A Holistic Approach to Patient Care
After completing her undergraduate degree in psychology, Clare Hofstedt ’16 enrolled in the clinical nurse leader master’s program at University of Maryland.
Clare Hofstedt always knew she wanted to work as a health professional. After considering medical school, physician’s assistant training, or nursing school, Hofstedt decided holistic patient care was the best fit for her.
“I pursued a bachelor of science degree in psychology so I could better understand people and their behavior,” says Hofstedt, who balanced her undergraduate studies with a stellar performance on the varsity softball team. The two-time team captain returned to campus last spring as an assistant coach. “I like the idea of treating the whole person, not just a physical injury or illness.”
When she graduates from the clinical nurse leader program in December 2018, Hofstedt will have earned her RN degree and the credentials and skill set to improve the microsystems of hospital care.
“A clinical leader is someone who finds things that can be fixed in specific units,” she says. “Making changes on a smaller scale can have a ripple effect across the hospital.”
Of all her clinical rotations, Hofstedt likes pediatrics best.
“I like getting to know people and building relationships with my patients,” she says, “and I like working with kids. I’m really thinking pediatrics.”