Nursing student channels experience into care

Graduating senior nursing student Taylor Hudson from Rocky Mount, Virginia, knows firsthand the impact nurses make.

In 2019, Hudson's world turned upside down as she faced serious medical challenges, including eight months of dialysis, kidney and pancreas transplants and numerous surgeries. "Being on the patient side of healthcare for that long gave me a completely different perspective," she reflected. "I saw firsthand how much of a difference nurses make - both in good ways and ways that could have been better. That's what ultimately led me to choose nursing."

Originally, Hudson was interested in psychology and was set to begin classes out of state. Two weeks before classes started, she changed course. Watching great nurses take care of her made her think, "I want to be that support for somebody."

She started taking courses at Virginia Western Community College before transferring to Radford University, where she graduated this spring from the College of Nursing.

Hudson's desire to help others extends beyond humans. In between balancing classes, clinicals and work, she's also saving dogs. In 2024, Hudson began the process of officially starting Bad Decisions Shepherd Rescue, a dog rescue in Franklin County dedicated to helping dogs from difficult situations.

"At the beginning, our main focus was saving the dogs and getting them vetted and healthy. That came first before anything else," Hudson said. She's still working through the legal process to formalize the organization, but that hasn't slowed her down.

She is currently working to rehabilitate 12 German shepherds and find the right homes where they can not only survive but thrive.
A typical day for Hudson starts early, with feeding and walking all the dogs. From there, her days revolve around school, work and catching up on chores. "It really becomes a juggling act between vet appointments, my own health appointments and just managing day-to-day life," Hudson said. "It is busy, but it is something I care a lot about."

Looking ahead, Hudson's developed a variety of interests through her practicum - emergency medicine, pediatrics and ICU. While she isn't quite sure where her career will lead, one thing is clear: she's committed to helping those in need.