Meet Liam.

What made you consider nursing as a program of study?

Throughout my young years and leading up to college, I always had an interest in science. Beginning with dinosaurs as a child and progressing to an enjoyment of chemistry, physics, and anatomy in high school, I knew that I wanted to study a field that would incorporate my interests in the sciences. Having a mother who is a nurse practitioner and a passion for helping and caring for others, Nursing was the obvious choice.

Did you have an ah-ha moment about wanting to become a nurse? 

One of the moments that affirmed my belief that I was in the right field of study occurred during my second clinical rotation. As is the case with many students early in their journey through clinicals, I was unsure of my ability to communicate therapeutically with patients. On this particular day, I was assigned to a patient who had a history of combativeness and rude behavior with nurses. Throughout the shift, I made it my goal to break through to this patient and gain trust where others had failed. By the end of the shift, my patient had agreed to ambulate throughout the halls with me, take medication that he had previously been refusing, and most importantly, was not combative or rude to me or any other staff. This day was integral in building the confidence in myself that has allowed me to grow into the senior nursing student that I am today.

What set WVU SON apart from other colleges? 

One thing that separated the WVU School of Nursing from others was the opportunity to practice in a cutting-edge facility that provides care in a state that is largely underserved and where quality medical care can be difficult to find. I feel honored to have been able to serve the patient population that I have.

Could you share a positive experience from your time at the SON?

It would be too difficult to choose one positive experience from my time in the School of Nursing. I think some of my most positive experiences have come from the relationships I have built with clinical instructors and the learning experiences that they went out of their way provided me with.

What’s one piece of advice you would give your freshman self?

If I could offer myself advice as a freshman it would be to seek out and engage in each and every hands-on learning opportunity that presents itself to you. Oftentimes this comes from forming relationships with the clinical instructors and nurses you meet in clinical. Never be afraid to ask questions and revel in the moments where you are pushed out of your comfort zone because this is where you learn the most. 

What are your plans after graduation? 

After graduating, I plan to work in the ICU. Further in the future, I have aspirations to work as a travel nurse and to return to school to be a nurse anesthetist.

How do you feel WVU prepared you for your next chapter? 

The opportunities and learning experiences that WVU has provided me with, especially in the clinical setting, have been second to none. The 200 hours I have spent in the hospital during leadership in addition all my other clinical experiences have given me confidence in my ability to apply what I have learned in class to actual patient care and I feel more than ready to take the skills and knowledge I have gained into my career as a nurse.