite drink. Supporting patients is one aspect of care that is not always seen as crucial as maybe checking their vitals; however, it is essential. As Maddie said, “Nurses can’t always control what patients are dealing with, but we can support and comfort them.” The Healer’s art means a lot to her, and is a lesson she will continue to focus on as a nursing student and in her future career.
Maddie loves kids and looks forward to the peds, labor, and delivery unit. She dreams of working in pediatrics or dermatology and becoming a nurse practitioner. The College of Nursing supports her in these goals and is excited to see what she accomplishes as she continues with the program and her future career.