Nate Bricco joins ThedaCare Medical Center-Waupaca
Nate Bricco of Appleton discovered his passion for patient care while spending time in and out of hospitals with his mother, who was dealing with Guillain-Barre syndrome, which caused her hands and feet to become paralyzed.
“I've always been the type of person who would help someone in any way I possibly can and I think that lead me to where I am today,” said Bricco, 30.
Recently, Bricco joined ThedaCare Medical Center-Waupaca in the CT and Radiology Department. “I have only been working as a technologist at Waupaca for a month but I have already learned so much about what it is like to have a doctor, a nurse, and a patient depend on me to perform my job accurately and professionally,” said Bricco, R.T.
Bricco was one of 10 graduates of the Theda Clark School of Radiologic Technology who passed the National American Registry Radiologic Technologist Board Exam with scores that exceeded the national average. Five of the 10 graduates were in the top 4 percent of the nation.
Bricco scored in the top 1 percent of the nation. “I was kind of shocked because I never saw myself as a talented student,” he admitted. “That is not because I lacked effort or confidence. I think it was because our class of ten students was all so amazing with more amazing skills than I.”
He credits the staff at the School of Radiologic Technology. “If it wasn't for the staff there and their ability to see the possibilities in all the students they select I never would have been the student that I was,” he said. “They unlocked curiosity and purpose in me that I didn't know I had and I'm honored to be a graduate in their fine program.”
He said the program was challenging but allowed him to show his talents and prove himself to others. He hopes to take the CT Board Certification and advance in understanding and his career in the radiology field. “Many people think I just push a button in my current job but there is so much more to it than that,” said Bricco. “Caring for patients and having the skills to do so doesn't come without a plethora of training and experience and I thank my teachers at the program for everything that they taught me.”
Bricco’s job is more than just doing simple chest X-rays. He has learned that in patient care, a chest X-ray is much more. “That is often one of the first and most pivotal steps in diagnosing a patient and possibly saving their life,” he said.
“I never underestimate how important each image I take and every scan I perform is to a patient's life and peace of mind,” added Bricco. “To me the best part of my job is being able to disarm an obviously frightened patient and assure them that I am doing everything to the best of my ability to find out what is afflicting them.”
He also uses humor during patient interactions. “I think laughter is the best cure for just about anything,” he said. “Some patients are there only once and some are there a lot for various reasons and I think that learning about them by asking questions and having small talk goes a long way toward easing any tensions they might have. After all, being in a hospital can be kind of scary.”
For more than 100 years, ThedaCare™ has been committed to finding a better way to deliver serious and complex healthcare to patients throughout Northeast Wisconsin. The organization serves over 200,000 patients annually and employs more than 6,800 healthcare professionals throughout the region. ThedaCare has seven hospitals located in Appleton, Neenah, Berlin, Waupaca, Shawano, New London and Wild Rose as well as 35 clinics in 14 counties. ThedaCare is the first in Wisconsin to be a Mayo Clinic Care Network Member, giving our specialists the ability to consult with Mayo Clinic experts on a patient’s care. ThedaCare is a non-profit healthcare organization with a level II trauma center, comprehensive cancer treatment, stroke and cardiac programs as well as a foundation dedicated to community service. Construction of ThedaCare Regional Cancer Center in Appleton is underway. For more information, visit www.thedacare.org or follow ThedaCare on Facebook and Twitter.
