Changing Lives, One Patient at a Time
Amy Ehrlichmann
Master of Science in Nursing: Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP)
Class of 2024
When Amy Ehrlichmann was just 24 years old, she lost her father to type 1 diabetes. This had a profound effect on her and ultimately helped her find her professional calling.
Looking back, Amy believes that a lack of education about how to manage diabetes may have contributed to her father’s premature passing.
“Growing up, I didn’t realize what I didn’t know,” she says. “Now I understand what our family wasn't told, and the information we weren’t given. It’s just a crying shame. And I wanted to do what I could to help others who were in a similar situation.”
Turning Her Focus to Diabetes Education
In 2010 Amy was herself diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, and this further strengthened her resolve to make a positive impact on the lives of others who are facing the same challenges.
Already a registered nurse, she shifted her career focus and began working as a diabetes educator at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minnesota.
In this new role, she was able to draw on her education as well as her personal experience to empower patients, simplify complex medical advice, and help people take meaningful steps toward managing their conditions.
“Living with diabetes is hard, especially if you don’t have the proper tools or knowledge,” she says. “I know how to make diabetes more understandable and easier for people to manage.”
It was during this time that she started thinking about how she could take her impact even further. Watching her mentor spearhead initiatives like advancing insulin drip protocols fueled her aspiration to improve endocrinology practices and diabetes care.
“I was inspired by what she was doing, and it made me think, ‘I want to make that kind of change.’ And I realized that to get there, I needed more education.”
The Path to Becoming an Endocrine Nurse Practitioner
Amy decided the next step in her career was to become an endocrine nurse practitioner. In this role, she would be able to diagnose and treat patients with endocrine diseases, such as diabetes, thyroid issues, and osteoporosis, among others.
She saw the job as a natural progression from being a diabetes educator. She could continue educating patients and their families about diabetes, but the role would allow her to take more responsibility and work with an added level of autonomy.
“I wanted to be able to tell patients what to do without having to ask permission — I’ve been doing it for years, and I just needed the credentials to take charge at the patient level,” Amy shares.
Choosing Bradley to Earn Her MSN
This realization provided her with the motivation to pursue a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) with a specialization in adult-gerontology primary care, a necessary step to become an endocrine nurse practitioner.
When it came to choosing a program, Amy researched schools from across the country and says Bradley is the one that checked all the boxes for her.
“I wasn’t looking for a self-directed, detached program,” she says. “Bradley’s approach felt personal. Despite being online, it didn’t feel distant — it was clear the professors were invested in my success. Plus, it’s a highly rated program and it offered exactly what I needed to help me take the next step in my career.”
Partners Working Together to Succeed
Returning to school after spending a number of years in the workforce can be intimidating, and Amy admits to having some jitters at first. But she says the support she received from her instructors provided a source of comfort.
“At the start of every semester, you’re thinking, ‘this is so overwhelming. I can’t do this.’ But then the faculty members are saying, ‘Don’t worry, we’ll get through this,’ and that made my experience easier,” she says.
“It felt like we were partners working together to get me to where I wanted to be. All my professors want to see me succeed, and they’ll do whatever they can to help me get there.”
Bradley’s curriculum, which blends hands-on assignments like videos, PowerPoint presentations, and concept mapping with traditional assessments, challenged and prepared her for real-world practice.
In addition to the academic coursework, Amy found the program’s emphasis on professional development invaluable.
One course in particular that stood out to her was NUR 690: Professional Aspects of Advanced Nursing Practice, which focuses on helping students find employment after they graduate.
“Bradley didn’t just prepare me to pass boards — they prepared me to succeed in the real world. For students still seeking jobs, they walk you through every step needed to land one,” she adds. “This information is out there, but you’d have to do a lot of self-learning if they didn’t teach it.”
Ready to Take on Her Next Challenge
Even before graduating from Bradley, Amy secured a role as an endocrine nurse practitioner in the Allina Health system in Minnesota. She’s eager to apply her education, experience, and passion for diabetes care to make a meaningful difference.
“People are scared of diabetes because they think it’s too complex. Yeah, it is complex, but it doesn’t have to be. You don't have to know everything an endocrinologist knows to be successful, and I’m here to teach you what you need to know. It’s a talent I want to share, one patient at a time.”
If you’re ready to grow in your nursing career and have an even greater impact, discover how Bradley’s suite of online graduate degrees and certificates can prepare you for your next role.