Heading upstream

Darcey McCampbell says becoming a nurse is one of the best decisions she’s made. “I was led there by an increasing curiosity to learn more about how I could serve others,” she says.

With a background in sociology and interpersonal communication, Darcey McCampbell was a health care outsider looking in — unsure if a clinical role was her true calling.

That changed in an instant during an administrative shift in the emergency department. After a patient she was speaking with went into cardiac arrest mid-sentence, nurses mobilized immediately to provide lifesaving care.

“The very next day, I signed up for my first CPR class,” McCampbell says. “I later went back to school for nursing, and it has been one of the best decisions I ever made. I was led there by an increasing curiosity to learn more about how I could serve others.”

McCampbell, MN, RN, PHN, SANE-A, graduated from the Master of Nursing program at the University of Minnesota in 2017. She credits faculty mentorship and the school’s partnerships with health systems as highlights of the fast-paced program.

“The opportunity to have really great clinical placements where I could develop those hands-on skills and engage with folks helped with my success as well,” McCampbell says.

Her cohort of fellow MN students grew closer as they completed the program. The bonds formed between her peers, McCampbell says, reflect what it’s like to rely on colleagues as nurses.

“There was one clinical placement where we were caring for a retired nurse,” McCampbell says. “When she found out I was a nursing student, she said, ‘Welcome to the coven — we’re going to take care of you.’”

Addressing access barriers

Today McCampbell serves as a manager of Community Clinical Nursing at Fairview Health Services. In earlier nursing roles in cardiology units, McCampbell encountered patients whose conditions were exacerbated by larger issues, like food insecurity, which are challenging to address in traditional clinical settings.

“The work of inpatient nurses is so incredibly important,” McCampbell says. “But how can we provide more holistic care in the community to ensure that we are providing some of those upstream services, or how can we even prevent people from falling into the stream?”

She supports a team of 40 clinicians from multiple disciplines who provide preventative services, health screenings and dental services. They serve directly in various community spaces, from the state fair to church basements, mosques to farm fields.

“We’re hoping to address many of the barriers people have in accessing medical care and undo some of the mistrust in the health care system by being providers that continue to show up and help to bridge care to other needs,” McCampbell says.

She also serves as a sexual assault nurse examiner at Regions Hospital, treating adults and adolescents who have experienced sexual violence. Gender-based violence is a public health issue tied to systemic inequities, with increased rates during times of stress and scarcity, like the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I was called to this role to be able to help interrupt those cycles of violence that folks experience and to hold space for those experiencing that harm. That’s particularly important for underrepresented communities,” McCampbell says. “As you become more specialized, the less racial and ethnic diversity you see within the profession, and that lack of representation really impacts care.” 

In 2024, McCampbell participated in the Vot-ER Civic Health Fellowship, during which she partnered with nurses across the country to help encourage voter registration. Civic engagement reflects her interest in addressing systemic inequities in health care settings, and she now serves on its advisory board.

As an election judge, McCampbell once encountered a veteran who discharged himself from the hospital to vote, only to show up just as the polls were closing.

“He had discharged himself and risked his own health in order to participate in the civic process,” she says. “Civic engagement is important for everybody and impacts every area of health, so there’s a responsibility of health care professionals as trusted voices to be able to engage in that conversation.”

A pathway to a PhD

In 2025, McCampbell enrolled in the Johns Hopkins Pathway to PhD Nursing Scholars Program, during which she connected with nursing peers, learned from nurse scientist mentors and solidified her interest in pursuing a PhD in nursing.

“PhD-prepared nurses are so important in being able to develop research that ensures the best possible care for patients and communities,” she says.

In recognition of her dedication to community health and wellbeing, McCampbell received the 2025 Rising Star Award from the School of Nursing’s Alumni Society Board of Directors. Though early in her nursing career, McCampbell is committed to addressing systemic issues.

“As the daughter of an immigrant, I know the joy of seeing my loved ones obtain their citizenship, the hurt they experience when there is inadequate language and cultural representation in health care spaces, and the impact on health care access right now during Operation Metro Surge,” McCampbell says. “It’s so important that nurses continue to show up for our most vulnerable communities and make sure we’re all working toward more equitable health care.”