How has WCU helped you get to where you are today in your career?

WCU provided the necessary resources to help me achieve my ultimate goal of becoming a nurse. Apart from the resources that the school has to offer, WCU staff has been nothing but helpful, friendly, and informative. WCU gave me the tools to carve my own path and achieve my goals. 

What is your specialty and what path did you take to attain your career as a nurse?

I work in an acute care cardiac surgical stepdown unit. I took the path of the BSN program. 

Tell me more about your journey to work in acute care.

My journey in this specialty was not expected by any means. I had applied to other hospitals in different specialties and the unit that I work for now gave me an offer before anyone else. I trust that god puts people in places where they are needed. I am more than happy to be in the unit that I am in.

What has been the most incredible part about your job so far?

The most incredible part about my job so far is being able to help patients recovering from surgeries as well as attending to the needs of more critical patients. The unit I work in is very exhilarating and it takes being calm under pressure to be successful. 

How does your job connect back to your coursework at WCU?

My job connects back to the coursework at WCU in many different ways, for starters the most important thing WCU taught me was how to properly and promptly perform a head to toe assessment. That is very fundamental skill in nursing. Other ways WCU connects to my job are the different skills I have learned along the way, such as peripheral IV placement and Foley catheter insertion. 

Were there any classes or professors that influenced where you are today?

A class that influenced me a lot was my pediatrics class, it influenced me because it was the most challenging class in my WCU experience, it taught me to work and study harder, and to really dig deep to achieve my goal. I would like to give a special shoutout to professors Andrea Cianes, Cindy Ayala, Emilio Xiques, Roselle Samson-Mojares. They were all very influential in my WCU experience. 

What advice do you have for students who want to follow your path?

An advice I have for students is to just be prepared to make sacrifices. This career path is very time-consuming and requires a lot of effort and attention. Be ready to say no to going out for the weekend or going on vacation for the time being, but the other side is very rewarding, so the sacrifice is worth it.

How has your alma mater influenced your relationship and life journey post-graduation?

My alma mater has influenced my relationships and life post-graduation in many ways. For starters, it has taught me that now is the time to really put the pedal to the metal and hit the ground running in terms of working and absorbing knowledge. There are many goals we want to achieve, like buying a house and starting a family, and there needs to be a financial foundation set up in order to proceed with that. At the same time, it has taught us to take advantage of the free time we have to spend with each other and with friends and family, time is short in this life and making the most of every minute is the way we want to carry on throughout life. 

What made you both want to continue your legacy of being in nursing school together?

After a couple of years in community college bouncing around majors, not knowing what to study or what to do, we set out a goal of becoming nurses because of our desire to work in the healthcare field, and nursing is a career that has many doors for you to open and many opportunities to explore, being a bedside nurse is the first phase of the nursing career. 

Are there any funny or memorable stories from your time as a student that you often reminisce about?

Yes there are many memorable stories from our journey. One memorable story was post Covid-19 when the school decided to go back to in-person clinical rotations. Our first live clinical experience was in our mental health class, rotating through a mental health hospital for the first time is very intimidating, to say the least, but we had each other’s backs and our classmates as well and the experience was very positive. Besides that, we can think of the countless Starbucks runs before clinicals, as well as carpooling with classmates to the rotation sites, as well as being part of many study groups. 

Tell us about your sweetheart journey and your love story.

Our love story began in high school. We had known each other since freshman year of high school because we went on the same school bus together, and we became acquaintances at first and later turned into friends and leading up to our senior year, we decided to pursue something romantically. We have been together for nine years and every year is better than the last. We have our arguments like every couple, but good communication goes a long way. We are very happy to have gone through the WCU experience together and now we are excited for the next phase of our lives. 

WCU provides career guidance and assistance but cannot guarantee employment. The views and opinions expressed are those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs or position of the school or of any instructor or student.