Photo by: David Stluka
Badgering: Anne Dronen Holland
May 27, 2020 | Women's Hockey
Two-time NCAA champion is now a pediatric rehab nurse in Chicago
MADISON, Wis. --Â Former Wisconsin women's hockey defenseman Anne Dronen Holland excelled on the ice during her time as a Badger, as she was a member of two NCAA title teams and earned a +93 plus/minus rating while skating for UW from 2007-08 to 2010-11.
After her time on the Badgers' blue line, Dronen Holland is now on the front lines in health care as she is a pediatric rehab nurse at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago. She took time out of her day to share what she's been up to since her playing days at UW, how COVID-19 has impacted her life and her favorite memory as a Badger in this edition of "Badgering."
First off, what have you been up to since you graduated from the University of Wisconsin?
Since graduating from Wisconsin in 2012, I moved to Chicago to be near my boyfriend at the time, Tyler Holland, a former UW Football player. While in Chicago, I instantly got involved in coaching and directing a girls' hockey organization in Highland Park, Illinois. At the same time, I was applying to nursing schools and ended up getting into DePaul University's Accelerated Masters Nursing Program. Tyler and I got married in September of 2017, and we've been enjoying our time together living in downtown Chicago.Â
Right now you are a pediatric rehab nurse, what do you do on a day-to-day basis?
Being a pediatric rehab nurse at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab (SRAL) is an ideal place for a former athlete to work in healthcare. The two go hand in hand very well. I am working alongside medical doctors, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, social workers, art therapists, etc. to help children rehabilitate. I get to help coach and encourage them! Many children are coming to SRAL post-traumatic accidents, car accidents, gunshot wound victims, freak sports injuries, post-surgery, post-spinal cord injuries, post-traumatic brain injuries, post-diagnosis of a rare disease which has affected their musculoskeletal function and/or central nervous system, all to help manage their everyday functions and get them ready for their new "normal" life.
As their nurse, I get to aid in their physician's care and help to teach their families how to care for their children. I guide them in managing their nutrition, sleep, bowel and bladder care, skin and wound care, medication administration, respiratory care, emotional and psychiatric support, prosthetic management, behavior management - to name a few. The best part about my job is watching children progress and heal and watching their parents gain confidence in caring for their children in a new-found way.Â
What inspired you to become a nurse?
I've always been drawn to helping other people and have loved science and how it can help make a positive impact on someone's life. I like working in a field that makes an impact on someone else's life, and in turn, it makes a great impact on my life as well.Â
How has COVID-19 impacted your life?
Personally, COVID-19 has changed all of Tyler and my plans. We had aspirations to travel this year and celebrate many upcoming weddings and family gatherings. While we are adjusting to a new, slower-paced lifestyle, we hope to one day get back to celebrating and gathering with friends again. Professionally, at SRAL, protocols have been changing weekly, if not daily. We have cut back the number of people coming into our facility, and many of the "fun" programs for our pediatric patients have been canceled altogether. Each patient is only allowed one parent/caregiver with them, which we have seen put a large strain on families going through a new, tragic time in their lives. Everyone's temperature is taken the moment they enter the building, which is new but so necessary. The mood on a once lively, fun, and encouraging pediatric floor has shifted to a bit more melancholy and serious. In the nursing community, COVID-19 has raised some ethical questions in terms of working conditions, access to personal protective equipment (PPE), and the stigma around taking a sick day when it's highly scrutinized in our society in many professions.
What's a positive thing you've seen in your work showing a good example of the human spirit?
It's hard to pinpoint one single positive thing because there's been so many! The amount of love and gratitude my colleagues and I have received during this time is astounding. One person I'd like to highlight is Debi Lilly from A Perfect Event here in Chicago. She was actually our wedding planner! She has turned her storefront into a hand sanitizer factory, and during Nurse's Week (May 6-12) proceeds from her flower arrangements sold in Chicago at Jewel Osco were donated to help provide meals to healthcare workers. It is quite extraordinary how people are finding ways to help. I have personally received care packages, lunches provided from different restaurants at work, coffee - lots of coffee, people have sewn masks and sent them to me in the mail, my Dad and brother sent me N95 masks from their construction company, friends have sent extra masks they have come by, and many people have just been authentically reaching out to check-in with me to see how we're holding up - which has been a very endearing feeling.Â
As a nurse, do you have any advice you would like to share to the general public?
