A senior's view of nursing

"Nursing is a career where each day presents something new. You never know what to expect, whose life you might have an impact on or who might have an impact on yours,” says senior Kerrianne Reardon of Massachusetts.

After touring Villanova and feeling its sense of community, senior Kerrianne Reardon decided she would leave her New England home of Franklin, Massachusetts and embark on her college career in the College of Nursing. Not only was she impressed with the new Driscoll Hall and its realistic learning facilities including the simulation labs, but overall she felt everyone was extremely warm and welcoming. She knew immediately this is where she wanted to complete her undergraduate education.

Once enrolled, Kerrianne instantly immersed herself in the Villanova community. She is part of the Alpha Phi National Sorority whose philanthropy is women’s cardiac care, the National Society of Collegiate Scholars and the Student Nurses’ Association of Pennsylvania. She has volunteered for Special Olympics as well as the St. Thomas of Villanova Day of Service. Having been on the Dean’s List both her sophomore and junior years, Kerrianne will be inducted into the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International, Alpha Nu Chapter, on November 11, 2012.

This past summer, Kerrianne worked as a nursing student COOP/Patient Care Assistant in the cardiac intensive care unit/stepdown unit at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. There, she further honed her clinical skills by combining what she learned in the classroom with the concepts acquired in clinical rotations and applying it to patient care in the hospital. She continues to refine her clinical skills throughout the school year by working as a Home Health Aide for Bayada Home Health Care, a position she has held since her junior year.

With graduation approaching next year, Kerrianne feels confident about choosing a career in nursing. “Going into my senior year of nursing school at Villanova, I have no doubt in my mind that I have chosen the right profession. I can’t think of a more rewarding career. I love that, as a nurse, there are countless directions for my career and always opportunities for continuing my education.” With a variety of top-rated hospitals within the Philadelphia region, Kerrianne believes her clinical placements and what she has learned during her rotations will better prepare her to care for patients as a registered nurse.

Impressed with the facility during her time there this summer, Kerrianne plans to move back to Boston after graduation and work as a nurse at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. She hopes to one day continue her education and receive her master’s degree while working because she feels, “There is so much to learn in nursing. It is so important to stay up to date on education and health care is continuously changing based on evidence-based practice. Nursing is a career where each day presents something new. You never know what to expect, whose life you might have an impact on or who might have an impact on yours.”