An exclusive interview: What nursing can do for you & the community

Of course, there are a myriad of times I questioned whether nursing was the right path for me. I sobbed many times at work, but I believe nursing allowed me to be a better human being, not only a better nurse because you encounter so many different people. Whether it's your team, your patients, or their families. So I really think it taught me to be a better person, which I really appreciate.

I believe nursing will never die. Because there's so much emotion involved in it, it's not something that can be replaced by robots. I was recently reading a New York Times article about ICU nurses in Arizona, how they were the ones holding the patient's hands when they were dying, because the families couldn't come in. I think nurses will always be that group of people. Pre and post, and during COVID, we were there, and even after COVID we will be there. I'm sad COVID burned a lot of nurses out, but more people saw the importance of healthcare providers and how we care for patients.

Jiwon Lee is a registered nurse with experience in several fields of nursing. She earned a master’s of science in nursing, health leadership, and nursing education from the University of Pennsylvania, and has since taught as an adjunct professor at Helene Fuld College of Nursing in New York. Jiwon is passionate about innovation and entrepreneurship, and recently participated in the NurseHack4Health. She also authors a blog in Korean for nurses in Korea considering a career in the United States.

PLUS: Hear from CCRN Alexander Vincent Santiago in an exclusive “Q & A with a clinical resource nurse!”

Alexander Vincent Santiago, CCRN, CNEcl is a clinical resource nurse at Amana Healthcare in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. He has a BSN and master's in medical surgical nursing from St. Paul University Iloilo in the Philippines. He also has a master's of science in medical and healthcare education from Anglia Ruskin University. Before moving to the UAE, he worked as a nurse manager and a critical care nurse in the Philippines.

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