A Nurse First

When faced with adversity and inequality, Patricia Coleman-Burns had the choice to accept the status quo or take a stand and work toward change. In her case, the injustice she experienced in the workplace fueled her passion for advocacy and breaking barriers in nursing for others, creating unmatched positive change in her community.

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Starting a business can be daunting, but with the right mindset and belief in yourself, anything is possible. That's Farah Laurent's take, and one huge leap of faith later, she's helping nurses level up in their careers and find their dream jobs in less than 90 days with her very own coaching business.

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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 life. 

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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 based on her professional goals and understanding the importance of saying "yes" to opportunities that align with her objectives, Benita exemplifies the value of mentorship in guiding career decisions and achieving long-term success.

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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 immigrant children. Despite initial skepticism, she pursued her inquiry based on clinical observations and a need for data. Her pioneering research earned her induction into Sigma's 2023 International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame.

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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 students' core competencies, moving away from archaic paper methods to a dynamic, digital solution.

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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 gardener in Otsuchi, Japan, and an old British phone booth.

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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 to Mexico, only to face a 10-year ban from re-entering the U.S. after being denied a study permit. His time there turned out to be a blessing in disguise though, as he embraced his culture, became fluent in Spanish, and discovered a passion for research.

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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 story is one of inspiration.

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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 come as she put pen to paper to develop Sigma’s 2023-2025 organizational call to action.

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• Tweet us at @SigmaNursing
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• Share your A Nurse First story