Wildcat Nurses Fighting COVID-19: Miranda Albright, Level 2 BSN-IH Student
March 8, 2021
Meet Miranda Albright, Level 2 student in UArizona Nursing’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing Integrative Health (BSN-IH) pathway. Albright is one the dedicated student volunteers who lent a much-needed hand with the Banner Health PODs at the State Fairgrounds in Phoenix.
Why did you choose to pursue a career in nursing?
I chose to pursue a career in nursing because I wanted to make a difference and help people. It’s a pretty generic answer, but it’s true! It means a lot to me that I get to know these patients and help them. I crave that human connection with people, and I enjoy helping them meet their goals and improve their health. I can make people feel better and that makes me feel better too!
“It gives me a lot of pride to know that I chose nursing during a time when nurses are needed more than ever. I remember going into the hospital for the first-time once things opened up and thinking to myself ‘I made the right choice.’ I am part of a historical moment in healthcare, and I am really glad I am here," ~ Miranda Albright, Level 2 BSN-IH Student
What is it like to be on the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic?
Being on the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic is a strange thing to experience. When I applied to the UArizona Nursing it was before the pandemic hit, and I was unaware of how things would change and how it would affect the school. It gives me a lot of pride to know that I chose nursing during a time when nurses are needed more than ever. I remember going into the hospital for the first-time once things opened up and thinking to myself ‘I made the right choice.’ I am part of a historical moment in healthcare, and I am really glad I am here.
Can you describe your work at the COVID POD?
Working at the COVID POD was exciting because we got to give injections and observe patients afterward for potential side effects. Some of the patients were nervous about getting the vaccine but most people were just excited. Some of the students would give injections while others were observing, then we would switch. While I was observing I had so much fun chatting with people and everyone was just so happy and positive it was a great experience.
What are your biggest takeaways from the work you’re doing there?
My biggest takeaway from participating in the COVID POD was how happy people were to be there and get vaccinated. It felt like everyone was relieved to finally have the vaccine and feel more protected. Everyone was really happy and grateful that we were there.
Can you share your perspective of the challenges you face as a student nurse during this crisis?
The biggest challenge for me while being a nursing student during the pandemic is getting clinical time in the hospital. During my first semester, the hospital wasn’t letting students come in so we had to do a lot of our clinicals online. We were really lucky that we had state-of-the-art simulation programs.
During these challenging times, what gives you hope and helps you stay positive?
The thing that has kept me positive during these challenging times is relying on my classmates for support. I think it’s super important to remember we are all in this together and are going through the same things. The first semester was really hard because we were all so busy and isolated but connecting with my classmates helped a lot. We would set up zoom meetings to study and chat and talk about how the pandemic made us feel and it made such a difference in how I approached school during the pandemic.
What does it mean to you to be a Wildcat Nurse?
To me, being a Wildcat Nurse comes with a special level of excellence and the expectation. The standard is higher for us and the college expects a lot out of us because they know we are capable of achieving higher standards in our practice. The College wants to make sure that when we graduate, we are the best nurses we can be so that we can pass on that quality care to our patients. Having that affiliation with the University of Arizona means people will expect a lot out of us and we take pride in providing really high quality care to our patients.