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Karl Reynolds

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Finalist

General information

Hobbies & Interests

  • Running
  • Reading
  • Astronomy
  • History

Reading

  • Academic

I read books daily.

Bio

I am a 25 year old, youngest child of four boys who grew up in western North Carolina around the Winston-Salem area. As a child, I was carefree and spent most of my time playing with my older brothers and neighborhood best friends. However, one week after my 9th birthday my life was changed. I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. Although there were some initial tears shed, I quickly adapted to the daily life of sticks and injections. With initiative from my mother, I began engaging with the diabetes community. I became a youth ambassador to the American Diabetes Association, and through my teenage years I spoke at awareness walks, events, and dinners galvanizing philanthropists to contribute to diabetes research. Not allowing diabetes to stand between me and my dreams, I earned my BSN from the University of North Carolina Greensboro in 2022. For the past 3 years, I have been working in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit caring for the critically ill and doing what I can for the wellbeing of my patients. From witnessing firsthand the impact prolonged anesthesia and sedation has on the critically ill, it has become my mission to improve the understanding and usage of anesthesia in critical care settings. With pride, I have now been accepted into the Doctorate of Nursing Practice in Nursing Anesthesia program at UNCG, my alma mater. By advocating for my patients, contributing to research, and heading up quality improvement projects, I will improve the practice of anesthesia. Thank you for considering me in realizing these goals and dreams of mine.

Education

University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Doctoral degree program (PhD, MD, JD, etc.)

2025 – 2025

Majors:
  • Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing

University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Bachelor's degree program

2020 – 2022

Majors:
  • Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing

Forsyth Technical Community College

Associate's degree program

2016 – 2020

Majors:
  • Biological and Physical Sciences
  • Biotechnology

Miscellaneous

Desired degree level:
Doctoral degree program (PhD, MD, JD, etc.)
Desired degree modality:
Full-Time
Medical school interest:
No

Career

  • CICU Nurse

    Hospital & Health Care · Forsyth Medical Center-Novant Health

    Jan 2022 – Present

Miscellaneous

Dream career field:
Nursing
Work experience:
3 years
Has nursing license:
No
Skin Grip Diabetes Scholarship
Jase Davidsaver RN Memorial Scholarship
Often, working in the ICU is not pleasant. Almost every week, the ICU nurse will hear that hackneyed comment, "I don't know how you do this." The nurse will commonly respond, "it's a job; you get used to it." This is not a dishonest answer. Most ICU nurses are happy, normal individuals who have families and hobbies they enjoy and love. They work hard in the hospital and are proud of what they do. However, sometimes it is too difficult, and their internal vocation is sidelined for an easier work experience, unfortunately at the cost of the individual under their care. There was one such example on my unit. A patient who had undergone a brief cardiac arrest on a breathing tube was undergoing respiratory rehabilitation. This person, placed under a medical coma through sedation, would need to come off that sedation to wake up, breathe on their own, and support themselves when their breathing tube was removed. Unfortunately, this person had an averse, panicked reaction to coming off sedation. Their work of breathing increased; their heart rate and blood pressure would soar; they would thrash in the bed and fight the ventilator trying to help them breathe. The common medical response was to restart sedation. However, this made it less likely the patient would ever come off the ventilator. Under my care, I sat with this patient. I held their hand and talked them through their fits. Together, we got off the sedation. The patient remained calm, came off the ventilator, and eventually went home. The impact of this experience was clear to me. This career I have chosen is often not easy or pleasant. But, it is imperative that I do it. Because I do not step up when the situation is unweildly, there is a chance no one will. As an anesthesia provider, I will improve the understanding of sedation in the critical care setting through education, research, and quality-improvement measures. Thank you for considering helping me in realizing these goals.
Karl Reynolds Student Profile | Bold.org