Dragon Nursing Graduate Launches Specialized Career

Long before Liana Ulness ‘25 ever put on scrubs, a simple message helped set her direction in life. Hanging in her childhood room was a poster from her grandmother with a phrase that stuck with her: "Be the reason someone smiles today."

Growing up in Moorhead, Minnesota, balancing school, sports, and daily life, Ulness took those words to heart. She knew early on that she wanted a career centered on helping people through tough times.

That goal brought her to Minnesota State Moorhead. She started out planning to study pre-physical therapy on a soccer scholarship, but as her interest in hands-on medical care grew, she switched her focus to nursing.

Nursing (BSN)

At Moorhead, Ulness found professors who took time to guide her personally. Mentors like Assistant Professors of Nursing Hailey Wyum and Ashley Rambousek taught her not just the clinical skills, but how to truly care for patients as people.

“Being taught by professors who genuinely love what they do and want to see that love for nursing carry on into the next generation sets apart professors like Hailey and Ashley. They are so knowledgeable and believed in all of us; always encouraging us to try again or congratulating us on things we did well,” said Ulness.

Ulness pictured in her Minnesota State Moorhead scrubs (left) and in an "ear, nose, and throat nurse" shirt after graduating (right)

Most new nursing graduates start their careers working night shifts on hospital floors. Moorhead’s BSN program empowered Ulness with the confidence to look at her own strengths and choose a different route right out of school. Passing her national board exam (the NCLEX) on her first try and backed by the support of her professors, she stepped directly into a specialized clinic role after graduating in May 2025.

Today, Ulness works as a specialty clinic nurse at Boys Town National Research Hospital near Omaha, Nebraska. She serves as the right-hand nurse for Dr. Elizabeth Kelly, Nebraska's only neuro-otologist. Neuro-otologists are ear, nose, and throat (ENT) doctors with extra specialized training in how the inner ear connects to the brain. Dr. Kelly treats everything from severe hearing loss and balance issues to chronic dizziness and tumors at the base of the skull, caring for patients of all ages, from newborn babies to seniors.

Shortly after Ulness started at Boys Town, both her manager and Dr. Kelly put her name forward as the ideal fit to serve as the new primary nurse alongside Dr. Kelly. For a brand-new graduate working next to one of the region's top medical specialists, it was a massive vote of confidence.

In her role, Ulness keeps the entire practice running smoothly. On clinic days, she stays at Dr. Kelly's side, assisting during delicate procedures, guiding families through diagnoses, and checking patients in to get them settled for post-operative visits. On non-clinic days, she acts as an organizer and coordinator, gathering medical records, ordering scans, and scheduling post-operative appointments in a timely manner for patients traveling from all across the region so everything is set the moment they arrive.

Ulness also works closely with Boys Town’s hearing implant team, collaborating with audiologists, physical therapists, speech experts, and eye specialists to give patients complete care. She even helps out with clinical research, playing an active part in finding better ways to treat complex hearing and balance conditions.

Stepping into a specialized area like neuro-otology directly out of college is rare for a new nurse. Issues involving hearing and balance deeply affect a person's ability to navigate daily life. Because Dr. Kelly is the state's sole specialist in this area, Ulness acts as the primary link between anxious patients and the medical care they need.

“It’s really cool to see how much of an impact you can make from a clinic setting. Patients can be just as nervous for a new clinic visit as they may be for being admitted to an ICU floor," Ulness explains.

"I love my role in being the first person they see walking into our ENT clinic. It’s amazing to see how far a simple smile and ‘how are you doing today’ goes in helping these patients feel more relaxed and valued before the doctor comes in.”

Adapting to such a specific field required mastering intricate ENT procedures and specialized clinical terminology on the job. Drawing on the analytical foundation built at Moorhead and working closely with her team in Omaha, she quickly mastered the clinical routines of her new role.

Reflecting on her journey from student to specialty nurse, Ulness points right back to the hands-on care and personal encouragement she received at Minnesota State Moorhead. Choosing an unconventional path gave her the freedom to build a career that truly fits her passions.

At the end of the day, that choice brought her right back to the poster her grandmother gave her years ago. On days whenUlness helps a patient recover their balance, navigate treatment, or hear clearly for the first time in years, she gets to see people feel like themselves again. Ulness says bringing that kind of relief to her patients is what makes the work so rewarding. Every day at Boys Town National Research Hospital, Ulness gets to live out the childhood advice in a meaningful and visible way: by being the reason someone smiles.