Nicole Pilar Digiacomo

I wanted to be a veterinarian, but it didn't fall into place. I chose nursing and graduated in 1994. My career started in 1995. I was an ER nurse, and I was promoted twice through the Emergency Department. I opened up the first and one of only two protocol-driven observation units in South Florida. We opened it in 2015, and it's still open at Memorial Regional Hospital. I took a 54-bed observation unit, and I'm creating the workflow in it to be very similar to the one that I had in the first one. I graduated from FIU when I was nine months pregnant. I was pregnant for my entire nursing school career, and I enjoyed the College of Nursing. It was a little crazy for me. I had a complicated pregnancy, but my professors and everybody else were very supportive of my case. They supported me very thoroughly through all of my complications. When I did walk across the stage, I was very proud. My daughter just turned 28. I'm very proud of FIU; it supported me quite a bit. I attended Florida Atlantic University for my master's degree, and I got my master's in nursing administration and financial leadership this past August. Both colleges of nursing were wonderful, and everybody was very supportive. As an ER nurse, I didn't always follow the rules, but it was a wonderful program. 28 years ago, I was young, I was pregnant, and I was 100% supported by the team. I try to take that forward in everything that I do. FIU was so supportive that as I grow in the ranks, I support people 100%. That's how we create resilience, create respect, and create the giveback that this profession requires. I had a great family to support me through my journey at home as well. My parents were amazing. I didn't pass my boards by one point a couple of times, but while I waited, I was able to take a critical care course. That afforded me where I always wanted to end up. When I did pass my boards, I walked right into an emergency room.