UW-Eau Claire gives nursing grad a sense of community

“My mom would tell me about the different struggles she faced both bedside and as a manager, but she always ended the conversation with, ‘This is the most rewarding thing I have ever done in my life,’” Shue says, noting his mother had a more than 40-year nursing career. “Although I saw how stressful it could be, I also saw how fulfilling it was for my mom.”

Shue will follow in his mother’s footsteps when he begins his career after graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire with his bachelor’s degree in nursing on May 17. He will then return to his hometown of Rochester, Minnesota, to begin work in a trauma intensive care unit.

“As I grew up and went through high school, I knew I wanted to help people,” Shue says. “I liked the teamwork aspect of nursing and I liked the critical thinking and problem solving. I knew it had to be nursing.”

Shue was attracted to UW-Eau Claire because of its quality nursing program and beautiful campus that was “not too big, not too small.” Shue knew a liberal arts college would allow him to “get a flavor of everything.” He immersed himself in activities inside and outside of nursing that included participating in concert band as a first-year student and Blugold Marching Band in his second year on campus.

“One of the highlights of my career here was being part of the marching band,” Shue says. “It was the most fun I have ever had. It really gave me a sense of community. As I get older, I really find I strive to find that sense of community, whether it’s in the nursing program or the marching band.”

Shue has helped provide a sense of community for other males in the nursing program. As an officer in the local Men in Nursing organization, Shue shares his experiences in the program with male students just starting the nursing program and spends time with them as volunteers at school and in the community.

“We can talk to them about what the future looks like — almost like a peer mentoring group,” Shue says. “It’s nice to be able to share our experiences.

“I try to tell them they are going to feel a lot of things during clinicals, whether it be frustration or joy. Don’t deny yourself those feelings. If you had a really good clinical day, tell somebody about that. On the flip side, if you had a really bad day, try to talk about it and get it out.”

Shue also discovered a passion for student-faculty research at UW-Eau Claire.

Shue and Dr. Melissa Skoff, assistant professor of nursing, worked in the area of advance-care planning facilitation with the goal of equipping future nurses and nurse practitioners with the skills to lead end-of-life conversations with patients. Skoff and Shue have presented their research at two national research conferences and multiple poster fairs and have hosted a grant-sponsored Healthcare Decisions Day.

“He conducted the original literature review last summer and took charge of the undergraduate research component by mentoring other students,” Skoff says. “In group settings, he naturally emerges as a leader, tackling challenges with integrity, precision and attention to detail.”

Shue is a strong leader and communicator who is approachable and quick to offer help, Skoff says. Shue has positive energy that makes him a joy to work with in a collaborative and fun environment, she says.

“Aaron’s dedication and character ensure he will excel in the nursing profession, positively impacting his colleagues and patients,” Skoff says. “The nursing profession is lucky to have Aaron and I’m excited to see what his bright future holds.”