Kaitlyn Dilling knew right out of high school that she wanted to become a nurse, and she chose ULethbridge for its hands-on experiences and history of building strong nurses. Kaitlyn is so excited to get into the field and get a better idea of where her passion for nursing is.
I want to be a nurse who is always working to improve. I just really want to understand my patients better, seek further education/specialization, and continually challenge myself to avoid complacency. The beauty of nursing is that it is so versatile, and because of that, I don't fully know where my career will end up.
Meet Kaitlyn | Hardworking. Sociable. Detail-oriented.
Program: Bachelor of Nursing
Why did you choose ULethbridge?
I originally got admitted into two nursing programs, however, I felt drawn to the ULethbridge program for its focus on hands-on experiences and early entry for nursing students into a clinical setting. The program has historically built very strong nursing students, and I wanted to be a part of it.
Did you know what you wanted to study before you came to ULethbridge?
Yes, I had decided in my last year of high school that I wanted to pursue nursing.
How have your professors impacted your education?
Honestly, I have had wonderful experiences with my instructors throughout the whole program. I have found they are very willing to meet outside of class, go over assignments, practice hands-on skills, and make an effort to know each student's name. In other words, I have never felt like this is just a job for them; I really feel like they care about our education and success.
What is your most memorable ULethbridge experience?
What comes to mind first is the opportunity I had to attend a poverty simulation. Tons of staff got together to put together a simulation for a huge group of students to understand the impact of poverty on a deeper level. It takes a lot of coordination to make something like that possible, and I just appreciated the effort they made to help students gain new perspectives on global issues.
In your free time, what do you like to do?
I feel like I love so many things it's hard to put it all into a list. The biggest thing is that I just love being around people. Whether it's just a chill night with my husband or games/sports with friends/family, I'm super happy. I also love cooking and have always joked that if I failed nursing school, I would go to culinary school.
What are your hopes and plans for the future?
I could probably write an essay about all the ideas I have bouncing around in my head. For simplicity's sake, I'll say that I want to be a nurse who is always working to improve. I just really want to understand my patients better, seek further education/specialization, and continually challenge myself to avoid complacency. The beauty of nursing is that it is so versatile, and because of that, I don't fully know where my career will end up. I am so excited to get into the field and get a better idea of where my passion in nursing is.
What advice would you like to give those about beginning their journey at ULethbridge?
The University is built for success, so take advantage of it! I consistently used the breakout rooms, the gym, the library, etc. I have also accessed the health centre and counselling services and had wonderful experiences. I would also say to approach everything with a positive attitude. Be excited about the learning, even if it's a class/professor without the best reputation. I have been surprised so many times at how much I actually enjoyed a class/professor that someone else had warned me about because I chose to keep an open mind and work hard.