A true ambassador: nursing student recognized with Spirit of Nursing Award

Fort Worth, TX

4/30/2009

By: Rachael Carranza, TCU Schieffer School of Journalism

“Hey Kate, can you start an IV?”

This is not the typical question you would expect to be asked on an airplane flight from Central America back home to the States. However, Kate Lunati, a TCU junior nursing major from Atlanta, Ga., was suddenly faced with a life-altering situation.

“This 21-year-old patient was extremely dehydrated due to vomiting and diarrhea from a parasite. She was dizzy and confused, and she needed fluids, stat,” Kate was told. “Even though I was a nursing student with just one semester of fundamentals and pharmacology, my faculty had warned that we were now prepared to assist on airplanes on the rare occasion that there was no one else available.”

Despite the terror and uncertainty Kate faced, she understood the need to assist the young woman. Sandy, a physician’s assistant who accompanied Kate on this medical mission to Central America, admitted she hadn’t started an IV bag in 15 years. Kate followed them to the back of the plane, confidently spiked the IV bag, and found a faint vein in the young lady’s arm, stabilizing her.

The only TCU nursing student nominated for the national “Spirit of Nursing Award,” Kate demonstrates passion and commitment to making a difference in her field. The award, given by the Army Nurse Corps and the National Student Nurses’ Association, recognizes and honors nursing students for their active involvement professionally, academically and in the community. The 2009 “Spirit of Nursing Award” was presented in April at the National Student Nurses’ Association convention in Nashville, Tenn. Her experiences on that plane, told in her words, were part of her application essay.

“Kate is a self-directive, inquisitive student who excels both clinically and in the classroom. She is the current TCU Student Nursing Association (SNA) president and has spearheaded many initiatives that have placed TCU nursing on the forefront of providing community services in Fort Worth,” said Professor Carolyn Cagle, who nominated Kate for the award.

Crediting a strong family support system, Kate has also excelled academically as a Chancellor’s Scholar. She holds the highest expectations for herself and is continually inspired by faculty and staff members.

“Nursing school can be stressful and difficult, but I thrive on the challenge of doing well academically while balancing my time with other organizations,” Kate said.

She is involved in many TCU and community programs, serving as the vice president of her sorority, a volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sisters, a teaching assistant for anatomy and physiology, and a member of TCU Ambassadors, Order of Omega, Golden Key and Alpha Lambda Delta.

Kate has been an active SNA president, organizing an honors dinner for nursing graduates and encouraging members to participate at local, regional and national levels. She is focused on motivating other officers to leave the organization better than when they found it.

“Kate has a broad vision of the organization and its potential,” said Jimmie Borum, SNA adviser. “She has boundless energy, enthusiasm and a can-do attitude.”

In the future, Kate plans to work for a few years, go to graduate school, and become a nurse practitioner. She admits that she has thought about going to medical school, but wanted to do something with more focus on patients. And that’s exactly what she did — at an altitude of 35,000 feet — to save the life of a stranger.

“The experience on that flight inspired me to discover myself, tackle the challenge before me, and complete the mission. In those few moments, I had fulfilled a well-educated, yet completely foreign purpose. It was tangible, and I could feel it move through me, erasing doubt and instilling confidence,” Kate reflects.