Celebrating NP Week 2023: Nick Wodo

Almost 60 years ago, the University of Rochester School of Nursing's founding dean Loretta Ford and pediatrician Henry Silver pioneered the nurse practitioner role. There are now more than 355,000 NPs improving the health and lives of millions of patients across the U.S. In honor of Nurse Practitioner Week 2023, the University of Rochester School of Nursing is sharing stories of alumni of its nurse practitioner programs.

For almost a decade, Nicholas Wodo, ’14N, ’19N (MS) has been caring for the Rochester community as a nurse at the University of Rochester Medical Center. After earning his bachelor’s degree in biochemistry at Canisius College, Wodo applied for UR Nursing’s accelerated bachelor’s in nursing program to utilize his science background in health care.

Wodo pursued his master’s in the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner specialty to make a difference in children’s lives, and to “help them grow and live the healthiest life possible.”

Working in the pediatric emergency department at Golisano Children’s Hospital has helped Wodo achieve that goal.

What makes you passionate about your specialty area?

I currently work in the Pediatric Emergency Department and love the wide variety and ever changing nature of this environment. It brings a measure of uncertainty not knowing what you might see next, but this is also exhilarating. I enjoy being able to care for the most vulnerable of our population and be able to provide comfort and care to a family on one of their worst days.

How did the School of Nursing prepare you for your career goals?

My UR Nursing education provided me with the background to pursue any field of nursing I wanted to work in. It provided me the experience of doing my capstone in the pediatric emergency department and also provided opportunities to experience endocrine and diabetes management which is my other passion.

Tell us about a faculty member or preceptor who has shaped your educational journey.

I have had numerous people shape me into the provider I am today. As a provider, my previous colleagues Elizabeth Vaczy '88 (MS), '93N (MS) and Christa Ward taught me the skills of being a provider in pediatric endocrine. That said, the most influential person in my career in Emergency medicine was my previous nurse manager Marcy Noble. Marcy took a chance on an inexperienced nurse who had a passion to learn pediatric emergency medicine and management and for this, I will be forever grateful. Though I can not discount each person that I have worked with throughout the years as they have each taught me something.

What kind of support helped you balance work and life commitments with school?

My family and friends were a great support as I went back to school for my master's degree. I worked weekends for four years and missed many family gatherings over the years, but everyone was so understanding that this was my passion and the career I wanted for myself.

During school, while working in the peds ED as a nurse, I also officiated semi-professional soccer, which helped me get outside and get much-needed exercise while still making money.

What is a day in your current role like?

In the Pediatric Emergency Department, I see a range of children. I can see a child in one room with a common cold, and leave that room and see a child with new onset cancer in another. In the ED, we see a huge variety of people and situations that usually bring families in on one of their worst days, and the goal when seeing each person is to provide them passionate patient and family care no matter the outcome.

How does your work as an NP make an impact?

The work of myself and my colleagues helps to make the children of our community healthier, with the goal of living long, healthy lives.

What are some of your proudest moments as a nurse?

My proudest moments as a Nurse Practitioner are when I can see the nervousness on a parents face given the concern for their child and then being able to care for, reassure, and safely discharge that child home feeling better with a smile on their face.