Aubrey Molegaard sitting at desk

Hospital Week Profile: Aubrey Molgaard

May 17, 2019

The Student & The Teacher

Aubrey Molgaard, RN, CDE, does not like being put in the spotlight. But if you get her talking about diabetes, endocrinology, or her patients – you will see her face light up instantly.

As a Certified Diabetes Educator, Aubrey spends her days working with patients and providers to provide the best care possible. In this role, she spends a lot of her time teaching patients about managing medications and practicing healthy habits, and she works one-on-one with providers to discuss tests, treatments, and follow-up care. She is also highly skilled in the technology side of healthcare – Aubrey works frequently with patients on insulin pumps, continuous glucose monitoring, and other new technologies.

In her role at CCHS, Aubrey is certainly no stranger to teaching, but she’s also frequently in the role of the student, too. While working full-time as an RN, Aubrey also made a personal commitment to complete her Bachelors of Science in Nursing degree. With that completed, her passion for learning continues.

“I am currently studying at Nebraska Methodist College in Omaha in the program for Doctorate in Nursing Practice – Family Nurse Practitioner Track,” she said. This degree is the highest level of academic preparation for nursing practice. Aubrey will graduate in 2021, and her ultimate goal is to work as a Family Nurse Practitioner. “I want to provide a higher level of care for my patients. Healthcare today can be overwhelming as a patient, and I know that I can be there for them to remove barriers and help look at them as a whole person and to bridge the gaps in their care.”

Aubrey will also be taking her expertise to the stage this fall. She was one of 11 chosen by the American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE) to be on the Communities of Interest in Technology division out of 50 states.

“I am presenting to the AADE COI Technology Division about successful technology integration in rural clinics for people with diabetes and the integration of group medical visits with successful patient outcomes,” said Aubrey.  The audience will include individuals from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and national insurance companies. “I will also be presenting with the Cleveland Clinic on technology integration with success stories from a large center, for example Cleveland Clinic and a rural area like us with successful outcomes. This is kind of a big deal in the diabetes world!”

Aubrey’s passion for healthcare and medicine is very apparent in her work. But the reason why she is in healthcare is a little more personal – her family.

“I did not choose healthcare – healthcare chose me!  My mother has Type 1 Diabetes and my father had a liver transplant,” said Aubrey. “I have been around medicine since I was a young child. I realized early on that I always wanted to help people the way people helped my family.”

Her own family includes her husband Peter Molgaard and their three children: Nissa (12), Grayson (9), and Elin (4). As a busy mom, full-time employee, and a student, Aubrey is always on the run. “You will find me at any baseball, softball, and t-ball game where CAM is at,” said Aubrey. Aubrey finds time to help coach basketball and baseball, she serves on the CAM Youth Sports board, and she also advocates for children in the CAM schools.

It’s really no surprise that Aubrey would be passionate about making sure kids succeed in school. In her own roles as student and teacher, she knows the value of a great education.