Up Close
Spotlight on Gianna Schupler By Victoria Bock , 2021-2022 Up Close Reporter
Many students make the decision to go to nursing school for a variety of reasons : familial influence , personal experience , or a passion for caring for others . For some , the decision to become a nurse was sparked from a life altering event — one in which their life was saved by the health professional they aspire to become . Gianna Schupler , a nursing student at Northeastern University , was drawn to nursing after her own emergency open heart surgery when she was in eighth grade . One of her favorite nurses was a pivotal figure in influencing Gianna to become a nurse herself .
Tough love was just what Gianna needed to get back on her feet after her diagnosis of Anomalous Left Coronary Artery . This rare condition occurs when the left coronary artery arises from the pulmonary artery instead of the aorta . This , then ,
Schupler causes more deoxygenated blood to travel back to the heart . After losing consciousness in a dance class , Gianna was rushed to the hospital where she was taken to the operating room for open heart surgery . Recovery was tough — Gianna was tired and in pain , but one of her nurses knew Gianna had to be tougher . “ She was giving me tough love while also encouraging me to get better along the way ,” she describes , explaining that she had to learn about what to do on the road to recovery . This was a wakeup call , as Gianna was an avid dancer and wanted to get back to doing what she loved .
With her surgery in March , Gianna worked to recover in time to be able to compete in dance competitions again . By June of that year , she was back on stage and even won a national title in July . This is one of her proudest accomplishments , and without her favorite nurse ’ s tough love , she may have not been able to dance that soon after her surgery . This life changing experience led Gianna to pursue nursing as a career . Gianna describes herself as a people person and she loves caring for patients at the bedside – she knows firsthand how important it is to have a positive , encouraging bedside manner by simply “ being there all day for your patients .”
While Gianna ’ s personal experiences have aided her in her nursing career , it was daunting to enter her pediatric cardiac cohort . She worried about flashing back to the time when she was vulnerable and if that was going to affect her negatively in providing care . However , she used her history to her advantage and takes her personal experiences with her in providing care . Overcoming that initial worry and providing excellent care to those like Gianna was another one of her proudest moments . She realized that being a nurse means being there for your patient no matter what . “ Showing up every shift , physically and mentally being there , and knowing that once I walk through those doors , the only thing on my mind is my patients , nothing else matters .” She also stressed the importance of nurses being advocates for their patients and providing ethically appropriate care . Gianna says if something looks wrong , “ I know I need to not be afraid to speak up .” Gianna shows dedication , responsibility , and empathy as a nurse , and will do everything in her power to give her patients the care they deserve and more .
Nursing school has been a journey for Gianna ; outside of her classes , she is a member of the dance team as well as a member of her sorority ’ s executive board . With a jampacked schedule , Gianna knows her studies come first — even before a night out on a Friday . “ I take it as it comes ,” she says , dedicating most of her time to studying and the tasks at hand . Her coach and her sorority members understand how important nursing is to Gianna and they do their best to help her succeed outside of these extracurriculars . “ I do a lot of work on my own and make sure I go to my next dance rehearsal knowing the dance , so I don ’ t hold anyone behind .” Her dedication across the board is exceptional , showing a true , full balance of a passion for nursing , dance , and Greek life . Gianna knows it ’ s hard work to do everything you love , but she gives her all in every little thing she does .
A true passion for nursing and all it encompasses is seen within Gianna — she exudes compassion , care , and dedication to others throughout all her activities . Gianna will go above and beyond for every patient she cares for as a nurse and in the future as a pediatric cardiac nurse practitioner . The personal history she takes with her has benefitted her greatly thus far and will continue to do so in the years to come . n
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