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BWH is rooting for the Boston College Eagles in tonight's semifinals of the Women's Ice Hockey Frozen Four. With BWH Emergency Medicine's Sarah Joy Carlson, BSN, RN, behind the bench as an assistant coach, the Eagles face off against Minnesota-Deluth in Lake Placid. If they win tonight, the team will play for the NCAA championship on Sunday.
"It's exciting to work with so many talented clinicians and be able to serve as an assistant coach at BC," said Carlson, who came to BWH's newly licensed nurse program after graduating from BC's Connell School of Nursing in 2005.
Carlson's dream to play college hockey brought her to Boston from Kenny Lake, Alaska, a rural community with fewer than 400 residents. She played for the Eagles for four years. "It was challenging, and I was always busy, but I was totally blessed to be in a position to study to be a nurse and play hockey, and even more so now," Carlson said.
Heidi Crim, RN, BSN, CEN, acting nurse manager in the ED, said Carlson balances her packed schedule with ease. "Sarah has developed into an excellent emergency nurse, and she's incredibly humble about it," she said.
Carlson's resume is filled with awards and leadership posts, including twice serving as captain of the BC hockey team. She was honored as "college hockey's finest citizen" with the NCAA Hockey Humanitarian Award in 2005. Last year, ESPN featured Carlson in a television ad campaign showcasing college athletes who "turn pro in something other than sports."
In addition to hockey and nursing, Carlson continues to volunteer and support several charities. She has volunteered in Mexico, Dominican Republic and Ecuador, and she volunteers and raises money for Boston-area charities, too.
Carlson is the oldest of seven children. Her father served as principal of her hometown kindergarten through grade 12 school, and her mother is a nurse, too. Kenny Lake is in rural Alaska, about 30 miles from the end of the state-maintained road system and five hours from the nearest McDonald's.
"I skated on a lot of outdoor rinks growing up, and we did a lot of shoveling," she said, with her near-permanent smile punctuating her declaration.
"Being able to both coach and be a nurse at the Brigham is so exciting," Carlson said.