ASU graduate leads with heart in pediatric nursing
Ava Randecker is graduating in May from ASU's Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation. Courtesy photo
Editor’s note: This story is part of a series of profiles of notable spring 2025 graduates.
Health care has always sparked the curiosity of Ava Randecker, a nursing student at ASU from Mesa, Arizona. But it wasn’t just the science that drew her in — it was something deeper.
“There is something very human about sitting with someone who is struggling and giving them comfort that they may not be able to give themselves. And nursing, I found, is just that,” Randecker said.
It was human connection, the ability to truly know and advocate for a patient, that set nursing apart for her. Nurses in hospitals, she explained, often spend 12-hour shifts with patients, getting to know their journeys beyond charts and symptoms, a trait that other health care roles don’t have in quite the same way.
Throughout her time at ASU’s Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation, Randecker has leaned into that connection, especially during her numerous clinical rotations at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. These hands-on experiences provide students an opportunity to shadow a nurse and understand the reality of working in the field.
“These have been really impactful for me, because I’ve always wanted to go into pediatrics,” Randecker said. “Being able to see all these kiddos and show them love has been really impactful and solidified my decision to work in this profession.”
Recently, she had a powerful experience with one of her patients that left her feeling a sense of gratitude and fulfillment. A child finally received a heart transplant after being on the waiting list and had recovered enough to be sent home. When he later returned to the hospital with his mother to thank the nurses, Randecker saw the patient again, this time full of life and energy.
“It can be really challenging, and we deal with really heavy stuff since it’s children who are impacted. But we’re really making an impact in their lives. They’re getting better, they’re going home and they’re able to be kids. That’s what makes it worth it to me,” she said.
Beyond her clinical work, Randecker has also found support and community through the ASU Alumni Association’s Medallion Scholarship Program. The program, which provides financial assistance and incorporates leadership, scholarship and service, has played an essential role in her college experience.
“The Medallion Scholarship Program has been amazing. Not only has it supported me financially, it’s allowed me to focus more on my studies,” Randecker said.
But perhaps more than anything, it’s the community she has found through the program that she cherishes most.
“I’ve met people in this program that I will continue to be friends with for years after I graduate. I still hang out with people I know who were in the program that have already graduated,” she said. “Having that home to come back to has been so much fun.”
Now in her last semester at ASU, Randecker is completing her Transition to Practice at the Phoenix Children’s Hospital pediatric cardiovascular intensive care unit, where she says she has fallen in love with the patient population. After graduation, she aspires to work there full time.
Looking ahead, Randecker has plans to return to ASU one day to pursue her Doctor of Nursing Practice and become a family nurse practitioner.
Question: What’s something you learned while at ASU — in the classroom or otherwise — that surprised you or changed your perspective?
Answer: The value of teamwork and collaboration. Health care is very team-oriented, and I sort of knew that coming into school, but it became very obvious to me after a few semesters in the nursing program just how important it is to have a team looking after someone. Everyone brings different perspectives and experiences into the work that they do. A patient can be cared for holistically and not just individually.
Q: Why did you choose ASU?
A: ASU really prepares nurses for the nursing world. There’s a difference between school nursing and taking the National Council Licensure Examination, which is our licensing board. Many schools prepare their students to take the NCLEX and don’t necessarily prepare them for the real world of nursing. ASU is great about doing both.
Q: What’s the best piece of advice you would give to someone who is still in school?
A: Take time for yourself. School can be challenging in the sense that you have to focus and give a lot of yourself to it. But it’s important to fill your cup as well. In health care and in school, you can’t pour from an empty cup. So, I would say to make sure that you check in with yourself, take a mental health day if you need it and understand what you need to be at your best.
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