One Human, Big Impact

This nurse shares her story of being told she wouldn't make it as a nurse to later becoming the Dean of Nursing

Welcome to Nurse Ascent, a twice-weekly newsletter created by nurses for nurses. This week, one nurse shares her story of nearly being kicked out of nursing school to now being a leader and advocate in nursing education. We also share available jobs, and discuss a $7 billion settlement from Purdue Pharma and using menstrual blood to diagnose conditions.

But first, shout out to those coworkers who support how we cope during hard days...

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Nurse Spotlight: Robin Moller MS Ed, RN

What I do for work

I am the Dean of Nursing at Jersey College in Naples, New York. I oversee the educational portion of the curriculum, meet with the students as a resource and for grade counseling. As the RN on campus, I review the school’s nursing curriculum, text books, and educational formats. I also work help hire nurse educators, oversee daily management, and assist in student interaction. I got this job by first working as an educator with Jersey College. Before that, I worked at Stoney Brook University School of Nursing as a clinical educator. At that point, I had already worked with their students for many years, since 1997, as a floor nurse when Stoney Brook nursing students came to our floor for clinical rotation.

How I got here

I was in nursing school in the early 1990s and the program was run very differently than how things are done today. The program educators sat down with me during my junior year of school and told me I’m not going to make it as a nurse. They suggested I change programs. Looking back, I can see I wasn’t a great student. I wasn’t putting the effort in and I didn’t manage my time well. I went to class but didn’t put in the effort in to succeed and always just barely passed by the skin of my teeth. After this conversation with the educators, I decided to work harder and learn what I needed to excel in nursing school. After a lot of work, an academic probation, and advocacy from the educators, I ended up passing and making it on the president’s list.

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More on Robin

A day in my life

When I get in the office in the morning, there’s a report of prior orders that shares which students might have some academic struggles. I collect records, gather relevant resources before meeting with the students in a counseling session. I also meet with campus administers to discuss changes around the campus such as lab changes, faculty changes, and classroom needs. I meet with the admissions representative and talk about educational interviews as I’m in charge of meeting with the students before they’re admitted to the program. I also meet with educators throughout the day to check in on their needs and ensure they have the resources they need to run the class. I can also help with grading, teaching students in care plan mapping, leadership, and NCLEX seminar. In class I sometimes bring other nurses in to tell their personal journeys and how they managed their careers.

My self-care routine (or what I do for fun, or to relax)

My husband had a large mural painted in our backyard with an underwater scene of fish, turtles, seahorses, and sharks. We’ve since added sculptures of other sea animals and I love to sit out there and relax with a nice cup of coffee. Our pool is nearby and has sounds like a waterfall where I will also sit and watch the clouds go by to remember how small I am in the world but can leave a big impact. I also love dog walks and long drives (with no traffic) for reflection time.

Share your story & be entered to win

As part of our effort to spotlight nurses, we’d love to feature you in an upcoming issue of Nurse Ascent! Share your story by filling out our quick interview form, and you’ll be entered into a raffle to win a $50 gift card.

Headlines in Healthcare

Purdue Pharma bankruptcy plan

A U.S. bankruptcy judge has formally approved the opioid settlement for OxyContin makers Purdue Pharma and Sackler family members who own the company, PBS reports. They plan to settle thousands of lawsuits over the harms of opioids, contributing up to $7 billion over the next 15 years. Most of the money will go to government entities to fight the opioid crisis that has been linked to 900,000 deaths in the U.S. since 1999.

New wave of menstrual-blood diagnostics

A growing group of women-led startups and research teams are tapping an overlooked resource — menstrual blood — to diagnose reproductive health conditions without surgery, The Guardian reports. Once dismissed as “waste,” period blood is now being used to hunt for molecular and cellular signals linked to diseases such as endometriosis, adenomyosis, fibroids, PCOS, and even cancers. NextGen Jane, which has quietly collected more than 2,500 used tampons by mail, is now validating a non-invasive endometriosis test based on differences in menstrual RNA. Other teams are exploring live-cell analysis from menstrual cup samples, hormone and inflammation tracking, and even color-changing pads that detect disease biomarkers. While none of these tests are on the market yet, multiple groups are reporting promising early findings — marking the first real momentum toward at-home diagnostic tools that could replace years-long delays and invasive procedures.

Little free podiatry practice

Med student Steffi Casimir launched a "Little Free Podiatry Practice" to take care of unhoused people's feet while studying to be a foot and ankle surgeon. On her TikTok channel she shares that foot problems are one of the most common reasons homeless people end up in the ER. She notes that she volunteers to provide free care to give them relief, dignity, and a chance to walk forward with less suffering

An image of author Katie Scoggins is pictured.

Meet the author:
Katie Scoggins
(RN, BSN & Health Writer)

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