Ashley Cameron
At Akron Children’s, the future of nursing is being shaped by programs that foster both professional growth and personal connection. Through initiatives like the Nurse Technician and Career Launch programs, the hospital is creating a pipeline that empowers nursing students to gain hands-on experience, develop meaningful relationships with patients, and transition seamlessly into full-time nursing roles. One example is Ashley Cameron, a staff nurse, whose journey reflects the hospital’s dedication to nurturing compassionate caregivers.
From a young age, Ashley was drawn to the idea of making an impact on others, inspired by her mother, an oncology nurse practitioner, and the countless lives she touched.
“I’ve always been the type of person that loves to help others. Nursing, from what I’ve observed throughout my life, is a life-changing career for both the health care professional and the patient,” she said.
It was during her junior year of nursing school at Hiram College that Ashley was assigned clinical rotations at Akron Children’s.
Ashley serves as her unit based council’s social chair. She enjoys planning outings and having themed days at work (like safari day, pictured here).
“One of my favorite memories was playing the game ‘Break the Ice’ with a toddler on the oncology unit. It gave the parent an opportunity to take a break and gave the child some much needed joy,” she said. “What felt small for me, made a big difference in the day of someone else. The little things really do count.”
In 2021, she started working as a patient care assistant in the float pool. This position allowed her to explore different floors and find her niche. This eventually led her to the Burn Center, where she faced challenging but invaluable experiences with de-escalation tactics and therapeutic communication.
“Being in the float pool gave me the opportunity to step out of my comfort zone,” said Ashley. “The nurses I worked with were good about explaining things to me since they knew I was in nursing school.”
In May 2023, Ashley transitioned to a Nurse Tech 2 position on our 7th floor inpatient unit, where she currently works as a RN and is in the nurse residency program. The transition from student to nurse was made smoother by the supportive environment where Ashley had the opportunity to learn from seasoned nurses and get accustomed to her new role before taking on full responsibilities.
Ashley is intentional with her downtime and enjoys spending time with family and friends, kickboxing and singing at her church when she’s not at work.
“Nurse residency has given me a chance to create camaraderie and connections with nurses on other floors that we float to,” she said. “It has also helped me get comfortable with drawing up medications in an emergency and what to do in those instances by practicing/timing out when needed.”
Ashley said being able to meet staff, figure out where things are located, get a workflow, observe/assist in procedures and understand charting have helped alleviate a lot of stress that she would have had to navigate as a new grad.
Throughout her journey, Ashley has been guided and supported by a team of mentors and preceptors at Akron Children’s.
“I’ve had many nurses help guide me on my path, and I’m very glad that’s been the case,” she said. “Nursing is a field where you thrive most with the mindset of being a sponge—always having something new to learn and soaking that up.
Ashley says nurse residency has allowed her to create camaraderie and connections with nurses on other floors.
“There will be many new experiences throughout your career and times where it’s OK to be humbled and not know the answer,” she added. “The important part is you ask the right person for assistance.”
When she’s not at work, Ashley’s life is just as full. Whether it’s kickboxing, singing at her church, or spending time with family and her Boston terriers, Mickey and Minnie, Ashley thrives on being intentional with her time.
“Ashley’s journey exemplifies Akron Children’s commitment to nurturing the next generation of nurses,” said Chris Young, chief nursing officer. “Through mentorship, hands-on experience and a supportive environment, we hope to cultivate compassionate and skilled caregivers like Ashley who are dedicated to making a profound impact on the lives of their young patients and their families.”
Learn more about nursing careers at Akron Children’s at https://careers.akronchildrens.org/.
