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Hispanic Heritage Month Comes to a Close

Monday, October 14, 2024

Hispanic Heritage Month Comes to a Close

Over the last month, we've been celebrating Hispanic nursing students, shining a light on their incredible dedication, resilience, and passion for making a difference in healthcare. The response from those reading the stories has been overwhelmingly positive and supportive!

We close out the month-long focus with four additional students. Thank you to all of our students for sharing their stories and passion for nursing. We are incredibly proud of you!

Nadia Paniagua 

Nadia Paniagua

What led you to choose nursing as a career?
I chose nursing because it is the most fitting career for my passions and goals in life. I’ve always been passionate about nursing, and when I began taking health related classes in high school, I became very passionate about the health sciences and hands-on learning. I also believe that people are meant to give and receive love, and being a nurse would allow me to show love to others while using everything I’ve ever learned and experienced in my life.

What impact do you hope to have on the profession of nursing?
I hope to be a great representative of all nurses to every patient I have. I hope to leave my patients with a good experience in a healthcare setting by advocating for them, earning their trust, and giving them the best care possible. I also hope to be the type of nurse that inspires the next generation to pursue nursing.

How has your Hispanic heritage influenced your nursing career?
Being the daughter of Mexican immigrants, I have seen how people that don’t speak English and aren’t familiar with our healthcare system struggle seeking healthcare. But I’ve also been able to see how healthcare professionals in my community meet the needs of people like my parents, specifically one clinic in my neighborhood that offers many services at no charge to those vulnerable in our community. I hope to meet the needs of people in my community, especially Hispanics who I can relate to through language and culture, like the people who have helped my parents.

What is one piece of advice you would offer to someone seeking a degree in Nursing?
You are never meant to do something alone. Find your community, embrace the support and love you receive from family and friends, and you will always have nurses and nursing students cheering you on!

Final thought...
I’d like to thank God, my family, and my friends who are the reason why I’ve made it this far and will keep moving forward!
 
Laura Rodriquez

Laura Rodriguez

Nursing has always been a passion of mine for as long as I can remember. Growing up I loved being in the hospital setting and loved the idea of taking care of others. Being able to provide for those in need while doing something that I love drew me into nursing. I enjoy the hands-on work nurses do.

As a nurse my goal is to provide my patients with the best care and have them feel heard. Advocating for my patients is important to me, and it is one of my top priorities.

Being Hispanic it has pushed me to work harder in this career. I want to be able to connect with my patients that may have a language barrier and break as many barriers as possible. Providing the medical field with my abilities will impact many patients lives who aren’t able to receive the care they need due to cultural barriers. I want to be part of that small percentage of Hispanic nurses who are able to advocate for their community.

One piece of advice I would offer someone would be to do what you fear most. Don’t allow your fears to stop you from becoming who you want to be or accomplishing what you want. It may seem scary at first but once you get going it gets better. Don’t give up.

Patty Pizano

Patty Pizano

What led you to choose nursing as a career?
What led me to choose nursing as a career was that I always had a passion to help others. It all started when I was a little girl accompanying my mother to her doctor's appointments. I had no idea what many of the medications or diagnosis were, but I knew I wanted to pursue this career. I have been working in the medical field for 5+ years, and I can honestly say it has been the most rewarding experience I have ever had. I continue to better myself by expanding my education and volunteering.

What impact do you hope to have on the profession of nursing?
The impact I hope to have on the profession of nursing is to contribute to the healthcare system by bringing diversity, language skills, and cultural understanding.

How has your Hispanic heritage influenced either of the first two questions?
My Hispanic Heritage has inspired me to do more for this community. Hearing the phrase, "Hablas Español?" gives me motivation to keep going because all it takes is for one person to make a difference in someone's life. Knowing that about 6.9% of registered nurses in the United States are Hispanic inspires me to encourage others to follow their dreams!

What is one piece of advice you would offer to someone seeking a degree in Nursing?
One piece of advice I would offer to someone seeking a degree in nursing is to pursue it and never give up! And always remember that "There is nothing that is thrown your way that you cannot handle." Lastly, take care of you physically and mentally, and don't be afraid to ask for help

Final thoughts...
I am currently in my Junior year second semester at Indiana University Fort Wayne. I hope to become a NICU/peds or psych nurse once I graduate. Thanking God every day for answering my prayers and praying you make it through this journey as well!

Avril Bobienko

Avril Bobienko

What led you to choose nursing as a career?
I chose nursing because of the incredible people who inspire me, especially my parents. My mother and father are my biggest inspirations, and their sacrifices to ensure that I had access to education motivates me every day. Both of my parents have faced significant losses—my mother lost her father, and her mother struggled with cancer. My father lost his father and sister to cancer, while his mother fought and beat cancer at 80 years old. Witnessing the impact of declining health on my family has shaped my desire to provide both physical and emotional care to my patients. I aspire to offer comprehensive, compassionate care, and to make a meaningful difference in the lives of my patients and their families.