I think we can all learn a lot from this pandemic. The first piece of advice I would say is to be more kind and understanding. Everyone is going through this pandemic together. Second, take care of yourself and your loved ones, like you never have before. Show the people you love that you genuinely love them! And in the future, if you're not feeling 100 percent, it's OK to take a sick day. If you're not feeling well, think twice about attending that large gathering that could potentially infect at-risk/immunocompromised friends and family. Third, wash your hands, and wash them well. Keep hand sanitizer at the ready in every nook and cranny in your life. People, businesses, and companies are cleaning like they never have before. Especially in public places. I hope to see this as a new trend once the pandemic is over. Fourth, rely on science to navigate your health care decisions. Vaccinate your children. I'm hoping many people will realize the importance of vaccines once this pandemic is behind us. Lastly, slow down and take time to care for yourself. I'm sure many of us have realized that spending time with those you love or pursuing a new hobby can bring us so much joy.Â
What was your favorite memory playing at the University of Wisconsin?
I don't have enough fingers and toes to count them all! One that stands out, rather shoots out fireworks, and all the fanfare was winning the National Championship in 2011 for my second time, but this time as a senior. This was quite the accomplishment and something that I had worked so hard for. It was unbelievable, we won everything that year, WCHA Conference Champs, WCHA Tournament Champs, Patty, Natty, Elite 88, and Coach won the AHCA coach of the year. It was something we kind of joked about at the time, but now when looking back, it's pretty amazing we were able to accomplish everything that we did. It's pretty unheard of for any men's or women's team to be as successful as we were. To end my hockey playing career on that note felt so bittersweet. I am so grateful to have been a part of such an amazing team that year.
How was it playing for Coach Johnson?
Playing for Coach is what every player hopes for. He is a leader both on and off the ice. He expected the best from us, and we always got his best in return too. He is a very even-keeled person who didn't get tied up in the distractions of college life. I felt like we were treated like professional athletes, and we each took our positions and roles on the team seriously. He is a fabulous mentor, and his accomplishments speak for themselves. It was an honor getting to play for him. Cheers to you, Coach!
After her time on the Badgers' blue line, Dronen Holland is now on the front lines in health care as she is a pediatric rehab nurse at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago. She took time out of her day to share what she's been up to since her playing days at UW, how COVID-19 has impacted her life and her favorite memory as a Badger in this edition of "Badgering."
First off, what have you been up to since you graduated from the University of Wisconsin?
Since graduating from Wisconsin in 2012, I moved to Chicago to be near my boyfriend at the time, Tyler Holland, a former UW Football player. While in Chicago, I instantly got involved in coaching and directing a girls' hockey organization in Highland Park, Illinois. At the same time, I was applying to nursing schools and ended up getting into DePaul University's Accelerated Masters Nursing Program. Tyler and I got married in September of 2017, and we've been enjoying our time together living in downtown Chicago.Â
Right now you are a pediatric rehab nurse, what do you do on a day-to-day basis?
Being a pediatric rehab nurse at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab (SRAL) is an ideal place for a former athlete to work in healthcare. The two go hand in hand very well. I am working alongside medical doctors, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, social workers, art therapists, etc. to help children rehabilitate. I get to help coach and encourage them! Many children are coming to SRAL post-traumatic accidents, car accidents, gunshot wound victims, freak sports injuries, post-surgery, post-spinal cord injuries, post-traumatic brain injuries, post-diagnosis of a rare disease which has affected their musculoskeletal function and/or central nervous system, all to help manage their everyday functions and get them ready for their new "normal" life.
As their nurse, I get to aid in their physician's care and help to teach their families how to care for their children. I guide them in managing their nutrition, sleep, bowel and bladder care, skin and wound care, medication administration, respiratory care, emotional and psychiatric support, prosthetic management, behavior management - to name a few. The best part about my job is watching children progress and heal and watching their parents gain confidence in caring for their children in a new-found way.Â
What inspired you to become a nurse?
