When her 4-year-old brother gashed his knee falling off his bike, 8-year-old Mallory Sauer '23 rushed to his aid. She was crushed that she couldn't quiet his cries, sitting next to him as the family drove to the hospital for stitches. From that day on, she knew what she would do when she grew up-take care of people.
Now 26 years old, Mallory, recently completed the next step of that dream as she graduated from the new Nano Nagle Online School of Nursing at St. Ambrose University. Mallory's decision to enroll was driven by her desire for a high-quality and flexible program that would allow her to continue to live and work in North Dakota. She was willing to accept what she suspected would be the limitations of online learning.
Mallory has worked as an LPN since graduating from community college in Devils Lake, ND. Today she serves as a patient care coordinator at Towner County Medical Center, a 45-minute drive from the farm home she shares near Munich with her husband and two dogs. Her job is to follow up with patients after they are discharged from the hospital to make sure they are continuing to recover. While she loves it, she's excited to be able to do more for her community.
"I originally wanted to be a pediatrician, but realized I was more drawn to actual patient care," Mallory said. "Keeping my community healthy is so important to me. St. Ambrose was the perfect way for me to complete my BSN degree. I'll be able to work anywhere in the hospital now."
The Online Experience at St. Ambrose
The Nano Nagle School Online School of Nursing at St. Ambrose University was established through a partnership between St. Ambrose University and Presentation College in South Dakota when the latter ceased operations. The goal was to offer flexible online LPN-BSN and RN-BSN programs designed to reach healthcare professionals wishing to advance their careers in nursing without leaving the workforce.
Mallory says the degree is why she enrolled, but the program delivered much more. It ended up giving her a more traditional college experience than she had expected.
"I'm amazed at how connected I felt," Mallory said. "The faculty is great. They are always available to answer questions and help with anything. I loved my clinicals. I've made close friends. I even got to stay in a dorm."
Mallory started the program in Summer 2021. She felt the storied St. Ambrose welcome immediately.
"It was a little scary to try an online program, but the teachers made us feel comfortable right away," Mallory said. "They are so motivational. They really want you to do well, and are very willing to work with you to succeed. They respond to your questions right away. It was different at the community college. I'd have to wait a whole week for a simple answer."
Mallory's feeling of connection deepened as she got to know the 20 other students in her cohort. They ranged in age from 20 to 40 years old and had been working in the healthcare field for two to 15 years.
"My two best friends and I just clicked from the start. We talked several times every week, not just about school. They're both from Bismarck, so we all did our clinicals together at the Aberdeen (South Dakota) hospital. We even got to stay in the dorms together. It was my first time in a dorm. I loved it!"
Mallory loved her clinicals, too. Though she says she enjoyed working in the maternity and geriatrics departments, she now plans to pursue medical-surgical nursing when she passes her boards in March. "Every minute is different there," she said. "You see a range of patients from healthy to acutely ill. I'll be able to use everything I've learned."
Today, Mallory is grateful to be able to offer more than just comfort to patients like her little brothers. That takes on even more significance for her as she and her husband prepare to welcome their own baby in January.
"I think I was put on this earth to take care of people. St. Ambrose is helping me do that with confidence. I would recommend it highly. I definitely feel like a part of the Ambrose community, and look forward to visiting someday."
Click here to learn more about the Nano Nagle Online School of Nursing at St. Ambrose University.
