Lindy Finch has wanted to help people her entire life. When it was her family who needed the help, the kindness, reassurance, and empathy shown by St. Judes' nurses had a profound impact on her—so much so that it changed her career path and her

Create space

27 days ago 9m 55s

From creating a groundbreaking peer mentoring program to navigating leadership roles with strategic focus, Benita Chatmon's story is a testament to the power of mentorship in achieving long-term goals. By prioritizing her time and commitments b

A hunch

Mar 27th, 2024 17m 6s

Jyu-Lin Chen began her nursing career with a passion for working with children, which led her to a pediatric ICU. Her curiosity and commitment to evidence-based practice shifted her focus to researching obesity trends among Chinese American imm

Footmark

Feb 29th, 2024 17m 37s

Out of 800 applicants, Jitana Benton-Lee was one of 30 selected to participate in a digital innovation boot camp, a collaboration between the American Association of Colleges of Nursing and Apple. The proposal? A visionary app to track nursing

The wind phone

Feb 9th, 2024 17m

Allison Young’s diverse background in East Asian studies, the role she played translating Japanese news bulletins after the 2011 tsunami, and her doctoral study in thanatology unexpectedly converged when she discovered an article online about a

10 years

Jan 24th, 2024 15m 50s

Higinio Fernández-Sánchez's story begins in Tyler, Texas, where he migrated with his family from Mexico at a young age. Determined to pursue his dream of becoming a nurse despite being undocumented, Higinio made the difficult decision to return

BONUS EPISODE | A career grounded in service

Dec 14th, 2023 22m 7s

In this bonus episode of A Nurse First, Sigma president Sandra C. Garmon Bibb shares her incredible career journey and the many firsts she has experienced along the way. From making tremendous decisions to facing challenges head-on, Sandra's st

Helper of mankind

Nov 15th, 2023 16m 49s

Sigma's new president Sandra C. Garmon Bibb always knew she wanted to be a nurse. Finding out at a young age that her name meant "helper of mankind" solidified the decision for her. Little did she know then though how full circle it would all c

Living your truth

Oct 25th, 2023 11m 43s

Katie Foster believes authenticity in healthcare goes beyond personal identity; it is about embodying professionalism, empathy, and dedication to patient well-being. When she reconnected with a patient who didn't recognize her after her transit

Out of determination

Oct 4th, 2023 15m 52s

Facing challenges and limited funding, Jerry John Nutor's determination and passion for improving healthcare led him to create the Africa Interdisciplinary Health Conference—a platform for healthcare professionals to come together, share ideas,

The missing element

Sep 13th, 2023 14m 40s

In nursing, it's not just about being clinically smart, but also emotionally intelligent. The COVID-19 pandemic robbed countless nursing students of their clinical experience—and as an NCLEX tutor, Laura Habighorst has seen the impact on her st

Standing in the gap

Aug 23rd, 2023 18m 32s

To address the mental health crisis head-on, Greg Jones opened the first mental health peer respite center in the Pacific Northwest. His theory is this: If as nurses we have the opportunity to make a difference, we are obliged to because nursin

Built from the ground up

Aug 2nd, 2023 13m 8s

Anthony Silva dropped out of high school to help his mother pay bills and worked various jobs, including being a medical assistant, before finding a mentor in Dr. Richard de Asla, a foot and ankle surgeon. He offered Anthony a full-time job—and

Third season

Jun 1st, 2023 53s

Catch up on seasons 1 and 2 while we take a break to work on season 3. See you back here in August 2023!Connect with Sigma: Tweet us at @SigmaNursing Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn Share your A Nurse First story

Symphony of self-care

May 10th, 2023 18m 50s

During the pandemic, Terri Ann Parnell pivoted her career to launch TAP Wellness Coaching, a program designed to specifically address the unique challenges nurses face in taking care of themselves. With the goal of helping nurses create long-la

The sendoff

Apr 26th, 2023 9m 34s

Admittedly, Imelda Reyes' path to nursing followed a non-traditional route, joining the Navy and starting in healthcare finance. Now a nurse practitioner and faculty member at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, it was also rather unconvention

Cannabis care

Apr 12th, 2023 13m 40s

Linda Casale spent 25+ years as a psychiatric mental health nurse serving the Veteran's Association. She witnessed the struggles veterans faced, especially once the VA recognized the additive effects of opioids and benzodiazepines and aggressiv

Undergraduate, no more

Mar 29th, 2023 12m 19s

Throughout her life, Mar'yana Fisher has turned to poetry to express her feelings creatively and fearlessly. Before leaving Ukraine and immigrating to Canada, she even published a short collection. Her muse struck again when she started graduat

Dream with the stars

Mar 15th, 2023 18m

Daniel Suárez-Baquero is the person he is today because of his abuela. She inspired his dream to work in women's health, and modeling her courage, he became the first male nurse in birth and labor rooms in Colombia. Now his research focuses on

Small keys

Feb 28th, 2023 12m 24s

Cora O'Leary's research study on the challenges faced by nurses caring solo for children with complex healthcare needs led to recommendations for improvements in support and governance. With her study's findings in hand and national policy chan

Grow roots

Feb 15th, 2023 12m 15s

Though still very much a new member of Gamma Tau at-Large Chapter, Trish Eusala went all in, volunteering to lead as the chapter's Community Outreach Chair. The outcome? New connections, invaluable experiences, and unshakeable friendships acros

Own it

Feb 1st, 2023 19m 54s

When Aron King shares that he is an assistant nurse manager, he knows questions are coming. Only 7% of nurses are Black and male so he gets, "How did you get into nursing?" a lot. Most don't mean it to be a microaggression, but regardless, it i

Second season

Nov 30th, 2022 57s

We hope you've enjoyed the past 10 episodes! We'll be back with more in February 2023.Connect with Sigma: Tweet us at @SigmaNursing Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn Share your A Nurse First story

At a crossroads

Nov 16th, 2022 14m 10s

Melissa Sherman knew that helping her best friend with her end-of-life care would change her. She expected grief, in all its forms, but what she didn't see coming was an opportunity to change life and death for others.Connect with Sigma: Tweet

Community kindness

Nov 2nd, 2022 13m 28s

Facing down a certification exam day, Shanan Thode wrestled with self-doubt, fear, and dread. Needing some words of encouragement, she posted on The Circle, Sigma’s professional networking platform. Her anxiety told her no one would respond, bu