All heart: UWO rallied around alumna who earned RN licensure 12 years after vital transplant

New London resident Melinda (Wulf) Hull '12, right, pauses for a moment with UWO College of Nursing lab manager Jeanne Hiatt, who helped Hull through the process of becoming a registered nurse a dozen years after graduating.

For as long as she could remember, Melinda (Wulf) Hull dreamed of becoming a nurse.

Raised in New London, she saw nursing as a career that would allow her to help people while also providing stability and freedom. UW-Oshkosh's acclaimed College of Nursing and a competitive softball program made it the perfect choice for her. So, she enrolled, and she thrived at UWO, balancing the rigorous demands of nursing school while playing softball.

Until, in her final semester, her life took an unexpected and devastating turn.

What began as dizziness, racing heart and fatigue in late 2011 quickly worsened. By February 2012, simple tasks left her breathless, exhausted and struggling to function. One morning, she collapsed in her professor's office and within hours, doctors confirmed the unthinkable: she was in heart failure. She was excelling in her coursework and preparing for her future when, at 23, she got the diagonosis.

Instead of taking the NCLEX, a standardized exam for nursing students to be licensed as a RN, and starting her career, Hull faced emergency surgeries, and ultimately, a heart transplant in 2013. But through it all, her instructors at UW-Oshkosh never let her give up on her dream. They visited her in the hospital, encouraged her through setbacks, and, when she was ready, helped her study, connected her with resources, and ensured she had everything she needed to pass the NCLEX.

In late April 2012, Hull took her first final of the day, and when she went to take her second final she knew something wasn't feeling right. She went to the local emergency room and was immediately transferred to Milwaukee where doctors implanted a pacemaker-defibrillator to regulate her failing heart. Hull was so committed to finishing her exams that she emailed her professor the night before surgery, asking if she could take it the next day. Her professor told her to focus on her surgery and recovery. She persisted.

A few weeks later, in May 2012, she walked across the stage at commencement, celebrating the college degree she had worked so hard to earn. But while her classmates prepared for their nursing careers, Hull faced a battle for her life. Her health rapidly declined over the summer after graduation from UWO. By late August 2012, tests showed her heart function had dropped below 10 percent and she had no choice but to undergo emergency Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) surgery in early September. The device, a mechanical pump, would keep her alive as she waited for a heart transplant, which she finally received on February 15, 2013.

It would be 12 years, multiple heart surgeries and a life-saving heart transplant later that Hull finally achieved her dream; she is now a registered nurse. In February this year-12 years after graduating-Hull officially passed her NCLEX exam and became a registered nurse.

On March 17, her first day at ThedaCare Regional Medical Center-Neenah was akin to something out of a heartwarming movie: she witnessed an honor walk for an organ donor, a powerful reminder of the life-saving gift she herself had received. Hospital staff lined the hallway to honor the patient, an organ donor and support the family.

In this Q&A, Hull reflects on her journey, the role UW-Oshkosh played in helping her achieve her dream, and the resilience that kept her going through it all.

What drew you to nursing in the first place?
I've always wanted to help people, and nursing seemed like the perfect way to do that. I worked as a CNA for seven years before nursing school, and I loved caring for people, making them smile and being part of their lives in a meaningful way. I also loved the fast pace of the medical field. I thought I'd graduate, take my boards and become a travel nurse in Arizona. Life, of course, had other plans.

When did you realize something was wrong with your health?
It started in late 2011, right before my final semester. At first, it was little things, feeling extra tired, getting out of breath too easily. I'd be walking to class and suddenly feel like my whole body was being squeezed. One day, I passed out in my professor Dr. Sharon Chappy's office, and that's when everything changed. I ended up in the hospital, where doctors told me I had heart failure. I was 23 years old.

