As a nurse with more than a decade of experience in acute care, Nicole Walkowiak has seen firsthand the devastating consequences of untreated wounds—from infections that spiral into sepsis to preventable limb loss. As a 2024–25 Chicago Area Schweitzer Fellow and nursing student at Rush University, she took her expertise beyond hospital walls, partnering with The Night Ministry to provide wound care education directly to people experiencing homelessness and to the outreach teams who serve them.

What began as a one-year Fellowship has grown into a citywide effort to standardize wound care practices across Chicago’s street medicine community. Nicole’s project shows how one Fellow’s vision can expand far beyond its first year—improving health outcomes, reducing stigma, and inspiring the next generation of health professionals.

Can you tell us about your Fellowship project and why you chose to focus on wound care?
My project started with people who inject drugs, but it quickly expanded to anyone experiencing homelessness with wounds. After years as a wound care nurse, I saw how easily untreated wounds could lead to sepsis or limb loss. Through the Fellowship, I wanted to bring my skills into the community. At first, I focused on direct care, but I realized I couldn’t reach everyone on my own. So, I began teaching volunteers and providers, creating evidence-based guidelines. That way, the knowledge could spread, and patients could receive consistent, trusted care.

What was it like partnering with The Night Ministry?
They understood the need immediately and gave me the platform to start. From there, they connected me to other outreach organizations, which helped standardize wound care across the city. By the end of my Fellowship, I was also working with Chicago Street Medicine and presenting to medical student volunteers at UIC, Loyola, and now the University of Chicago. What began locally has grown into opportunities to share wound care guidelines nationally.

Your project emphasizes harm reduction and sepsis prevention. How do you approach those topics in the community?
Trust is everything. Many opioid use treatment programs won’t admit people with open wounds, so part of my work has been to heal those wounds first, while also advocating with case managers to get patients into programs. If we can document that someone can care for their wounds and provide them with supplies, more inpatient programs are willing to accept them. It’s a step toward recovery and dignity.

What impact have you seen from training outreach staff and students?
The response has been incredible. Every time I present at a Chicago Street Medicine event, students ask how they can get involved. Providers feel more confident making care decisions in the field, and patients are getting consistent information instead of mixed messages. That builds trust, which is just as important as wound care itself.

Sustainability is central to the Fellowship. How are you carrying this work forward?
I’m now part of conversations with citywide coalitions, especially as federal funding cuts make collaboration even more important. I’m partnering with another nurse to present wound care guidelines at a city summit, and I’m working with student leaders at Loyola and other universities to take over training while I’m in clinicals. The goal is to build a structure where this work continues without relying on one person.

What does this experience mean to you personally and professionally?
I wanted to step outside the hospital, and the Fellowship gave me that opportunity. Now I know my career won’t just be about acute care—I’ll always keep a community component in the mix. It’s changed how I see nursing and what’s possible when we meet people where they are.

Outside of nursing, how do you recharge?
I play women’s ice hockey, which I love. I also travel when I can and read about astrophysics and astronomy—Carl Sagan is my favorite.