Student wearing graduation cap.

DNP Student Profile: Ashlyn Fitzgerald

Doctor of Nursing Practice Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Program ‘20

I want to empower patients and their families to recognize the importance of nutrition, primary care, vaccinations, exercise, and other safe habits to ensure long and healthy lives.

Ashlyn Fitzgerald ’20, also a 2017 graduate of the Columbia Nursing Masters Direct Entry program, decided to pursue a career as a pediatric nurse practitioner so she could combine her love for science, education, and humanity, with her desire to help others. Now a fellow in the Advanced Practice Provider Fellowship at Seattle Children’s Hospital, she looks forward to providing comprehensive, holistic health care that addresses children’s social determinants of health, as well as their physical and emotional needs.

 

Please tell us about yourself––from what program are you graduating and where are you originally from?

I am graduating from the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner program. I am originally from Sacramento, CA, and earned my bachelor’s degree in psychobiology from UCLA. After graduating from college, I taught English in Thailand before moving to New York City to attend Columbia.

 

Why did you decide to pursue nursing and why did you choose Columbia Nursing?

I have always enjoyed studying science but didn’t know what career I wanted to pursue until a college internship introduced me to the field of nursing. Through this internship, I learned that being a nurse practitioner combined my love for science, education, humanity, and helping others. What attracted me to Columbia Nursing was its New York location. I knew that I would have a lot of great nursing opportunities and exposure to diverse clinical experiences. I was also interested in the global opportunities that the school offered. 

 

This part of your formal nursing education is culminating at an extraordinary time.  How has the pandemic shaped your feelings about becoming a nurse?

This pandemic has taught me how valuable nurses are. It has made me extremely proud to be in this field. Despite the chaos, the stories of empathy, compassion, and humanity truly stand out. These qualities are a huge part of the foundations of nursing.

 

How has your Columbia Nursing education and experience prepared you – academically and clinically – to deal with the pandemic?

The DNP program emphasizes evidenced-based practice. During this unprecedented time, with Covid-19 monopolizing the news and social media, information from reputable sources is essential. Our training prepares us to practice according to the most up-to-date, science-based information and research. It also teaches us how to appraise and vet evidence, which is especially important during this pandemic, when we still have so much to learn.

 

What are you passionate about, and how has being a student at Columbia Nursing allowed you to follow your passion?

As a child, I had the unique opportunity to live abroad, and growing up I was always interested in learning about different cultures. As a student at Columbia Nursing, which draws a diverse patient population from all over the city, I was able to not only interact with and learn about people from different cultures on a daily basis, but also had the amazing opportunity to travel abroad twice. I am passionate about global health, and Columbia allowed me to explore this passion by affording me the chance to go to Ethiopia and Malawi. These experiences were extremely humbling and eye-opening. The perspective, creativity, and knowledge that I gained will stay with me throughout my practice.

 

What’s your next step after you graduate?

For my residency, I was accepted into the Advanced Practice Provider Fellowship at Seattle Children’s Hospital. After finishing my fellowship in September, I will continue to live and work in Seattle. My goal as a pediatric nurse practitioner is to provide comprehensive, holistic health care that addresses children’s social determinants of health, as well as their physical and mental status. I want to empower patients and their families to recognize the importance of nutrition, primary care, vaccinations, exercise, and other safe habits to ensure long and healthy lives. I aim to incorporate evidence-based knowledge, preventative medicine, compassion, and teamwork to be the best provider I can. 

 

Do you have a favorite memory of your time in Columbia?

My favorite part of studying at Columbia was the privilege it afforded me to interact with so many wonderful and inspiring mentors, professors, and classmates. I am so grateful to have learned from truly phenomenal nurses and NPs who have made a huge impact in the field. They taught me so much about what it means to be a caring and passionate health care provider and advocate. I am proud to be graduating with such nurses, many of whom are working on the front lines of the pandemic in New York right now. Working in health care is a difficult and rewarding experience and having an understanding support system is vital. I am fortunate to have developed relationships and friendships with my peers at Columbia, who I was able to lean on and who I know will be there for me throughout my career.