By Sarah Morgan Johnson
In the weeks leading up to her 2019 Doctor of Nursing Practice Hooding Ceremony at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing, April Garrigan, DNP, APRN, FNP-C (DNP 2019), suffered a subarachnoid hemorrhage due to a brain aneurysm and was unable to attend the ceremony. Six years later, after a recovery that has been full of challenges, Garrigan’s perseverance and dedicated support system have carried her through. She will return to the School to finally be hooded at the spring DNP Hooding Ceremony on April 25, 2025.
“I am so thankful for my friends, family, coworkers and professors who came alongside me in such a difficult time. Attending the DNP Hooding ceremony six years later is surreal and a tangible reminder of how far I’ve come,” Garrigan said.
Even before her life-altering brain aneurysm, Garrigan was no stranger to hardship. After her mother passed away from a heart attack when she was 17, she moved in with a friend’s family until she finished high school. Her mother’s sudden death “broke” her, and in the aftermath, she remembers feeling lost. She applied to nursing school on a whim, but after beginning her program she quickly became invested in her classes and clinical rotations.
While she was in school, Garrigan worked as a patient care technician at the UAB Hospital Heart and Lung Transplant Intensive Care Unit. After graduating, she accepted a full-time position on the unit. She recalls finding fulfillment in the interactions she was able to have there.
“I absolutely fell in love with nursing at the ICU. A lot of those patients were there for a long time, so I got really attached to them and their families. I felt like I was making a real difference,” Garrigan said.
After earning her Master of Science in Nursing in 2013, Garrigan was hired to work at the UAB Hospital Emergency Department where she was eventually promoted to Lead Nurse Practitioner. While she was working in the Emergency Department, School of Nursing Associate Professor, Assistant Dean of Nursing Clinical Practice and Partnerships and UAB Hospital Chief Nursing Officer Terri Poe, DNP, RN, NE-BC (BSN 1986, DNP 2013), encouraged her to pursue her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree. Garrigan applied and was accepted to the School’s DNP Program, and she successfully balanced her work schedule with her school responsibilities.
“Juggling work and school was difficult, but once I learned how to manage my schedule it was doable. I remember I had a color-coded calendar that I absolutely lived by, but support from faculty at the School of Nursing and from my clinical mentors at the hospital truly made all the difference,” Garrigan said.
In the weeks leading up to graduation, Garrigan started experiencing terrible headaches. On the day after her 38th birthday, the headaches grew so intense that she was unable to drive to work. She laid down to rest and then woke up to her friend and coworker, Assistant Professor Somali Nguyen, DNP, CRNP, AGACNP-BC (BSN 2010, MSN 2014, DNP 2019), coming to check on her. Garrigan had been uncharacteristically unresponsive, and Nguyen found her unconscious on her living room floor.
Garrigan was rushed to the UAB Emergency Department by ambulance. While undergoing surgery, Garrigan had a stroke that paralyzed her right side. In the aftermath of her aneurysm, she was in a coma for over two months and was hospitalized for a total of six months. While she was grateful to be alive and released from the hospital, the early days of her recovery were especially challenging.
“When I first got home, I lived with family and was super depressed because I struggled to find purpose in my recovery. I have worked for my whole life and had just been in school for the last two years, so I had always been extremely busy. After I was released from the hospital I had to stay in bed and I only left my house to go to physical therapy,” Garrigan said.
Since those early days of recovery, Garrigan has come far. She moved back to her own house and eased back into working. Today, she is the clinical director at a men's clinic in Pelham, Alabama. Nguyen said her tenacity and strength throughout the recovery process have encouraged her entire community.
“Watching April persevere through her recovery was both heart-wrenching and incredibly inspiring. There were moments of uncertainty and fear, but her unwavering determination and positive attitude were truly remarkable. Seeing her tackle each challenge head-on, from the initial surgeries to the long rehabilitation process, was a testament to her inner strength. Her journey was a powerful reminder of the resilience of the human spirit and the importance of hope and support. It was an honor to witness her courage and to be part of her support system. April's perseverance has been a source of inspiration not just to me, but to everyone who knows her,” Nguyen said.
Her friends at UAB Hospital and the School of Nursing have persistently encouraged Garrigan to attend a DNP Hooding Ceremony, and this year she agreed. Finally being recognized at the spring ceremony was a full circle moment for Garrigan, and Nguyen said it represents how far she has come since 2019.
“Walking across that stage is not just about receiving a degree. It is a powerful symbol of April’s resilience, determination and the triumph of the human spirit. After everything she has been through, from the aneurysm and stroke to the long and arduous recovery, participating in the ceremony is a testament to her strength and perseverance. It is a moment for her to celebrate her achievements and for all of us who supported her to honor her remarkable journey,” Nguyen said.