Willkommen!
Hello! I am excited and honored to be a part of your nursing journey. I look forward to getting to know you and working together to further your nursing knowledge. I want you to succeed in this class (and beyond), and I will do all that I can for you.
My Story
I have been in healthcare since 1994. I started out as an EMT and soon thereafter became a Paramedic; concurrently, I held a six-year managerial position in healthcare staffing and recruiting. As a registered nurse since 2007, I have worked for both pediatric and adult level I trauma centers and in 2012, I became an Adult and Pediatric Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner. I have testified as an expert witness on behalf of patients for the State of Texas and for the State of Colorado. As an Adjunct Nursing Faculty and Assistant Professor for various different universities, I have been fortunate to nurture, instruct and evaluate students in the online, clinical, and classroom environments. I have taught in both the Associate Degree of Nursing and the Bachelor Degree of Nursing school programs. I obtained my Associate Degree in Nursing in 2006, my Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing in 2010, and finished my Master of Science Degree in Nursing Education in 2014. I still work as an emergency department nurse and teach clinicals with a few nursing schools in Denver.
I was born and raised in Germany. My family immigrated to the United States when I was a teenager. I lived in Texas for 22 years, moved to Calgary, Alberta, Canada for three, back to Texas for another three years, and then moved to Colorado in 2013. I currently live in the foothills of the Colorado Rocky Mountains, about 30 minutes outside of Denver. I am married to a USMA West Point grad and former Army officer (Armor), now Arborist Sales Manager. We have a 21-year old daughter who is currently in nursing school [graduating May 2025] and is following (somewhat) in my footsteps. Ultimately, she wants to transition to the Emergency Department. She is currently working as an ACP/Nurse Apprentice in two high acuity ICUs (STICU and MICU) in the greater Denver area and would like to obtain a position in either department upon graduation. In my spare time, I love to hike, lift weights and read (I am always open to great book suggestions). I also like to cheer on my favorite sports teams, Deutscher Fussball Bund (soccer), Chicago Cubs (baseball) and United States Military Academy football team ... GO ARMY, BEAT NAVY!
Lastly, you will always know exactly where you stand – I do not believe in waiting to give constructive feedback. I love giving plenty of compliments and encouragement. I hope you can extend me the same professionalism.
Please know that I am here for you and will do everything I can to help you be confident in your knowledge base.