BLACK HISTORY MONTH: Tita’s long & winding road makes him a compass for others to follow

Tita Pale Ndognjem, DNAP, CRNA, says he never knew about Black History Month until he came to the United States. Yet, he’s the perfect example for why Americans pause every February to pay tribute to individuals like him.

Tita’s career began in his native country of Cameroon, and it took him through France, England, and now the United States. There were many challenges along the way. Learning the cultures, health-care systems, and specific attributes of each country has been a herculean task. Licensure procedures, socio-cultural and legal implications, and adapting to the environment of care are all very different as well.

However, Tita says, none of those compared to the challenges of anesthesia school, especially for a minority male in a majority white female profession, where he always has to earn the trust of his colleagues, patients, and mentors. The emergence of COVID-19 with the ensuing social and economic disruptions right at the beginning of anesthesia school made matters worse.

Still, Tita persevered. Among his achievements was graduating from the Excela Health School of Anesthesia in 2022 and then passing the NBCRNA certification exam at first trial. He is currently employed at the University of Maryland Capital Region Medical Center in Largo, Md.

From the very beginning, Tita chose the profession because of his passion and desire to provide service to others in need. He views his career as vocation and as a call to compassionate and dedicated service to his patients.

For that guidance, he has a number of mentors to thank: Nkam Mongwa; Dr. Edwin Aroke; Dr. Mike DeBroeck; Dr. Danielle Gray; Dr. Kelly Mallone; Dr. Sue Tranchine; Dr. Jessica Pool; Dr. Laura Wiggins; and Joe Herman, just to name a few.

“This list is endless because it truly takes a village to raise a child,” Tita said (African Proverb).

Beyond providing compassionate, quality, and evidenced-based anesthesia services to his patients, Tita also plans to continue his involvement with the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA), the Pennsylvania Association of Nurse Anesthetists (PANA), and the Association of Cameroonian Nurse Anesthetists in America (ACNAA) to give back to the profession by contributing financially, mentoring other nurses seeking admission in nurse anesthesia programs, and learning more knowledge and skills.

In other words, watch for him to help shape the future of the profession, which, in a way, is exactly what Black History Month is all about, as Tita now knows.

“It is a time to celebrate the contribution of people of African descent to the great American story, as well as the continuous search for equity, diversity, and representation of all the demographic strata of the American family,” Tita said. “It is a time to ponder on the specific issues that disproportionately affect people of African descent in America and make strides toward a more just and fair union.”

VIEW MORE BLACK HISTORY MONTH STORIES

BLACK HISTORY MONTH: Jacqueline Sergon is reaching new heights – literally!

Jacqueline Sergon, MSN, BA, CRNP, CCRN, SRNA, has had to overcome immense personal self-doubt, financial challenges, institutional racial micro-aggression, and discrimination to get to where she is today.

That’s why the SRNA at the University of Pittsburgh has made it among her personal and professional goals to correct the current narrative of who comes to mind when people think of a CRNA. She reflected on her journey during Black History Month.

“These challenges remain ever present in many SRNA’s lives,” said Sergon, who added that another reason she chose this profession is because it gives her the opportunity to impact positive, indelible change in her patients’ lives.

“I do recognize these challenges for what they are, though, and the unique role they play in shaping not only my personal outlook, but a collective outlook as well,” she said.

Sergon is already making a huge impact and leaving a mark for herself. She won the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists’ 2022 student-essay award as a first-year SRNA, making her the first in Pitt’s history to do so. That was meaningful, she said.

She continues to pay homage to legacy pioneers like Esther McCready, the first Black student at her alma mater, The University of Maryland, whom she had the honor of meeting; Goldie Bragman, the first Black AANA president; and, most of all, her personal mentor, Dr. Wallena Gould, CEO & Founder of Diversity CRNA and Chair of The American Academy of Nursing’s Diversity & Inclusivity Committee.

But Sergon isn’t stopping there. Her drive is to scale new heights and slay old barriers in terms of further scholarship, further advocacy, further mentorship, and further diversity and inclusivity --- doing the work she says she needs to do and that needs to be done.

“Black History Month to me is about the solemnity with which we honor our forebears’ sacrifices, the profound gratitude for our opportunities, and not least of all, the sobriety with which we realize there is still much, much more work to do,” Sergon said.

We can expect her to continue to reach new heights --- literally. She already has her pilot’s license!

“It’s important to nourish our personal passions that keep us going,” she said.

VIEW MORE BLACK HISTORY MONTH STORIES

BLACK HISTORY MONTH: First-generation American one-of-a-kind achiever

It was Perpetua M. Auguste’s cousin who introduced her to the fact that she can go beyond bedside nursing and specialize. Her choice? Nurse anesthesia.

“I chose to pursue a graduate degree in nurse anesthesia because I believed I could do it,” said Auguste, BSN, RN, CCRN, who is on pace to graduate from the University of Pennsylvania in 2025. “Don’t get me wrong: The thought was scary and overwhelming, and I didn’t exactly know how or when. I just knew I wanted it.”

Fast forward to 2020 and she was well positioned and prepared to apply after overcoming some of the challenges of being a first-generation American.

As the first born to two Haitian immigrant parents who don’t have college degrees, Auguste had to navigate all the systems on her own. She didn’t have the blueprint or the resources many of her classmates had as undergraduates, or even some of her former colleagues who moved on to school before her.

But, through determination, persistence, being resourceful and asking plenty of questions, she is now in the final semester of her first year as an SRNA --- and she couldn’t be prouder.

“I can feel the approval of my late grandmother and all of those who fought for Black people to be where I am right now,” Auguste said. “I can sense their pride and I draw from that. Their legacy is helping me create mine. Because they did, I can, and I will.”

Auguste said their part in Black history has created her opportunity and she wants to keep working to make her own contributions.

Now, her future in anesthesia looks bright as she is ready to continue to learn as much as she can while earning her degree.

“I’m excited to see where this journey leads me and to continue to build on this foundation and grow in my practice,” she said.

VIEW MORE BLACK HISTORY MONTH STORIES