Kirstic Gronau double majors in nursing, psychology

Posted on 26 April 2013.

By Morgan Givney
Staff reporter

Kirstie Gronau, nursing senior, starts an I.V. on a simulation arm. Gronau will graduate with dual degrees in nursing and psychology.(Dalton Carver/Collegian photographer)

Kirstie Gronau chose Southwestern to play basketball and pursue a degree in psychology. While studying psychology, she realized her interest in nursing. Gronau has pursued both and will graduate in May with a double major in five years.

Gronau sees both degrees as a complement to one another. “A lot of patients you see have psychology issues anyway. I want to work with people with developmental disorders or veterans with PTSD, so that would combine my psychology degree,” said Gronau.

Gronau views a nursing career as a good match for her. “I liked the job security and that there are so many different options. If you don’t like one thing, you can do something else. It fits my personality because I like to take care of people,” said Gronau.

As one of the last graduates to receive a nursing degree from Southwestern, Gronau thinks they were treated the same, if not better as previous classes. “All the same teachers stayed and we had the same clinicals. If anything, I think we got it better because of the small class and we got a lot of one on one. The teachers are sad we’re leaving so they paid more attention to us,” said Gronau.

Gronau recognizes one classmate who she admired for his work in nursing school while maintaining a job and family, but appreciates all her classmates. “I think [I’ve learned from them] how to persevere through hard times because nursing school is really hard. Like Paul has six kids and a full-time job. We think he’s an alien,” said Gronau.

Saving a man’s life is an accomplishment Gronau is proud of. “A guy coded and I did compressions and he lived. I can literally say I saved a man’s life,” said Gronau.

Gronau’s favorite television show is ‘Grey’s Anatomy’. She said the show is unrealistic in comparison to real-life hospital situations. “It’s not at all similar. The doctors are always there on the show. In real life the doctors are never there. It’s nurses,” said Gronau.

Morgan Givney is a junior majoring in communication. You may e-mail her at morgan.givney@sckans.edu