What impact do you hope to have on the profession of nursing?
I hope to contribute to nursing by being more than just a caregiver; I want to be a strong advocate for my patients, attending to their emotional as well as physical needs. I want to be someone patients and their families can rely on during difficult times, building trust that enables me to help them achieve their best possible health outcomes. Additionally, I aim to inspire others to pursue nursing by demonstrating the deep, personal connections we can form with those we care for. Through compassion and dedication, I hope to help shape a profession where nurses continue to play a pivotal role in healthcare and patient advocacy.

How has your Hispanic heritage influenced your nursing career?
My Hispanic heritage, and particularly my parents' journey, has deeply influenced my decision to pursue nursing. My parents immigrated from Argentina with the goal of providing me with better educational opportunities. They made significant sacrifices, and although neither of them received an education beyond high school, they always encouraged me to strive for more. Their resilience in navigating their own struggles, including the health challenges faced by our family, has inspired me to follow this path. Their story drives me to work hard and pursue a career that allows me to give back and make a difference in others' lives.

What is one piece of advice you would offer to someone seeking a degree in Nursing?
To those starting their journey in nursing, my best advice is trust the process. Nursing school pre recs are demanding—you’ll have to make sacrifices and spend many long hours studying. For me, the first semester of freshman year was particularly tough, but by the second semester, you start to see the bigger picture. Once you join the program, you begin to learn and grow toward your goal. Keep pushing forward, and remember that every challenge you overcome brings you closer to making a meaningful impact in the field of nursing. It does get better!

  • Vital Signs Newsroom
    • 2025
    • 2024
      • December 2024 BSN graduate features
      • Celebrating Faculty and Student Excellence: Harm Prevention Partners Program Impact
      • Faculty Feature: Dr. Heather Hardin
      • Alumni Feature: Dawn Sites
      • Student Feature: Heather Ward
      • Donor Feature: Susan Buhr
      • Student Feature: Grace Heitzmann
      • Dr. Miyeon Jung
      • First-Generation Student: Chyna Gates
      • Resilience Redefined
      • Making Tomorrow Possible
      • Faculty Research: Dr. Kristin Levoy
      • Student Feature: Dayton Livingston
      • Alumni Feature: Savannah Langbehn
      • Donor Feature: Dr. Rose Mays
      • Bryan White and Marian Gilhooly lead in developing cultural competencies for the nursing curriculum
      • IU School of Nursing addresses state's nursing shortage with largest beginning class ever
      • Faculty Feature: Dr. Greg Carter
      • Celebrating Clinical Nurse Specialists!
      • Senior nursing students Serin Kang and Tomi Abegunde are ready for the start of the fall semester
      • Dr. Yvonne Lu's community-based research aims to increase health literacy about Alzheimer's Disease and related dementia among African Americans
      • IU student nurses experience healthcare in Kenya
      • Faculty Feature: Dr. Elizabeth Holtel
      • Dr. Jane von Gaudecker receives $2.4 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to address epilepsy treatment gap in western Kenya
      • Catalyst for change in The Kingdom of Eswatini
      • Fagan and Howle named Jonas Scholars
      • Jennifer Fuentes
      • Charlotte Carlley
      • IU School of Nursing Faculty Promotions
      • Dr. Jamie Rausch awarded August Tomusk Research Fund grant
      • Top 100: Gillienne Boyd
      • Elite 50: Stephanie Zidek
      • Top 100: Megan Szymanski
      • Top 100: Abby Henderson
      • Top 100: Emma Bucher
      • Kay Farmer
      • Kiki Suttle
      • Elham Algashgari
      • U.S. News & World Report's Best Online Nursing Rankings 2024
      • Top 100: Valliei Chandrakumar
      • Faculty Feature: Dr. Cindy Hill
      • Top 100: Tatum Murawski
      • Faculty Feature: Britney Arce
      • Faculty Feature: Dr. Melanie Gall
      • National Mentoring Month: Drs. Pei-Shiun Chang and Yvonne Lu
      • $15.5 million NIH award funds development of national network to include nursing home residents in clinical trials
      • Meet the IU School of Nursing Regatta Teams!
      • Meet the IU School of Nursing Regatta Teams!
      • Meet the IU School of Nursing Regatta Teams!
      • Student Feature: Ella Colclesser
      • Hispanic Heritage Month
      • Faculty Research: Dr. Jane von Gaudecker
      • Faculty Research: Dr. Jamie Rausch
      • Meet the IU School of Nursing Regatta Teams!
      • Faculty Research: Dr. Jennifer Brower
      • Meet the IU School of Nursing Regatta Volunteers!
      • Graduate student: Sarah Kenny
      • Hispanic Heritage Month Comes to a Close
      • Faculty Driving Change: Linda Romines and Sheila Wright
    • Search Articles
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