Story 4

A Young Florence Nightingale 

How many little girls confidently declare when three or four years old that when grown up they’ll be a princess? A ballerina? If you would have asked a young Nicole Willms what she wanted to be, she would have put down her pretend nursing kits and bandages and told you - a nurse. Currently in the nursing degree program at Anoka-Ramsey, Nicole juggles the full life of employee at a cardiology office, student, and mother to a 2 and a 1/2 and 7 year old. Inspired by her own mother, a nurse for over 30 years and who served overseas in the Navy, Willms knows that all the “slaving over readings or studying for an exam” will benefit her family in the future. The benefit of future patients also drives Willms: “I see how [my mother] was with her patients and how much they respected her and I knew this is something I needed to be. I wanted to be that person that could help prolong a person’s life.” 

The caring profession continues. Willms bought her own daughter a nursing kit for Christmas last year, and now there seems to be in-house practitioner competition. “She takes care of mommy, daddy, and brother along with the puppy and all her stuffed animals.” 

When Willms isn’t studying, working, or mommy-ing, she would prefer a night in, getting “to relax and not having to worry,” or she would be playing on one of her three softball teams. 

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Interview Transcript

Hi Nicole. Here's a few interview questions for you.

Since it's a bit harder conducting an interview not in person, I tried

to include all manner of questions based around your blog profile.

Thank you!

Erin W.

1. So, you're going to school for your RN degree. Where exactly? What

made you want to get in to the medical field? Did you always know you

wanted to? What was the path that led you there? Where would you like

to eventually work: a large hospital, small clinic, with children...?

2. What is the most rewarding part to your current workplace? The most

challenging?

3. Do your two kids ever play pretend doctor or nurse like their mom?

4. Being a mom looks like it's also a large part of your life. Do you

have any funny stories about being a mom to two little ones?

5. If you could have one night free from schoolwork, watching kids'

movies, doing dishes etc...what would you do to unwind?

6. You mention softball and camping on your profile, are you a big

outdoors person? Do you play on a softball league? What is the most

exoctic/exciting place you've traveled? Where would you like to go?

7. Have you been to any country concerts recently? Anyone coming

through that you would like to see?

8. Between school, kids, work, how do you balance your busy life?

I am going to Anoka Ramsey for my nursing degree. I have always wanted to be a nurse growing up. I always had the pretend nursing kits and would walk around and put bandages on everyone and everything to make sure they would heel! I believe my mom played a huge role in influencing me to be a nurse. She has been a nurse for 30 some years now. She started nursing while she was surving over seas in the Navy. She is a wonderful women and a nurse. I see how she was with her patient and how much they respected her and I knew this is something I needed to be. I wanted to be that person that could help prolong a person's life. It gives me much graditude knowing that I helped a person. Currently I am working in a cardiology office but when I am done with school I would love to move into either a clinic or hospital and help take care of children! Its hard being a mom, working full time and going to school full time but in the end I know that its going to beneift my family and make things better. so I try and keep that aspect in the back of my head as I am salving over readings or studying for an exam. There are days when I feel horrible because I am not spedning as much time with them as I should but I know if they were older they would understand. yes my little 2 1/2 loves playing Dr/nurse.. I bought her a nursing kit last year for Christmas and she loves it. she takes care of mommy, daddy and brother along with the puppy and all her stuffed animals. Having kids there is never a dull moment!! its hard to think of something funny when so maany things have occured. lets just say there is never a dull moment and we are always kept on our toes!!

If I had a free night, no kids, no homework. I would love to just stay at home have a few drinks and just lounge. it sounds boring but its nice to be able to jsut relax and not having to worry about getting up because someone needs something or spilled something!

I do love the outdoors. we have a camper and goign camping a lot during the summer. we do not go to far yet because the kids are still a little to little but hopefully soon we will make our adventures out farther. I love playing sports, softball especailly. I have played since I was little. right now I play on 3 teams and its nice to get out and do something I love. It makes it a little easier since our friends are on the team and we all have kids, so they come and run around with eachother while the adults play ball.

please let me know if u need anymore info!

thanks

Nicole!

Story 3

The Sleep Doctor is In

Diana Gant, a psychology professor at Anoka Ramsey, knows the importance of beauty sleep. Actually, just sleep in general. Gant has made a career out of studying the sleepy, both her graduate thesis and doctoral dissertation on the lack of and need for more sleep. When she began her studies 17 years ago, Gant intended to study productivity in people who received little amounts of sleep, but when her subjects were presented with the “chance to sleep in dark, quiet rooms, they all slept for about nine hours.” This early observation and “other work convinced me that most people suffer from sleep deprivation.” 

Nine to ten hours, Gant claims, is the optimal amount of nightly sleep, while most people average seven hours. Gant's research is based on both personal research and studying statistics, such as the correlation between traffic accidents around daylight savings time in both the spring (loose an hour) and fall (gain an hour). Statistics show an 8% increase in accidents the day after spring daylight savings, which Gant likens to national jet lag, its effects lasting up to a week as the body’s biological clock resets. 

How can you tell if you’re sleep deprived? Perform this simple test: do you feel sleepy or desire to doze off after eating a large lunch? Being sleepy at your desk is considerably less hazardous, but Gant attributes sleep deprivation with severities such as the space shuttle Challenger disaster, Russia’s Chernobyl reactor accident, and the Exxon Valdez oil spill. Regarding the spill, Gant asserts that “the press focused on the possibility that the captain of the Exxon Valdez was drunk, but undershifting and long shifts on the ship may have led to the third mate’s falling asleep at the wheel.” Cutting back on sleep can also cause depression, falling asleep at stoplights, and has the same effects on a person as being drunk, making people “clumsy, stupid, and unhappy.” 

To counteract sleep deprivation, Gant prescribes several things. Find a place that is dark and quiet, lights off and shades drawn. Get a confortable bed and keep bed linens fresh and clean. A cool atmosphere, about 65, is optimal sleeping temperature. Equally important as getting more sleep in general and sleeping conditions is preparing for sleep. “It’s good to relax for an hour or so before going to bed,” Gant says, prescribing watching TV or reading a book. Pre-sleep diet also contributes; “don’t eat or drink a lot” and avoid tobacco, coffee, alcohol, or excessive sugars as these cause the brain to become more alert as their effects wear off. If we all followed this regiment, Gant may be out of a job.