UC alumna, Ben-Gals cheerleader ready to kickoff nursing career

"I'm so happy it worked out this way. If I think about it too much, I start to get emotional, but it really makes me so happy."

Berning's mom worked for years as a labor and delivery nurse, so Berning grew up with a role model in the profession but didn't feel pulled in the same direction until 2018 when she started volunteering alongside nurses at a community shelter.

"I loved talking to them and watching them. They were so loving and kind and they knew how to handle all these situations,” she says. "I was like, I can't do anything else, because I love being in this caregiving role and making connections with people."

When she started working toward her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), Berning said it took time to reform her learning habits, but she devoured the course material.

"You couldn’t pay me to sit down and do my accounting and finance homework, but I would study anatomy for 10 hours before I realized I needed to take a break."

Beyond interesting coursework, Berning says UC's program prepared her for real-world nursing practice and helped further define her career interests. She admits the emergency department (ED) wasn't a place she expected to work, but after completing a role transition in UC Medical Center's ED, she was hooked.

"It took me three weeks to even figure out how the place worked, but I ended up loving it," she says. "Every day you're there you learn so much and see something new."

While Berning was full-tilt into nursing, she missed one aspect of her undergraduate days — dancing on a team. She was part of the UC Dance Team for four years and longed for a similar stress release and supportive group. So, in Spring 2022, after taking time to acclimate to nursing school, she tried out to become a Ben-Gals cheerleader and made the 30-person squad for the season. Then the real work began. She practiced two or three times a week to learn about 50 routines in the short months before the first pre-season game in September.

"The summer was definitely information overload at all times," she says. But it was made worth it when she stepped onto the field for the first pre-season game. "I seriously get chills when I think about it. It’s like no other experience."

Berning is scheduled to take the exam to become a licensed registered nurse in January and has accepted a position in UC Medical Center's ED. As a nurse, she says she'll combine her passions for fitness, health and caregiving.

"That's one of the things I love about nursing — it’s all about helping people stay healthy," she says. "You get to be an advocate for them to help them take the first step toward taking care of themselves."

Featured image at top: Emily Berning performs with other Ben-Gals cheerleaders during the Oct. 27 Cincinnati Bengals home game. Photo/Allen Ramsey/Allen DWC