The Patient Path to Being a Great Nurse
Growing up in Louisiana, Allyson Stephens, MECN ‘16, had long thought of a future in nursing. But rather than pursuing the traditional BSN route, she was drawn to Hollins University, a small women’s liberal art school in Roanoke, Virginia that, while lacking a nursing program, is known for fostering the values of community, diversity, and leadership. Here, Allyson excelled in Chemistry and Math, worked as a peer tutor, and enjoyed personal growth that would shape her future.
Upon graduation, Allyson sought new experiences in the diverse city of San Francisco, working as a math and science tutor and planning her path towards a graduate nursing education. She began taking prerequisite courses and volunteering as a clinical assistant at San Francisco General Hospital, the primary health center for the Bay Area’s most vulnerable citizens. In summer 2013, Allyson began applying to graduate nursing programs and was on her way to reaching that goal. However, an unexpected event would nearly jeopardize her preparation and hard work.
In late October 2013, Allyson was taking a prerequisite exam when she started feeling excruciating abdominal pain. After visiting urgent care, it was recommended that she go directly to UCSF’s emergency room, where a CT scan showed a large mass in her abdomen. The surgery to remove this mass lasted eight hours, and the diagnosis was in: ovarian cancer.
But Allyson was not to be deterred from the nursing path. The day after surgery, she submitted her application to UCLA School of Nursing!
Throughout her hospital stay and chemotherapy, she observed nurses and their care. “All through the experience, I kept thinking ‘this could be me one day – I hope!’ I really noticed what they were doing and how they made me feel.”
“I chose UCLA because I knew they had a great hospital and a top nursing school. I’m grateful for the care I received at UCSF, and because UCLA is in the same system, I knew it would be a wonderful experience."
Allyson knows that her time as a patient will be invaluable in the care and compassion she will provide to patients – that she comes from a better place of understanding. “I know what it’s like when someone has to try four times to get an IV in – it’s frustrating and painful. When I see a patient grimace during an IV insertion, I empathize.”
She had never thought about oncology nursing before, “but now oncology nursing has a special place in my heart. It takes bravery and strength. It takes very compassionate, understanding nurses.” While Allyson continues to explore the many specialties in nursing, she knows that oncology nursing is in her future.
Two years clear of cancer, Allyson has fully engaged and embraced her nursing school experience. Currently, she is president of UCLA’s chapter of the Foundation for International Medical Relief of Children (FIMRC), a non-profit organization that provides global medical care to children in underserved communities. This past summer, she and four fellow nursing students performed medical outreach for 10 days in La Merced, Peru, which is 10 hours east (by bus!) from Lima. “It was an eye-opening and rewarding experience. We were humbled by the gratitude of the communities we helped through nutritional, environmental, and health education.”
In addition to her involvement in UCLA FIMRC, Allyson is co-president of the Oncology Nursing Club, newly formed last year. She and fellow members participated in Cycle for Survival in March – a nationwide event that raises money for rare cancer research. She also helps lead the group’s involvement in the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life, held at UCLA’s Drake Stadium.
Allyson completed her clinical immersion at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles in the NICU. She greatly enjoyed and appreciated the positive attitude, friendly faces, and teamwork amongst the nurses. She also speaks highly of her preceptor. “I can’t imagine a better preceptor, Jenna Mittkus. She kept me involved, gave a lot of encouragement, and sought additional learning opportunities for me. She was approachable, and I felt comfortable asking questions.”
Allyson spoke of nervously allowing a nursing student to perform a procedure (their first!) on her as a patient at UCSF. This came full circle when a patient’s parent at CHLA, who first balked at a nursing student working with her baby, now considers Allyson “one of her girls, one of her favorite nurses.”
This was exciting for Allyson because “she called me a nurse!” She would like to work in Pediatrics, hopefully in critical care or oncology. “I like caring for people when they really need help, when they are most frightened. I like the challenge and pace. I like making sure that the families are being cared for, just like the patient is.”
As she approaches graduation, she is excited for the future. “Every day is a special day – I have the potential to make a difference.”