A place – and a job – that feel like home: One nurse’s journey from the suburbs of Chicago to Iowa City
Ashley Price found more than a job at UI Health Care – she found a community that has allowed her to grow, both at work and at home.
Ashley Price, RN, BSN, PMH-BC, thought she was heading home for good after nursing school. But once she returned to the bustle of her hometown in Chicago’s northern suburbs to complete her licensing exams, she realized something surprising — she missed Iowa. She missed the people, her family connections, and the pace of life she’d come to appreciate during her time at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa.
So, she made the decision to return to Iowa to build her career. Here, she joined University of Iowa Health Care and found far more than a job. She found a community that welcomed her with open arms and invested in her success from the start.
“From the moment I arrived, I felt like I belonged,” Price says.
Over the past decade, UI Health Care – and the Iowa City area – have been the perfect places for Price as her life has evolved, both at work and at home.
A career shaped by unexpected opportunities
Price began her career at UI Health Care in inpatient child psychiatry before transitioning to adult psychiatric care, eventually stepping into her current position as an assistant nurse manager. Over the years, UI Health Care has offered her opportunities she never expected. From leadership roles to participation in an American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) National Magnet & Pathway Conference™ to flexible scheduling that allowed her to teach clinicals at nearby Kirkwood Community College, Price says it all helped shape the leader she is today.
“What has always impressed me is the commitment to support at every level. Leaders are visible, engaged, and genuinely invested in nurturing their teams,” Price says.
Having worked with many leaders who encouraged her own growth, Price says she feels grateful to now mentor her team members as they navigate their career paths.
Price says the culture at UI Health Care is built on collaboration, kindness, and a shared sense of mission. And as part of Iowa’s only academic medical center, nurses are encouraged to use the full breadth of their training, contribute ideas, engage with research, and help shape the future of patient care. Together, those experiences have provided the right balance of leading-edge innovation and supportive work culture for Price.
A sense of community at work and at home
While her responsibilities at work have expanded, so has her life at home. Price went from being single and living in a condo to married with a young son living in a smaller nearby town. The sense of belonging she feels at her job extends beyond her workplace – it’s part of her community, too, providing a quality of life she didn’t expect.
Price and her husband now live in North Liberty, a quick 15-minute drive from UI Health Care’s university campus and a far cry from the long commutes of larger cities. It also gives their 4-year-old son the chance to thrive through sports, school, and a safe neighborhood filled with young families.
The family spends their free time exploring local parks and hiking trails, attending Iowa Hawkeye football games, swimming at Lake Macbride State Park, and enjoying the variety of restaurants and cuisines in the Iowa City area.
“There is just so much more to do here than people realize,” Price says.
When they want a change of pace, Price says they will plan weekend getaways in historic cities like Dubuque (90 minutes away), in the capital city of Des Moines (1 hour, 45 minutes away), or back home to Chicago (3 hours, 30 minutes away).
The best of all worlds
Today, Price encourages other nurses – especially those from urban areas who want to grow their careers and families – to consider UI Health Care and the Iowa City area. UI Health Care has recently expanded from one hospital to three, so there are even more opportunities for nurses to find a role that fits their career goals and lifestyle needs.
“Here, it’s the best of all worlds. Endless opportunities for career growth and education, coupled with a quality of life that can’t be beat,” Price says. “I came for my career, but I stayed because this community has given me and my family so much more than I ever expected.”
