V-CARE Spotlight On: Amanda Klawinski, BSN ’16 Alumna

Since its inception, the USF Health College of Nursing’s V-CARE pathway has graduated hundreds of student veterans from all branches of the military. Known for its veteran-friendly support system, the College of Nursing’s V-CARE pathway is a bridge between military experience and a bachelor’s degree in nursing.

V-CARE alumni are sharing updates on where they are now and how their time at USF got them there. 

What brought you to the USF V-CARE pathway and how did the program help you achieve your goals?  

I had previously attended USF prior to joining the Army. I knew they had a great nursing program and at the time were one of the few universities who had a nursing program specific for veterans like myself. It just made complete sense to join a program that recognized my military experience and training as a medic that would build off of that foundation and not make me start back at the beginning.

The program helped me achieve my goals by building on the foundation I already had. They tailored workshops to my needs and not only advanced my skills but of course my knowledge in doing so. They worked with me at every step providing guidance and the resources I needed to be successful.

What did you like best about the program? 

I loved being able to learn along side fellow Veterans in a program tailored to us.

What did you do after graduation?

After my graduation from USF I went to work at Lakeland Regional Medical Center primarily in the Mother Baby Unit. I was also cross trained in Labor & Delivery, NICU, and pediatrics. After my first year, I knew I wanted to become a midwife so I applied to Georgetown’s dual nurse midwife and women’s health nurse practitioner program. I did the majority of my clinical rotation with Sarasota OB/GYN and after graduation accepted a position with Women’s Care Florida at Absolute Health and Wellness in St. Petersburg and currently deliver babies at Bayfront Baby Place.

Describe what type of nursing you do now and how you are continuing to use what you learned at USF.   

I’m an advanced practice nurse in gynecology and obstetrics caring for women through their lifespan and of course, delivering precious babies.

Is there anything else you would like to update your fellow Bull Nurses about?  

To my fellow Bull Nurses, I would just like to say that you can do whatever you want in nursing as long as you put in the time and hard work.