Nursing Unfiltered: Meet Haley Frohlich

Haley Frohlich ’22 is a provider. Whether it’s for family, friends, or patients, Haley will be there for you with whatever it is you need. Growing up in a close-knit family in Auburn, Maine, Haley knew that she was meant to be a caregiver early on in life. “I knew I would work in healthcare in some capacity from the time I was a child.”

Haley’s decision was partially influenced by seeing those who she admired most working in healthcare. “My grandmother was a nurse, my mom currently works in healthcare and my sister is going to nursing school.” It wasn’t as much of a surprise as it was a realization that she decided on this path when her days in high school were coming to an end.

“In sixth grade they had us write down what we wanted to be in the future and put it into a time capsule. When I opened it my senior year of high school, I saw that I wrote that I wanted to become a doctor. I realized my entire life that I’ve wanted to help people. But I never anticipated going to nursing school. I really thought I wanted to be a doctor.

Along with family influences and an inherent drive to help others, Haley personally experienced what it was like to receive care. “I had a lot of health problems as a child. After spending so much time receiving care, I now approach nursing with the perspective of what it’s like to be a patient.” Haley also credits a close personal relationship with opening her eyes and seeing what it takes to be a nurse. “A person close to me has gone through some serious health complications. Being there for them every step of the way gave me a new perspective on what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.”

Before deciding on nursing, Haley attended the University of New Hampshire as a pre-med major. “After taking a year’s worth of pre-med classes, I knew it wasn’t the right fit for me.” Haley went on to apply to SJC and quickly found her footing. “After going to a large school with large classes, coming to Saint Joe’s was a lot less overwhelming. The smaller campus was easier to navigate, and I was able to not only find, but utilize the resources I needed to succeed. For some students a large campus atmosphere works for them and they thrive. But I realized I needed more one on one interaction and support. Since making the switch, I’ve done much better academically here at Saint Joe’s.”

Another factor that made Haley want to go into nursing was the seemingly endless paths, specialties and opportunities in the nursing field. “I’ve changed my mind a few times. I considered becoming a NP and PA. But it’s hard to choose! I won’t be able to make such a big career decision without being a nurse first. It’s very important for me to get that experience of one on one nurse patient care and become a good, competent, skilled nurse.”

“I currently work on a cardiovascular ICU. I love the ICU specialty because you learn so much, and that critical care experience is extremely valuable to me because I hope to go to grad school for my doctorate in nursing anesthesia and eventually become a CRNA.”

Despite some limitations caused by Covid, Haley credits the clinical rotations with helping her decide which specialty she wanted to pursue. “I didn’t know what I wanted until I started clinicals. Unfortunately, because of Covid we were unable to get hands-on experience in every situation we hoped for. But regardless, the clinical rotations really helped me pin down what it is I want to do after graduating.”

Leaving UNH and coming to Saint Joe’s not only helped Haley shine academically. She also noticed a positive impact on her mental health. “My freshman year of college was one of the worst years of my life. I was on anxiety and depression medication. Thoughts of suicide came up. It was the hardest time of my life. I didn’t know what I wanted anymore, I didn’t know why I was doing what I was doing, and it made me question everything I thought I knew.”

Luckily, Haley used resources available at Saint Joe’s to help her navigate such a difficult time in her life. “The biggest thing that got me through it was counseling. It was so helpful to have someone really listen to me and give me unbiased advice. Between that and finding my passion in nursing I finally  felt like I had a firm grasp on what it was I wanted, I became excited again.”

“You have to be resilient to get through challenging times. Even though you don’t know when things are going to get better, you have to trust that it will [get better] and not be afraid to reach out and ask for help. My biggest advice for taking care of your mental health is to reach out for help when you need it. Whether you need counseling, medication, or you just need to spend time with someone you love, those are all resources for you and are there for a reason. Last but not least, I make sure I always take weekends off. I recognized that I need those two days to reset.”

As a commuter, Haley’s time on campus was limited to days she had classes, but that did not stop her from building many supportive friendships throughout her time at school. “I started classes at SJC and met so many new people who I’m still close with to this day. Since I commute I don’t have the typical campus life. Regardless, I’ve still been able to make so many friends and interact closely with other nursing students beyond classes and labs. We have study groups that are incredibly helpful. The nursing community might be small, but I think that’s a huge advantage when it comes to finding support within that community, whether that’s friends or your professors.”

The support Haley receives from friends, family, and the nursing community at Saint Joe’s mirrors the support she is learning to provide patients. “At its core, nursing is a caring profession. You have to find the good in everyone, even though at times it can be difficult to do so. I tend to have a very strong personality, so when I am working with a patient who is refusing treatment or being unkind to staff, it’s important for me to put any personal feelings aside. I’ve learned the importance of understanding that not everyone has come from the same circumstances that I have, and that providing the best care for patients is based on trust and compassion.”

Haley has found that the pandemic has highlighted the need for compassionate care, not only for patients, but also families and loved ones. “You see the families of those who are sick or have passed from Covid, and it is so heartbreaking because they can’t visit. It makes you realize why we’ve gone into nursing. The patient’s family can’t physically be there, but we can. We care for them, we listen to them, and we make sure we are there for them. We’re seeing human beings during the most vulnerable stage of their life, and to help someone through that is incredibly rewarding.”

When she’s not working in the ICU, attending a study group or in class, you can find Haley taking advantage of all the great outdoor activities Maine has to offer. “I love the outdoors. I love hunting, fishing, and in the winter I race vintage snowmobiles. For me, spending time outside is peaceful and exactly when I need to offset the stress of my nursing courses.”

Ask Haley who she wants to be to the world, and a familiar theme returns. “I want to be a provider. I’m naturally that way and I think that’s part of the reason nursing came into my life. I want to be a provider for my family and friends by offering love and support. And I want to be a provider for my patients and nurture them back to good health. The fact that I see these qualities in myself at 22 years old makes me excited for the future.