One day, Virginia Commonwealth University nursing student Haley Austin worked with a young neurodivergent patient who was struggling to adjust to an inpatient hospital stay. The patient’s mother had experienced a difficult, sleepless night, and Austin comforted her by saying, “I am going to do everything I can to make today better for you and your child.” Austin encouraged the mother to visit the nearby Ronald McDonald House and take some valuable time for herself while Austin fed the patient breakfast.

The episode was indicative of Austin’s bedside manner and commitment to caring for patients and their families, said Sara Headley, a clinical instructor in the VCU School of Nursing.

“Haley approached this mother with empathy,” Headley said.

Although Austin has proved to be a natural for the nursing field, it was not the initial career path they chose. Austin earned a bachelor’s degree in archaeology with a minor in Spanish from the College of Wooster, graduating in 2016. Austin began their career as a Spanish medical interpreter, which required them to translate conversations between patients and medical professionals. Austin sometimes noticed misunderstandings and often wanted to give their opinion on patient care.

“I found myself wanting to interject more and more as the interpreter because I could tell that important information wasn't being understood,” Austin said. “And the nurses I worked with were some of the most inspiring health professionals, so it made me want to go back to school and have a little more direct hands-on care.”

Austin found additional inspiration at the School of Nursing, and Headley said Austin immediately emerged as a natural leader who was eager to help their fellow students. In fact, Austin served as a peer tutor at VCU.

“As a peer tutor, I can empower the students that I work with to feel like they do have the ability to teach themselves, and they do have the ability to succeed,” Austin said.

I found myself wanting to interject more and more as the interpreter because I could tell that important information wasn't being understood. And the nurses I worked with were some of the most inspiring health professionals, so it made me want to go back to school and have a little more direct hands-on care.

Haley Austin
Class of 2024

For their part, Austin appreciated the expert instruction they received from faculty members such as Headley.

“[She] just had a really beautiful way of asking good questions to make us think more about how we could support those patients in their recovery and making sure that they were healthy in the long run,” Austin said.

Though Austin says nursing school was incredibly demanding, they have maintained a busy life outside of nursing school. Austin loves art and music and helps host a monthly song circle. They work as a patient care technician with VCU Health as well as a rock-climbing instructor and plan on taking a climbing trip to Colombia in January to celebrate graduation.

“I view rock climbing as this awesome way to feel strong and at home in your body,” Austin said. “And also, for me, it’s a form of therapy; on any given day, I can decide how hard I want to push myself.”

After graduation, Austin plans to stay with VCU Health, working with the critical care team, and hopes to pursue a master's degree in acupuncture and learn to blend Western medicine with a more integrative approach. Long term, they want to work toward becoming a nurse practitioner and work in mental health treatment.