Sami Fitz is a junior at Longwood University, a nursing major, a sister of Alpha Gamma Delta sorority and a member of the Student Nursing Association. She gained an interest in the nursing profession as a result of her experience with MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) when she was eight years old.
“I actually almost had my foot amputated,” said Fitz. “Almost having your foot amputated at eight years old scares the crap out of you, and having them there, (the nurses) were very comforting and helpful and they just made a definite impression more than the doctors and anybody else.”
Fitz came to Longwood because of the university’s policies on nursing students; they are allowed to enroll in the nursing program as freshmen, instead of having to wait until their sophomore year.
“The (nursing) program is fairly new, but I heard great things about it, they have an amazing lab in upstairs Stevens,” Fitz said. “And, so far, the professors are amazing, and I just love it.”
Fitz does not confine her nursing major to the classroom, but instead continues her work with the Student Nursing Association (SNA) here at Longwood. The SNA is in charge of blood drives, blood pressure screenings, the MS Walk and the Alzheimer’s Walk, the latter of which is at the beginning of October. The organization also always has a booth at the annual Relay for Life.
For a nursing major, Fitz is not all that fond of hospitals. Some nurse practitioners, however, have developed an alternative. Fitz described a “mobile hospital that goes around the Appalachian Mountains, the rural areas, and does pop-up clinics” to serve those who do not have access to conventional medical treatment. She also would like to be involved with Doctors Without Borders someday.
9/26/17, 3:44 p.m. - This article incorrectly stated Sami's last name was Fritz. Her actual last name is Fitz.
Sam Fitz helps to bring health care awareness to the Longwood community through her position in the Student Nursing Association.
