Aaron Whalen
- Eau Claire
- BSN (bachelor of science in nursing)
- What's next: Full-time nurse at St. Joseph's Hospital, Chippewa Falls
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UW-Eau Claire photo by Rick Mickelson
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As the first male nontraditional student to complete the Nursing Honors Program, Aaron Whalen has done his part to break down stereotypes at UW-Eau Claire.
For one of his Honors Program projects, he analyzed the effectiveness of a nursing recruitment poster campaign titled "Are You Man Enough … To Be a Nurse?" The poster challenged viewers to see men involved in a profession traditionally dominated by women as "risk-takers" willing to bring their intelligence, courage and skill to an environment that emphasizes service and compassion.
That ethos of service and compassion has been behind much of what Whalen has explored in the Nursing Honors Program, which encourages students to synthesize knowledge from other areas of study into their nursing research and practice through independent study.
An interest in political science — which he once considered as a major — led Whalen to focus on the socio-political aspects of nursing for his honors work. One of his projects addressed the impact of HIV and AIDS in the urban and rural homeless populations, while two others examined the human response of addiction in the American Indian and Alaska Native populace. But according to Whalen, the most challenging project he undertook was the synthesis of a theoretical nationalized health care system.
When he wasn't thinking about health care issues, Whalen said he spent "a lot of time cooking pasta." He came to UW-Eau Claire with a degree in culinary art and helped finance his nursing education by working at Mona Lisa's Restaurant in Eau Claire.
"At one time I thought that was what I wanted to do as a profession," said Whalen, who turned 35 on Dec. 5. "However, there is a strong science and health care background in my family, and I always knew I would eventually enter into the field in some role. It just took me longer than most to motivate myself."
Whalen's grandfather was a physician, and his extended family includes several nurses, a former chemist and researcher, and an emergency veterinarian. At one time his family expected he might attend medical school, but Whalen said he was attracted to nursing because he sees the profession moving toward a more holistic approach to health care.
"A keystone of nursing practice is advocacy for patients and their families," Whalen said, citing as examples the influence of nurses in forming policies concerning home care, long-term care, public health and legislation addressing patient rights.
More on Aaron Whalen
Future plans: My immediate plans are to continue working at St. Joseph's Hospital in Chippewa Falls, where I have been a nurse intern since last summer. I already accepted a full-time position there and will begin training for the ICU in the spring. Within the next few years I will return to school to pursue a graduate education to specialize in a particular area of nursing, likely in critical care, or as a nurse anesthetist or nurse practitioner.
What he liked most about his time at UW-Eau Claire: What I liked most about my time at UW-Eau Claire was the opportunity I had to share the last four years of my life with the faculty and staff at the university, as well as the students — especially those in my nursing class.
Highlights of life at UW-Eau Claire: The highlights of my UW-Eau Claire experience were going to Alaska this past summer for clinical, and to Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota last summer in a similar context. Working closely with high-risk populations opened my eyes to the unique challenges of minorities and marginalized sectors of society.
Proudest college accomplishments: My proudest moment at UW-Eau Claire was concluding my nursing honors work a couple of weeks ago. There were many times when I had doubts regarding my ability to complete the work, but eventually finishing with the assistance of faculty was a definite bright spot in my academic career.
Advice for incoming students: My advice is to never be afraid to ask for help, whether it be from professors or peers. I had this issue when I first came back to school, but quickly realized that no one could read my mind when I was having difficulty. Therefore, I had no option but to ask for help as opposed to it magically appearing.
Learn about other featured December 2007 graduates
