From Training Room to Bedside: Meghan Kennedy’s Path to Nursing
This article is a summary of an interview between Meghan Kennedy and Vivian Shao, written as an assignment for the Neuroscience Capstone Course in Winter 2022. Vivian Shao graduated with a B.S. in Neuroscience with minors in Public Health and Biology in June 2022.
Meghan Kennedy is an SCU alumni who graduated in 2020 with a degree in Neuroscience. She is currently a student attending Creighton University located in Omaha, Nebraska. She is enrolled in the Accelerated Bachelor’s of Nursing (ABSN) program, which is a 12 month long accelerated program to receive a BSN after already acquiring a previous bachelor’s degree.
Past Experience
At SCU, Meghan worked in the athletic training room as an assistant athletic trainer. She gained human clinical experience from sports medicine, ankle wrapping, stretching, and triage when athletes got hurt. After graduation, she was employed in a research lab where they conducted pre-clinical trial research. Meghan worked with medical devices and animals, which provided her the opportunity to practice putting in IVs, sterilization, preparation for surgery, etc. These tasks then later translated to nursing skills that are regularly practiced while on the job. She thoroughly enjoyed working in research and her time spent here gave Meghan time to decide and apply to nursing school.
Why Nursing?
Meghan comes from a family of healthcare workers, she has been surrounded by people who prioritize helping others. During her childhood, Meghan has made a few trips to the hospital, and she recalls the excellent care she received from the nurses. She has always admired the impact nurses have on patients. Meghan knew she wanted a career of working with people and advocating for care as a whole person, so she made the decision to pursue a career in nursing.
"Nurses are with their patients no matter what, the way a nurse can uplift and change their patients' lives is amazing."
In addition, Meghan pointed out that obtaining a nursing degree can be accomplished in a variety of ways, straight out of high school, after obtaining a prior degree, such as neuroscience, and it is an easy career change later in life. Also, the nursing field allows for versatility in career options, nurses can specialize and even switch specialties with relative ease. If you do not want to be tied down to one location, being a travel nurse allows for freedom to work in places all over the country. Most importantly, you can always advance your education to pursue higher credentials and specialties, then the opportunities are endless.
What Nursing School is Like
At first, Meghan wasn’t sure about moving to Nebraska, but upon arrival, Meghan loved it! She says Creighton is a well-renowned institution that has built a reputation for excellent nurses. Between classes and clinical rotations, seeing patients recover and do better after their care makes her busy schedule worth it.
Meghan’s most memorable clinical experience was her first clinical rotation on the OBGYN/Mother and Baby unit. She spent the day with a 21 year old woman who was expecting a baby boy. She was in labor and in pain, but helping tend to the mother’s needs and helping with delivery gave her this indescribable feeling. Watching the joy of the mother was so rewarding, at this time Meghan realized she had found her calling.
What Makes a Good Nurse?
Meghan’s top nursing skill is to treat the patient’s physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual needs. You must practice compassionate care and positivity because a patient’s life may depend on it. Patience and problem solving are important qualities as a nurse. Nurses have a lot of autonomy, so critical thinking is required for anticipating needs, being flexible, and working well with a team.
There are difficulties that nurses will face on the job. It can be emotional and it is hard not to take tragedies to heart. Meghan had to learn how to take care of herself and not allow this job to negatively impact her own wellbeing. It is a simple suggestion, but remembering to take care of yourself strengthens resilience and encourages you to do better.
Through her time at SCU, Meghan was interested in learning about the brain and cognition, and neuroscience changed her attitude and her approach to patient care. With a background in neuroscience, she understood some of the neural correlates that directly linked her patients and their conditions. Meghan’s neuroscience degree also gave her the opportunity to explore mental health as a crucial aspect of health care, shifting her perspective of looking at patients as a whole beings rather than just focusing on the diagnosis.