10.13.2025
UVA Health EVS Team Member Charlotte Rice Takes the Initiative — and Earns a BEE Award
Alana Lotson, second-year DNP student who collect Crocs (currently has 245 pairs!), lives in Richmond, VA, and works as an emergency department float pool nurse.
10.13.2025
#MeetUsMonday — Meet DNP Student Alana Lotson
Meet Alana Lotson. Second-year DNP student from Queens, NY, now living in Richmond. Emergency department float pool nurse. Dog mom to shih-poo puppy, Ellie. World traveler and content creator for brands like Crocs and Celsius, with a Crocs collection currently 245 pairs strong.
WHY UVA SCHOOL OF NURSING?
"I chose UVA after taking a travel nursing assignment in UVA Health’s emergency department. I immediately fell in love with the culture, the health system, and the people. Hearing positive experiences from friends who had gone through the School of Nursing’s DNP program, I was sold and had to see for myself."
HER PATH TO NURSING AND CAREER GOALS
"My passion for nursing began when I was very young. My siblings and I were playing video games when my older brother suddenly had a seizure. We had no idea what was happening and called 9-1-1. The EMS providers who arrived were calm, skilled, compassionate, and provided him with the best care. Later, seeing the nurses care for him in the emergency department was like watching real life superheroes. In my eyes, they’d saved my brother’s life. From that moment on, I knew that “saving lives” was what I wanted to do with my future."
"My ultimate career goal is to be the best provider I can be and to make a lasting difference in someone’s life — just like those nurses and medics did for my family many years ago."
WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE DNP PROGRAM
"Prospective students should know that the BSN to DNP program is completely doable — even if you're working full-time, raising a family, or balancing other responsibilities. I was initially nervous about managing it all, but the program is incredibly flexible and truly hybrid. The adjustment was smoother than I expected. If you’re willing to put in the work, you’ll do just fine!"
THE SCHOOL IN A WORD?
"DIVERSE. I’ve made friends with classmates and faculty from so many different backgrounds, cultures, ethnicities, and with so many different life experiences. That diversity enriches the learning environment and adds so much value to the program. I commute over an hour to be part of this community — and I know I’m not alone — because this program is worth it!"