You graduated in 2012 but couldn't take your boards at the time. What happened?
I had my LVAD at the time, which was a device that kept me alive while I waited for a transplant. It required an external power source, that I had to either be plugged into batteries or a charging unit, I literally had a cord coming out of my body. When I applied to take the NCLEX, the state of Wisconsin cashed my check but later denied me because I wasn't allowed to bring my medical devices into the testing center. It was frustrating beyond words. I was literally trying to become a nurse to care for people, but I wasn't allowed to take the test that would let me do so. At that point, I had to focus on my health and nursing got put on the back burner.

After your heart transplant, when you started thinking about returning to nursing, how did UW Oshkosh help?
Oh, they were incredible. I had professors visiting me in the hospital, checking in, and later, when I wanted to take my boards, they were the ones who helped me navigate the process. At first, I struggled with the idea of going back. It was overwhelming to think about where to even begin. But when I reached out to Jeanne Hiatt (CON lab manager) in 2024, 12 years after graduation, she made it clear that UW-Oshkosh had never stopped being a resource for me.

She immediately laid out a step-by-step plan: We'd figure out how I could apply for my NCLEX; She'd get me access to ATI, the test prep program used by current students; She'd find a tutor to help me review. She even invited me back to campus over winter break, when all the students were gone, so she could walk me through the licensure application in person. That meant everything to me; I wasn't just another alum reaching out after years away. I was still her student and she wanted me to succeed.

Sara Nebus (Student Success Coordinator for the College of Nursing) met with me twice a week to help me prepare. Studying for the NCLEX after 12 years was like trying to relearn a language I hadn't spoken in a decade. I could read the material, but understanding how to approach the questions was an entirely different challenge.

We met virtually for one-on-one sessions. She structured my study plan, helping me focus on the areas where I was weakest. More importantly, she taught me how to take the test, how to break down tricky questions, how to rule out answers and how to manage test anxiety.

I'll never forget when she came back from maternity leave and saw how much progress I had made. She was genuinely excited for me. When I passed my boards, she was one of the first people I emailed. Because in so many ways, I wouldn't have passed without her.

It wasn't easy; it was seven months of intense studying, late nights and moments of doubt. But I had an amazing support system and I pushed through.

Dr. Sharon Chappy (former nursing professor in CON) was there at the very beginning, literally catching me when I collapsed.

Dr. Debbie Walrath (clinical associate professor in CON) was another major influence. We lived in the same town and I coached her daughter in softball, so I saw her often. Every single time I ran into her, she'd ask, "Melinda, have you taken your boards yet?" She never stopped reminding me that I still belonged in the nursing profession. I kept brushing it off, saying, "Oh, I'll get to it." But she never let it go.

When I finally passed, I texted her right away. I signed my name Melinda Hull, RN, and she was thrilled. It meant so much that she had never given up on me, even when I had nearly given up on myself.

What was it like finding out you passed?
I was at work as an EMT at Clintonville Area Ambulance Service. I saw that my results were posted online and my hands were shaking as I clicked the link. When I saw that I passed, I just started crying. The first person I told was my husband, and then some guy at work. He was just there. Then I told Jeanne Hiatt and Sara (Nebus). They were No. 3 and 4. I told them before I told my parents.

How does it feel to finally be working as a nurse?
It's surreal. I started at ThedaCare Regional Medical Center-Neenah in surgical trauma, and on my very first day, I witnessed an honor walk for an organ donor. Standing there, I was overwhelmed with gratitude. I'm alive today because someone said 'yes' to organ donation and now I get to be on the other side, caring for patients.

How has your personal journey influenced the kind of nurse you want to be?
My journey has made me a deeply empathetic nurse. I know what it's like to be the patient in that hospital bed, to be terrified, to feel like you have no control. I know what it's like to be in an ICU for weeks, to rely on machines to stay alive. That experience makes me want to be the kind of nurse who truly sees her patients.

What would you say to someone considering UW-Oshkosh's nursing program?
Do it. Not just because it's a great program, but because they truly care. UW-Oshkosh didn't just teach me to be a nurse. They supported me when I couldn't be one and when I was ready, they helped me achieve my dream. They went above and beyond. That's not something you get everywhere.

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