Career Readiness with Erika

Transcript

Erika is a senior nursing student from Pawtucket, Rhode Island. RIC is nationally renowned for its School of Nursing, but Erika discovered her passion for patient care in a much more personal way. She was even able to connect with her career aspirations with her Cape Verdean heritage through RIC’s Institute for Portuguese and Lusophone World Studies. Erika, take it away.

– Thanks, Alex. Hey, y’all. Upon graduating high school, I knew I wanted to pursue a career in the medical field and declared as a Pre-Med major. Little did I know Rhode Island College has so many options for careers in healthcare, like life sciences, behavioral health, medical imaging, healthcare administration, and more. I lived on campus my first semester and felt like I was living the college dream as a first-generation student. I even had the chance to connect my Cape Verdean roots by minoring in Portuguese, but then we got the news that my mom had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Even though it was one of the hardest times of my life, I realized something beautiful. I saw the impact that nurses have and wanted to make the same difference for other families, that’s why I switched to nursing. RIC’s School of Nursing is ranked in the top 20 in New England with a 90% passing grade on the licensing exam. I learned fundamentals in a state-of-the-art nursing facility right here on campus. It features every essential item in a doctor’s office as well as a simulation room with a mannequin that blinks. Once you become an upperclassman, you move on to the Rhode Island Nursing Education Center. Located in the heart of Downtown Providence, this top-notch facility features cutting-edge simulation spaces equipped with mannequins that allow you to take a pulse and hear lung and heart sounds. There’s also high-tech spaces for study sessions with your peers. My clinical rotations have been my favorite part of the program. RIC nursing students gain real-world experiences in hospitals, clinics and schools all over the state. That hands-on experience with patient care makes me more confident in my future career and special needs nursing. It may be even interpreting. Back to you, Alex.

– Thank you, Erika, for sharing your powerful story with us. RIC provides so many pathways into healthcare careers from nursing and community health to health education and healthcare administration. You’re continuing the proud tradition of RIC grads who have become nurses, doctors, and even hospital presidents. Way to go, Erika.