As the college application window comes to a close and decisions are around the corner for WHS class of 2026, a large group of seniors are interested in nursing programs .Seniors Audra Fiano, Arden Bonnano, Lacey Montanari, Gabbie Dielli, and Larissa Martins are students of the 2026 class who plan to pursue a nursing career.
Fiano wants to go into oncology/hematology nursing and plans to get her certification to administer chemotherapy and work with patients with blood disorders.
Fiano has always had an interest in becoming a nurse because her mother was an ER nurse for 16 years before being diagnosed with cancer. “Growing up I always said that I wanted to be a nurse like my mom, but I didn’t actually start considering which specialty until last year,” said Fiano.
Her mother’s diagnosis took a toll on her and her family, “but she showed us what it was like to have dedication because she still went to work while receiving treatments for herself.” That was the turning point for Fiano, “I realized that I wanted to go into nursing to give back to the people that served us well during that time and make an impact on people in the same boat as my mom.”
Fiano has multiple traits that align with the nursing field, such as her need to be busy with a task at all times. “I know with nursing there is never a dull moment and I will be on my feet 24/7,” she says.
She has always had a love for science, biology specifically. “Having that background of cellular biology is important for onc/hemo nursing.” Fiano says.
A strength she will take with her into the nursing field has nothing to do with the physical side of nursing. Fiano explains, “My mom and several other family members having cancer gave me experience with the emotional side of cancer, and I think with that I can always relate to patients and help guide them through the process of it.”
Fiano’s goal as a nurse “Along with the obvious treating them, would be to help patients feel more welcome in the environment and help to relieve any stressors they had about being there to make it the easiest experience for them as possible.”
She believes nurses play a large role in shaping the healthcare system. “I believe that nurses are the backbone of healthcare.” They are commonly recognized for treating, assessing, and tending to a patient’s needs, but Fiano also finds “that they are huge advocates. They shape the healthcare system by pushing for safer practices, care quality, and speak up when they feel like there are discriminatory themes going on within the hospital, which seems to be happening a ton recently.”
Bonnano, another WHS aspiring nurse, is not sure which field of nursing she wants to pursue but is currently thinking about NICU or pediatrics. “I am hoping that nursing school will help me figure out what I like and don’t like.” she explained.
Bonnano has a few factors that inspired her to enter the nursing field. “I think what inspired me to consider a nursing career is that I have a lot of healthcare workers in my family and I’ve always been interested in the body,” she explained. She has also started volunteering at a hospital to get perspective on the field and help truly decide if this is the path for her.
To be in the field of nursing, a person truly has to care. Bonnano believes she will thrive in this field because her personality aligns with what it takes to be a nurse. “I’ve always been an open and compassionate person,” she said.
Her main goal as a nurse is to be there for the patients, as well as the families involved. “I hope to show patients and visitors that we are here for them to give them support as well as comfort.” she explained
With similar beliefs to Fiano, Bonnano believes “Nurses are the foundation in the healthcare system.” She explained how she has talked to many nurses and they agree that they do so much for how little they are praised. It shows that many become nurses out of the goodness of their hearts and not for recognition.
Montanari is another WHS senior that seeks to pursue a career in nursing.
She is not entirely sure what type of nurse she wants to be, yet but she is certain that she wants to get her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), which is a degree more focused on clinical practice, leadership and improving patient outcome, differently than a research-focused PhD in nursing.
Montanari’s main inspiration for becoming a nurse is her nana. She explains how “My nana was a nurse and implicated a bunch of policies to L&M (Lawrence and Memorial Hospital), and I want to follow in her footsteps.”
The qualities of nursing align with many of Montanari’s personal qualities. Specifically, she says, “I am really outgoing and enjoy socializing with people and I care a lot about making sure people are okay and safe.”
Throughout her nursing career, she hopes “to make an impact that all of my patients remember as a kind nurse.” Montanari also has aspirations to introduce new modern medicine and techniques into the hospitals that she will work at in the future, just like her Nana did.
She believes that “nurses play an important role in the direct communication with patients and making them feel comfortable and safe,” which is necessary because, as Fiano earlier described, hospitals are places of such high stress.
Dielli is another aspiring nurse, hoping to enter the field of pediatric nursing.
Dielli has always wanted to work in healthcare. “I’ve seen how nurses work and that really inspired me into wanting to be one,” she described. She is currently taking an EMT course “to learn more about healthcare and how to interact with nurses when going into the ER.”
From a schooling standpoint, nursing is one of the most time consuming and mentally strenuous majors someone could choose, which takes a lot of grit. Luckily for Dielli “I feel like I’m hard working and I love working with kids and I always have, which I feel like that really goes along with me wanting to do pediatric nursing,” Dielli says.
Her main goal when she becomes a nurse is simply to help everyone. “I want to be a nurse that will have an impact on someone’s life. I want to help someone have a good life and enjoy their life even when they are going through hard times,” Dielli explained.
She believes that nurses play some of the biggest roles in shaping the healthcare system because “they do so much for the patients medically, but also they are there for their patients. They do everything basically.” Dielli said.
Martins wants to earn her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and become a travel nurse specializing in pediatric care.
Initially, Martins always knew she wanted to do something in healthcare, but it wasn’t until her junior year capstone project that she realized she wanted to become a nurse specializing in pediatric care.
Martins is also an older sister, which has caused caretaking to come naturally to her. “As an older sister, I’ve always been the one they turn to when they get hurt or need help.” Caring for her siblings has also helped her realize she wanted to pursue nursing. Martins plans on taking many of the characteristics she has obtained from being an older sister into her career as a pediatric nurse.
For children, hospitals can be especially daunting. “I want to make an impact by being the kind of nurse who helps children feel safe, supported, and cared for during some of the scariest moments of their lives.” Martins said.
“I think that nurses will help shape the healthcare system by advocating for equal and fair policies, safe staffing, mental health support for healthcare workers, and better access to care.
Mental health support for healthcare workers is especially important to Martins. She described how “people have so many things going on around them and in their lives that it’s really easy to fall behind. But just having a support system and knowing you are supported will not only boost a person’s confidence, but it can also help in aspects of patient care.”
There is currently a shortage of nurses, with projections of a continued deficit of about 295,800 nurses in 2025 due to high demand and burnout, but luckily the amount of students pursuing nursing and entering nursing programs is on the rise. Nursing is becoming increasingly popular nationwide, as well as in WHS.
