Victoria Hoeltke, Fuld Fellow (ABS Program)

• Program: ABS Nursing
• Hometown: Cheektowaga, NY
• Favorite Self-Care Activity: Skydiving
• Previous Education: Bachelor and Master of Science, Dietetics, D'Youville College

I began seeing various nursing roles in patient care during my clinical rotations with my dietetics degree. At that point, I was almost four years into my five year degree and was very afraid to admit to myself that nursing was something that I actually might be interested in. 

By the time I graduated with my dietetics degree, my twin and my best friend were in two different nursing programs and both were very excited about the work that they were doing. I realized that, for me, this was a perfect time to pursue a second bachelor’s degree. I did not want to regret missing out on this opportunity down the road or telling myself, “I wish I would have done that.”

I’m excited about the tremendous amount of interaction that nurses have with their patients, working closely with other health care professionals and the fast-paced work environment that constantly challenges you.

I wasn’t even aware that schools offered accelerated programs until a friend of mine got accepted into the ABS program at UB.  She answered many of the questions that I had and inspired me to apply for the program.  For me, UB is close to home, which is something that I was looking for.

The accelerated program seemed like a great fit for where I am in life right now. After attending an information session and touring the labs, it seemed like a very conducive learning environment. I was shocked at how realistic the labs looked, and I think hands-on learning is so important, especially when we are dealing with human lives.  

I am most interested in labor and delivery and maternal/newborn nursing. I spent time volunteering in the NAS nursery at a local hospital, which is what sparked my interest in this area of nursing. While volunteering there, I had the opportunity to talk with various nurses on the floor. Although the nurses there primarily worked with babies in the NICU, I heard their experiences in other areas of nursing. I loved the time that I spent there, and it just seemed like a job that I would be excited about going to every day.

I currently volunteer for a program called Camp Good Days. Although it sounds like a summer camp, it is much more than that. They host monthly activities for children who have been touched by cancer in some way, whether they are currently or have battled cancer, or a family member is or has. It has been such a wonderful experience to meet some of the strongest, most resilient children who never fail to put a smile on your face.

Post-graduation, I’m planning on staying in Buffalo and spending the first few years of my career learning as much as possible. As I gain confidence and experience in my career, I hope to help and support future nursing students the way my friends supported me.

I’m hoping to combine the knowledge and skills that I gained from my dietetics degree with what I will be learning over this next year in order to provide education to my patients and be an advocate for them to achieve the best possible health outcomes.