National Nurses Month spotlight: ASU student shares journey into nursing degree

Nursing can often be a challenging and thankless job, filled with long shifts and lab work. The U.S. is currently experiencing a nursing shortage, impacting critical access hospitals, and Arizona is projected to have the largest shortage in the nation by 2025. To help change that outcome, Arizona State University’s Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation sets up its students for success in their future careers.

May is National Nurses Month, a time to honor nurses across the country. To show our support, ASU Student Life sat down with Izzy Koklys, a junior studying nursing at the Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation, to discuss her experience as an undergraduate pursuing a career in healthcare.

“Something that has changed for me throughout my studies is my perspective on the amount of work nurses do,” Koklys said. “There is so much that nurses do that goes unnoticed.”

Koklys, like many students who decide to study nursing, has wanted to become a nurse for as long as she can remember.

“I knew I always wanted to be in nursing or in the healthcare field since I was a kid,” Kokyls said. “Some personal experiences I have gone through within my family has made me feel even more motivated to make that dream a reality.”

The nursing pathway can sometimes be complicated, but for Sun Devils like Koklys, the work is well worth it. It consists of four primary terms, and according to Kokyls, term eight is when you officially transition into nursing practice.

“You have regular lecture classes, with very long lectures,” Koklyls said. “We have labs, where you learn the skills of nursing and utilize simulations to roleplay applying those skills in a hospital environment, and clinicals.”

According to Koklys, labs and clinicals are where the most hands-on learning comes from.

“Labs and clinicals teach me a lot about what it takes mentally and physically to be a nurse, as well as how to communicate with patients and providers,” Koklys said. “I enjoy the hands-on aspect, and being in the actual hospital helps me fine-tune my skills, using what I know. So far, some of my favorite lessons were on how to give injections and IVs.”

However, nursing is no easy degree to try and tackle. Koklys, just like other students, finds herself sometimes struggling to balance her workload and information-intensive lectures.

“Finding time to study in an already intense field is hard when you are already doing a lot,” Koklys said. “There are no allowed absences since students need a specific amount of hours and credits. You sacrifice a lot of time with family and friends. This last year has been difficult for me, but it is doable if you organize and set boundaries for yourself and others.”

When asked how she prioritizes her mental health while staying focused on her studies, Koklys had great insight.

“I try to schedule times during the week when I can either sleep in a little later than normal or go workout,” Koklys said. “The exciting thing about college and studying is that you can study anywhere. I try to change my scenery when I feel stuck or trapped in my room for hours. Going outside or to a new coffee place helps, especially when I invite other nursing students to join me.”

Nursing, at its core, is a selfless job. With that in mind, many nursing students carry that selfless mission with them throughout their professional careers. Koklys hopes to prioritize helping others in her future endeavors.

“I hope I can be the best I can for myself and my patients,” Koklys said. “I want to make a positive impact on my patients wherever I go, big or small.”

Nursing is a wide field with many different paths for students to pursue post-graduation. Some include working in oncology, geriatrics, the operating room, emergency department, psychiatry and more.

Koklys acknowledged this wide array of job opportunities when asked what she wants to do after graduation.

“As of right now, I haven’t been able to see all the different kinds of opportunities in the nursing field, but my end goal is to either be a labor and delivery nurse or a travel nurse,” Koklys said.

At the heart of Nurses Month is a desire to give back to the selfless workers that spend years studying and preparing to enter the healthcare field. When asked if she had advice for any prospective nursing students, Koklys leaned into some of the advice she has gathered during her time at ASU.

“Never give up on yourself,” Koklys said. “There will be days when you feel very low, and there will be days when you are so unbelievably confident. This degree is very hard, yes, but putting the work in and trusting yourself is the best thing you can do.”

To celebrate Nurses Month, Koklys encouraged people to extend their gratitude to every nurse they know.

“Thank your nursing family and friends,” Koklys said. “They are amazing at what they do and put so much, emotionally and physically, into helping others.”