Q&A with Laura Bradstreet, DNP, RN, CPNP, pediatric nurse practitioner in the Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition.
Hometown: Hales Corners, Wisconsin
Educational/professional background: I earned by BSN from Marquette University and my DNP from UW–Madison.
What inspired you to pursue a career in nursing? Since I was little, I have wanted to be a nurse. I remember my mom saying that whenever my science class had a lesson on anatomy and physiology, I always got 100% on the tests!
How would you describe your work to a 5-year-old? I help your liver feel better.
What attracted you to UW–Madison or UW Health? I love the academic part of medicine. I was born a Badger, and UW–Madison has an excellent pediatric NP program. I started at UW Health in 2016 after I left active duty in the Army, and I knew I wanted to stay here after I finished graduate school.
What is your favorite thing to do in Madison? What isn’t my favorite thing to do in Madison? I love to bike, eat at the food trucks on State Street, and meet friends at the Terrace. Oh, and Ironman day — that’s my favorite day of the year!
What’s one thing you hope trainees and students will learn from you and your work? The patient always comes first. Taking the time to give a NICU baby a hand-hold before unswaddling them or telling a 5-year-old a corny joke to get them to laugh before talking “medical stuff” really goes a long way. Hospitals are scary places. But when we take the time to treat the kids like kids, it helps make the experience less frightening.
What’s something interesting about your area of expertise you can share that will make us sound smarter during video chats and parties? The liver is the only organ in the body that can regenerate itself when part of it is removed.
What are some of your hobbies and other interests? I love to cross stitch, especially birth and wedding samplers for my friends. I like to camp and hike with my dog Sadie. And I love to travel, especially to the mountains or countries I’ve never been to before.