I've always been drawn to helping other people and have loved science and how it can help make a positive impact on someone's life. I like working in a field that makes an impact on someone else's life, and in turn, it makes a great impact on my life as well.Â
How has COVID-19 impacted your life?
Personally, COVID-19 has changed all of Tyler and my plans. We had aspirations to travel this year and celebrate many upcoming weddings and family gatherings. While we are adjusting to a new, slower-paced lifestyle, we hope to one day get back to celebrating and gathering with friends again. Professionally, at SRAL, protocols have been changing weekly, if not daily. We have cut back the number of people coming into our facility, and many of the "fun" programs for our pediatric patients have been canceled altogether. Each patient is only allowed one parent/caregiver with them, which we have seen put a large strain on families going through a new, tragic time in their lives. Everyone's temperature is taken the moment they enter the building, which is new but so necessary. The mood on a once lively, fun, and encouraging pediatric floor has shifted to a bit more melancholy and serious. In the nursing community, COVID-19 has raised some ethical questions in terms of working conditions, access to personal protective equipment (PPE), and the stigma around taking a sick day when it's highly scrutinized in our society in many professions.
What's a positive thing you've seen in your work showing a good example of the human spirit?
It's hard to pinpoint one single positive thing because there's been so many! The amount of love and gratitude my colleagues and I have received during this time is astounding. One person I'd like to highlight is Debi Lilly from A Perfect Event here in Chicago. She was actually our wedding planner! She has turned her storefront into a hand sanitizer factory, and during Nurse's Week (May 6-12) proceeds from her flower arrangements sold in Chicago at Jewel Osco were donated to help provide meals to healthcare workers. It is quite extraordinary how people are finding ways to help. I have personally received care packages, lunches provided from different restaurants at work, coffee - lots of coffee, people have sewn masks and sent them to me in the mail, my Dad and brother sent me N95 masks from their construction company, friends have sent extra masks they have come by, and many people have just been authentically reaching out to check-in with me to see how we're holding up - which has been a very endearing feeling.Â
As a nurse, do you have any advice you would like to share to the general public?
I think we can all learn a lot from this pandemic. The first piece of advice I would say is to be more kind and understanding. Everyone is going through this pandemic together. Second, take care of yourself and your loved ones, like you never have before. Show the people you love that you genuinely love them! And in the future, if you're not feeling 100 percent, it's OK to take a sick day. If you're not feeling well, think twice about attending that large gathering that could potentially infect at-risk/immunocompromised friends and family. Third, wash your hands, and wash them well. Keep hand sanitizer at the ready in every nook and cranny in your life. People, businesses, and companies are cleaning like they never have before. Especially in public places. I hope to see this as a new trend once the pandemic is over. Fourth, rely on science to navigate your health care decisions. Vaccinate your children. I'm hoping many people will realize the importance of vaccines once this pandemic is behind us. Lastly, slow down and take time to care for yourself. I'm sure many of us have realized that spending time with those you love or pursuing a new hobby can bring us so much joy.Â
What was your favorite memory playing at the University of Wisconsin?
I don't have enough fingers and toes to count them all! One that stands out, rather shoots out fireworks, and all the fanfare was winning the National Championship in 2011 for my second time, but this time as a senior. This was quite the accomplishment and something that I had worked so hard for. It was unbelievable, we won everything that year, WCHA Conference Champs, WCHA Tournament Champs, Patty, Natty, Elite 88, and Coach won the AHCA coach of the year. It was something we kind of joked about at the time, but now when looking back, it's pretty amazing we were able to accomplish everything that we did. It's pretty unheard of for any men's or women's team to be as successful as we were. To end my hockey playing career on that note felt so bittersweet. I am so grateful to have been a part of such an amazing team that year.
How was it playing for Coach Johnson?
Playing for Coach is what every player hopes for. He is a leader both on and off the ice. He expected the best from us, and we always got his best in return too. He is a very even-keeled person who didn't get tied up in the distractions of college life. I felt like we were treated like professional athletes, and we each took our positions and roles on the team seriously. He is a fabulous mentor, and his accomplishments speak for themselves. It was an honor getting to play for him. Cheers to you, Coach!
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