I look back on my 4 years as an honors student at the U of A, and I am beyond proud of the work I have completed and the things I have learned!
Author: Adelaide Rigdon | Major: Nursing | Semester: Spring 2024
My name is Adelaide Rigdon, and I am a Nursing major in the College of Education and Health Professions (COEHP). My mentor is Dr. Michele Kilmer an Assistant Professor and DNP Projects Coordinator for the Eleanor Mann School of Nursing. This is my last semester of three taking part in this research with Dr. Kilmer. I am graduating this May of 2024 and have accepted an RN position at Washington Regional Medical Center in the Neuro ICU.
ASD diagnosis has not improved in over 20 years, despite efforts targeted to early identification. Caregiver perceptions are an understudied factor that could be contributing to delayed ASD diagnosis. Through this study, I examined caregiver perceptions of child development and autism to identify patterns of health beliefs among different cultural groups that could result in delayed identification and age of ASD diagnosis.
When I began to think about my Honors Project, I immediately knew that I wanted to do something research based where I could be a hands-on participant. Around this time, I received an email from Dr. Kilmer, as did all of the honors nursing students, saying that she was looking for a few students to assist her in studying caregiver perceptions and ASD. As I read through her proposal, I knew that is what I wanted to do. I responded to the email right away and began working with Dr. Kilmer soon after. During my research and time spent learning from Dr. Kilmer, I learned so much about ASD and myself. I learned how the definition of ASD differs among ethnic groups and languages. I learned that while ASD is considered “very serious” by the majority of all ethnic groups, there is a disconnect when it comes to the vitality of treatment and what the future holds for their child. About myself, I learned how I could use my skills of being detail oriented, diligent, and willing to learn to impact the research world and autism community for the better. My faculty mentor, Dr. Kilmer, played a huge role in my success throughout this project. She was a consistent supporter and a consistent encourager for me. She was always available to answer my questions and give me feedback when I needed it. Dr. Kilmer constantly made sure I knew how proud she was of me and how my research was going to actually make a difference in people’s lives. Another built-in support system I had throughout my research was my second committee member and DNP student, Ms. Genie Milone. She was available for questions in the same was Dr. Kilmer was, but she also checked in on me and wanted to know how I was doing with things like time management and defense preparation. I am beyond excited to see how my research will be used to continue Dr. Kilmer’s research as she looks to impact the ASD community in NWA. In terms of what is next for me, I am excited to say that I will be staying in Fayetteville to work at Washington Regional Medical Center in their Neuro ICU. I will be participating in their residency program and learning how to practice everything I have learned in the real-world of nursing.