Lauren Kristol arrived at URI hyper focused on getting a nursing degree, inspired by a volunteer experience at a local hospital. Her first visit to the Kingston campus confirmed where she would get that degree.
“I liked how URI felt more like a neighborhood than a city or any other type of campus,” said sophomore nursing major Lauren Kristol. “I took a tour here and it was actually a torrential downpour at the time, but I still fell in love with the campus.”
Beyond the campus’ appearance, Kristol was impressed by the facilities the URI College of Nursing has to offer. She also noted the impressive collection of talent among the College’s faculty and the personal touch the College’s professors employ, making students feel welcome and appreciated.
“We were able to visit the human simulation labs which was a great opportunity as a prospective nursing student, the older students were showing us the sims and how they used them for things like respiratory assessments,” said the Long Island native. “Then there was this one professor, Mary Cloud, and she started talking to me as if she knew me for years. She was so personable and comforting and I just remember wanting to be educated by her and professors like her.”
Kristol first had the idea to study nursing after she cared for an ill friend, helping bathe her and make sure she took her medication. Kristol so thoroughly enjoyed that opportunity to be able to help care for someone, her mother suggested she volunteer at a hospital to see if nursing was something she actually wanted to do.
Kristol then began volunteering at Stony Brook University Hospital near her hometown of Setauket, NY. There was one specific event she witnessed that solidified her desire to study nursing. On a day that she was shadowing one of the emergency room nurses, a helicopter landed at the hospital. In it was man who had badly broken his arm by falling off a roof, and he was sent straight to operating room.
“The adrenaline, and seeing everyone so excited to be able to help someone was inspirational,” Kristol said. “I just saw so much passion in the nurses and doctors there.”
Kristol said she enjoys all of her classes, but the one she finds most practical as a nursing student so far is NUR 203 (Comprehensive Health Assessment). The course involves a lecture as well as a lab, and covers how to assess and diagnose problems in every system of the body.
During the school year, Kristol works at Atria Harborhill, an assisted living facility in Warwick. She is also a member of the National Society for Collegiate scholars and the Zeta Tau Alpha sorority. Over the summer, Kristol volunteers at Mather Hospital on Long Island.
At some point, Kristol plans to go to graduate school and become a nurse practitioner, but she plans to postpone graduate school until after she gets some nursing experience under her belt. She said her ideal job would be a travel nurse because she wants to work in different places around the country.