Daily Nurse is proud to name Kaitlyn Donovan our Nurse of the Week, recognizing her exceptional ability to balance the rigorous demands of graduate nursing school, a full-time role as an ICU nurse, and a standout athletic career on Illinois State University’s Division I gymnastics team.
Donovan, a South Lyon, Michigan native and current grad student at Illinois State’s Mennonite College of Nursing
, flips, vaults, and balances—literally and figuratively—through a schedule that would overwhelm most. By day (and night), she’s a nurse at OSF St. Joseph Medical Center’s intensive care unit. By morning, she’s on the mat, perfecting her floor routine and pushing her Redbird team toward a Midwest Independent Conference title.
“It seems like a lot when you look at it on paper, but it’s not as hard as it seems,” Donovan says modestly. “I’ve always been passionate about nursing, and I knew this is what I wanted to do after I graduated. I wasn’t sure if I’d take my fifth year of gymnastics, but now I’m so glad I did.”
Donovan’s dedication hasn’t gone unnoticed by her coaches or colleagues. Head gymnastics coach Bob Conkling is still in awe:
“She does a 12-hour nursing shift and comes in at 7 a.m. and goes straight into our workout. She’s always prepared, always ready. I honestly don’t know how she does it, but she seems to be able to handle it.”
Originally hoping to land a part-time nursing role, Donovan pivoted when a full-time night shift in the ICU opened. Instead of walking away, she leaned in—meeting separately with her coach and manager to ensure everyone that she could make it work. And make it work, she has.
Donovan credits her success to routines and discipline—habits she honed over years in competitive gymnastics.
“Time management is something every Division I athlete has to learn,” she says. “When you’re done with class for the day, do you take a nap? Or do you finish your homework early so you can go to bed early? That’s kind of the thing that you have to continually ask yourself.”
The challenges haven’t been just logistical. As any ICU nurse can attest, the emotional toll can be heavy. She’s had rough nights, difficult patients, and those devastating moments when a life is lost. But she holds fast to the purpose of her work.
“But the good times outweigh the bad,” Donovan said. “I’ve seen a lot of patients who were really, really sick, make it and pull through, and they come back, and they cry and hug me and say, ‘Thank you,’ and that’s the really rewarding part.”
That emotional reward has cemented her path in nursing. Donovan has already accepted a position at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, where she’ll work full-time while completing the final two years of her family nurse practitioner master’s program online through Illinois State.
Outside of scrubs and leotards, Donovan finds joy in the simple things—prepping meals, painting, crocheting, and caring for her two cats. She also cherishes her wide support network, which includes fellow student-athletes, nursing classmates, and her brother, Tommy, a member of Illinois State’s football team.
“Maybe it’s because it’s my last year here,” she reflected, “but I’ve been feeling a lot of gratitude lately for all the things I have in my life.”
And just like she lands her final pass in a gymnastics routine, Donovan is closing out her college years the same way she faces every challenge—with balance, purpose, and an unshakable smile.
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The post Kaitlyn Donovan Masters the Ultimate Balancing Act—ICU Nurse, Graduate Student, and Division I Gymnast first appeared on Daily Nurse.