Our #Smile4Kids cause in May was #SuperHeroNurses: spotlighting a few of our volunteers and nursing students to recognize, appreciate and invest in them!
As nursing roles expand in scope and nurses find themselves working in direct patient care or building healthier communities in a variety of other ways, there has grown an entirely new set of challenges for nurses to solve. Now more than ever, nurses are relied upon to use their unique skill sets to improve health conditions globally.
Amara works in the medical/surgical/telemetry/stroke unit at Scripps Encinitas, where she has worked as preceptor, resource nurse, and charge nurse since graduating three years ago. “Nursing for me is about caring for others when they are unable. Taking someone’s worst day and making it a little bit more manageable. Providing the bridge between physicians and patients.” Amara participated in a month-long Nursing Exchange Program in 2017 in and around Hue, Vietnam, working alongside local nursing students. “ConnectMed allowed me to open up and see other cultures, families, and medical professionals. It provided a link to the different avenues and lifestyles of medicine but also showed me that we all strive for a similar goal: healthy people in the mind, body, and soul.”
Lien worked at Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla, mainly in ICU. She also taught nursing for 20 years at Cal State University. “Nursing means helping patients with their physical needs and supporting them in managing their illnesses through education and emotional support. It also means treating everyone with respect and compassion…I have known CMI since the start…and have admired its work in helping patients with physical challenges with not only surgery but also with their emotions and rehab. Education is also their focus and has been exceptional with training courses and supporting nursing students in Vietnam through scholarships.”
Crissy has participated in the Vietnamese Nursing Exchange Program and volunteered during surgical outreach days in Mexico. She graduated in December 2019 and worked as an Emergency Department Nurse in Tacoma, WA. “Being a nurse to me means being somebody’s guide, advocate, and confidant while they are in my care. When somebody is at the ER, it is usually a day they do not forget…I want to be there helping them understand what and why things are happening and allow them to voice their concerns…ConnectMed is not only an organization that helps so many of those in need, but it also inspires us, healthcare workers! Working with ConnectMed in Vietnam and Mexico has shown me the significance that culture has on patients’ experience and the importance of respecting that.”
