Alumni Spotlight: Kaeleigh Hill, ARNP-BC

Kaeleigh Hill, ARNP-BC, graduated from the University of South Florida with a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing in 2012. She began working as a labor and delivery nurse, but decided to change directions when she was offered a position working in occupational health for the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. Hill says she is most passionate about her prevention work with her patients. Since most deputies have stress on their heart and lungs, she finds that the majority of her patients need preventative care such as heart-healthy activities.

As a local growing up in Temple Terrace, Hill chose to attend the University of South Florida. She initially majored in pre-med. Once she was accepted into the C.A.R.E. (Creating Access to RN Education) program, she decided to change her major to nursing. She knew admittance into the competitive USF program would be a challenge, so when she was accepted, she was elated.

She earned her bachelor’s degree and continued her education while working full-time. Hill said her pursuit of an advanced practice degree was in part because of the multiple professors at USF who showed her that graduate degrees are possible. Her advice to nursing students and prospective students is to simply “stick with it,” because the reward you get from seeing a patient get healthier is worth it. Hill was recently honored as a hero for her quick thinking when she stepped in to save a fellow passenger’s life on board an American Airlines flight. She is truly a model Bull Nurse.

To read about Hill’s heroic efforts, click here. 

Story by Ashley Souza, USF College of Nursing Development and Alumni Relations