As a mother, a Puerto Rican, and nurse, there was one particular week on the job that struck a cord with me. It was about 12 years ago and seemed like an ordinary start to the week until a patient came in and impacted my thoughts and actions forever forward.
It was early in the morning and the rain was coming down in buckets. The car swam through the floods and my children and I gently surfed our way to their school for their typical drop-off. I said goodbye to them and continued the surf to the hospital where I worked. I took the last sips of my coffee and walked into the hospital to begin my day.
As I opened the doors to the hospital, I remember hearing loud screams and crying of a Hispanic woman named Maria. She was injured and her children brought her in. She was afraid to be in the hospital for fear of deportation and she was afraid she would lose her children to child services. The woman’s injuries were severe. The translator was off duty and I was asked to step in. As the woman’s tears rolled down her face and formed a flood, I drowned in her story. She came to the country and was working in a factory to support her children and give them the so-called American dream. She had a massive cut on her leg and pleaded for the health workers to let her go. She didn’t want to get in trouble with the government nor risk losing her job. She said she was finally earning enough to start saving for her children’s’ college education. My heart began to bleed with pity and pride. I felt so bad for the women’s physical and emotional pain, but so amazed at her work ethic and gumption for her children. I translated to her that she needed care and we would try to help her as much as we could.
After her procedures, I was called in to translate to her. After going through the medical updates, I had a private conversation with her. I told her my story of coming to the US and wanting to make a better life for my family. I told her how amazed I was with her and how I could tell she would reach her goals. She surprised me and asked me what my goals were, and I wondered, what are my goals?
I left the hospital, and the rain had finally ended. The sky was heavy with clouds and the sun was fighting to be seen. When I arrived at home my children were setting the table for the slow-cooker meal that was piping hot and ready to be devoured. As we sat around the table eating dinner, I wondered what my goals were, and coincidentally, my children were asking about their upcoming career day field trips. As we looked through the list of options, I felt like I was looking, too. The lists were long but opened up waves of opportunity that I knew my children would one day experience. I wondered if any of these careers made sense for me, even though I already had a career. I thought about how could I advance my passion for nursing and healthcare and set new goals for myself.
The next day I checked on my Maria, and she was doing well. She would be checking out of the hospital and be cared for under a primary physical. She asked me if I thought of any new goals. I told her I was thinking about it but was not sure. I told her about the career day choices and she had me read the list to her. She began laughing. She said she knew the perfect career choice for me, a LPN! It was if a light bulb had gone on in the my brain and a lightning bolt of of logic struck me! It made perfect sense. By being an LPN, I could enhance my career and passions. I smiled at Maria and gave her a hug. When I signed her out of the hospital, we said our goodbyes.
My conversations with Maria have inspired me to return to school to become an LPN. Although the classes and hours are challenging, I love the challenge. I also know I am being the best mother and role model I can be for my children. I believe that by becoming an LPN, I am contributing my community’s welfare and teaching my children about always being your best self. To this day, I have my conversations with Maria to thank for my career advancement and the motivation to always challenge my children and myself.