Before Lisa Lindquist-Nicholas became a nurse, she was a musician and a filmmaker. Before she was in the arts, she wanted to become a modern-day mermaid as a marine biologist. And then for a time, she wanted to be a veterinarian and a lawyer.

The possibilities were endless.

The healthcare profession was a possibility she never expected. The two-time UNLV alumna has been with the UNLV School of Nursing for 11 years, starting as a part-time instructor. Today, she is the assistant professor-in-residence and simulation education specialist, supporting students and faculty throughout their learning experience at the Clinical Simulation Center. 

What was your career like prior to coming to UNLV?

I was a pediatric nurse at Sunrise Children's Hospital. I started as a nursing apprentice while in nursing school, then got a job as a registered nurse on the pediatric medical-surgical floor.

My family and I moved to Seattle for a short time, and I worked at Seattle Children's Hospital. When we moved back to Las Vegas, I went back to Sunrise, except this time I transferred to the pediatric intensive care unit and the pediatric cardiac intensive care unit.

What inspired you to get into nursing?

My grandfather.

I was going through the motions of being a college student, and then my grandpa got sick. He was in and out of the hospital. He was at the VA hospital in Southern California. The nurses really made an impression on me. He had respiratory failure during his illness and had a tracheostomy placed.

He was a World War II veteran and loved telling stories. He was an immigrant, grew up in the Bronx, and he just wanted to tell stories. He especially loved telling the story of how he was a lifeguard during World War II instead of being in the infantry.

The tracheostomy took away his ability to talk. The nurses would put a sign at the head of the bed: "My name is Rudy. I love to tell stories, and I can't right now. I would love to hear some of yours.”

The nurses educated my mom and me really well. They were super empathetic and had really great bedside manner, which made an impression on me. The day after he passed away, I changed my major to nursing. 

Starting nursing school can be nerve-racking for students. How do you break the ice or get them comfortable on that first day?

On the first day, I tell jokes. Dad jokes. I want them to see the natural side of Lisa, so I don't try to pretend to be something I'm not. I know it's overwhelming, but I can hope and promise (a little bit) that things are going to be okay. Then I tell the joke. The cornier, the better, I find. If they think, “Wow, she's super awkward.” That helps them to get over some of their nerves.

You’ve been at UNLV as both a student and a faculty member. What does being a Rebel mean to you?

It means possibility. Going to college is a possibility. Not everybody gets to have an education. UNLV in itself is a possibility. I was a musician and filmmaker, and then I ended up being a nurse.

I really love simulation education. There's a lot of possibility there. You want to practice injecting a manikin with a needle? I can do that. You want to practice communication with a manikin and not a real person? I can do that.

The theme of possibilities transcends not only UNLV but also the School of Nursing. Do you want to be a school nurse? Do you want to work at the bedside? Do you want to be a flight nurse? Or do you want to be an academic like me? The possibilities are endless.

Tell me about an ‘a-ha’ moment in your career.

When I was working at Sunrise, it was a teaching hospital, so we had students all the time.

They would come in for clinical, and I distinctly remember people getting so annoyed before the day even began. There was no patience or empathy for these student nurses. I would tell my colleagues, “I'm sorry, were you born a nurse? No. You had to go to nursing school, too. How would you feel if you were treated that way?” 

I knew we could change that culture. It didn’t have to be that way, so I was always happy to take students. 

One week, I watched a timid student in a “yelling situation” in the corner with her instructor. She was partnered with me for the day, and I said, “Come on, let's go take care of our patients.” As we worked, she opened up and shared that she was thinking about dropping out. She didn’t think she was cut out for nursing because of her personality.

I told her she didn't need to be anyone but herself. Over the next nine hours, I watched her energy shift to confidence. When she sought me out later to thank me for my patience, I saw her realize her own potential.

That was my "a-ha" moment. I started wondering, “What if I can do this for every student?” I realized I could make a different kind of impact in education than with patients and families.

Tell us about a lesson you learned from a student.

I learn from the students every day. I think what I've learned most is to acknowledge that I am not the only person in existence. And if I'm going to teach, I need to be very self-aware and self-critical to ensure I'm continually finding ways to improve my teaching practice so I can be my best for the students, because that's what they deserve.

I've learned how to be more approachable, how to engage in critical reflection, how not to take things so personally, how to be a little more flexible, and how to be accessible. They're making me learn not only so much about myself, but so much about the world. And, the really great perspective and experience that they bring to the nursing table.

What film/show/book makes you cringe over how your field is represented?

Back in the day, I was obsessed with Grey's Anatomy. As much as I loved the show, I was also annoyed with it. It was a show about doctors — I get it — and there were a couple of nurses here and there. They didn't really play a primary role, so when you see three or four doctors trying to get a patient out of bed to ambulate them, and have them walk around the unit — that isn't how it works. Or, you see doctors doing a simple dressing change or changing the bed linens. Nope, that’s not happening.

What advice would you give your younger self?

I would say that there's no stopping your path. I think everybody is created for a purpose and a plan, and there's no getting around that. Trust the process. Be kind to yourself. Everything works out — better than you would think.