Abigail Dibling

Freshman from Dacula, Georgia

What inspired you to pursue nursing?

In 2018, my family adopted my sister, Olivia, from China. Since bringing her home, she has had numerous different hospital stays due to different conditions, like cyclic vomiting and P.A.N.D.A.S. Watching her experience in hospitals, I realized how important nurses are and how much of an impact they can make on people. We had some good nurses and some not so good nurses and we as a family learned how meaningful nurses are. They are the first line of care, the first faces that people see and I learned through that experience that I wanted to take my passion for helping other and apply that to bed-side care as a nurse. Through shadowing, I fell in love with nursing and patient-care and learned the importance of being there for people in their most darkest times, and found myself fulfilled already just as a shadow, and knew nursing was where I wanted to be!

Was there a moment or person that shaped your “why”?

I had the opportunity this past summer to shadow a neonatologist at a hospital in Atlanta and I was in the NICU and there was a little baby who had been in the NICU for quite some time now. His adoption fell through and they said he hadn’t stopped crying for nearly the whole day and they couldn’t get him to sleep. They let me hold the baby and he fell asleep in my arms almost immediately and I saw how at peace he was. I also met a family there and they shared with me how special nurses were, and how important these specific nurses have been to their experience in the NICU. That was a moment where I really felt called to nursing and shaped my “why”, that I want to provide peace to people and be able to help. The NICU is a very scary place, but can also be a very inspiring place at the same time.

What keeps you going on the hard days?

My family and friends! I am one of 5 kids, and my family is my biggest support system. Whenever it’s a rough day, I know I can call them or my friends back home and they will keep me going! Also, knowing that the end goal is something I truly am passionate about reminds me that every rough patch is worth it, which also keeps me going!

What has been the most rewarding part of nursing school so far?

The most rewarding part has been both the friends I have made throughout the year and also the level of knowledge the school is trusting us with. Already, I have learned so much about how the body works and why we do what we do, which is absolutely fascinating to me and truly rewarding!

What kind of nurse do you hope to be?

My hope is to be in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit as a NICU nurse!

What advice would you give to another nursing student?

Don’t let the pressure of upper division distract you from the journey! We aren’t meant to know everything, that’s why we’re here to learn!!