"I’ve never felt like I’ve been on my own."
Program: Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Doctor of Nursing Practice
"When I did my pediatric clinical rotation, I had a chance to work at a local children’s hospital. I got to see a lot of kids who had been discharged from the neonatal intensive care unit but were not quite ready to go home yet. I just knew that was the specialty I really wanted to go into.
I knew it wasn’t as easy to get into that area — such a specialized field right out of nursing school — but I was lucky enough to get into a nursing residency program, which is how I started my neonatal nursing career.
Besides RUSH's outstanding reputation and great passing rates for boards, what really sealed the deal for me was when I got to do my in-person interview. I got to meet with Karen Wright, the director of the program. After meeting with her, going through the whole interview process and meeting with other faculty that day, it felt like I would be really supported in the program. They weren’t just going through the motions. It made a world of difference to me. Everyone was very welcoming.
[The program has] been great so far. I’ve always felt supported by faculty and all the staff. Everyone is always so readily available to help. The program is run so smoothly. I have colleagues at other schools who have expressed frustration with their program. I’ve never experienced that at the College of Nursing. I’ve never felt like I’ve been on my own."
Gustavo's DNP project at RUSH's NICU focuses on improving the treatment of diaper dermatitis for infants. Learn more about Gustavo's work in his own words