Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month: Featuring SRNA Mamawa Hollendyke, MSN, RN

Mamawa Hollendyke, MSN, RN

💚🤍 Mamawa Hollendyke, MSN, RN, is as Student Registered Nurse Anesthetists (SRNA) at York College of Pennsylvania’s WellSpan Health Nurse Anesthetist Program. As a first-year student, she understands the importance of building strong relationships with her fellow SRNAs. She has gained a new family in the 3,000-plus Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) in Pennsylvania. An immigrant herself, Mamawa speaks of the beauty of embracing each other’s uniqueness. She also reminds us of the beauty in the lessons we learn from the communities we serve. Thank you, Mamawa, for sharing your story and for celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month with us.

“Hispanic Heritage Month is a good reminder to celebrate each other every day and embrace our unique identities. As I reflect on my own experiences, I began to realize how fortunate I was to have been exposed to the rich Latinx and Hispanic cultures as an ICU nurse in a predominantly Spanish-speaking city hospital in New York.

The majority of my Hispanic colleagues tended to be the hardest working and most inclusive individuals, making the work environment positive and enjoyable. They would be the first ones to come to my aid, help me with my patients, and even go out of their way to educate me on medical Spanish.

Hispanic patients and families throughout my career have also been the most patient and understanding, especially those from Puerto Rican, Mexican, and Peruvian backgrounds, just to name a few.

Their close family relations, respect for their elders and their ability to speak multiple languages and navigate different cultures and customs is admirable. Many of these patients tended to be some of the most gracious and unselfish people I ever encountered. For instance, patients who spoke little to no English were so glad for my efforts at communicating with them --- even if, at times, my own efforts were feeble. Often, I was also provided with homemade meals or given handwritten cards to express their gratitude for being their nurse. These are only a few of the many wonderful experiences I can share of my fellow Hispanic patients and colleagues. With that being said, I am so honored this month is dedicated to uplifting the hardworking, resilient, and diverse Hispanic community that makes our profession and our country a better place every day. Cheers to Hispanic Heritage Month!”

🩺💙 For additional #HispanicCRNA stories in our #HispanicHeritageMonth blog series, click here.

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Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month: Featuring Veronica Hincapie Escobar

Dr. Veronica Hincapie Escobar, DNP, CRNA, is a graduate of the Crozer Chester Medical Center Nurse Anesthesia Program at Villanova University. She is a Colombian immigrant who rose through the health-care ranks from environmental services to Registered Nurse (RN), and is now Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA). She delivers anesthesia at WellSpan York Hospital with a positive attitude and is eager to continue to grow in her practice. When asked what it means to her to be a Hispanic CRNA, she responded:

“Being a Hispanic CRNA means that I get to show future generations that with discipline and determination you can exceed academically and professionally. The Hispanic resilience, positive outlook, work ethic, and empathy gave me the confidence to continue pursuing my dream to work as an anesthesia provider. Being a Hispanic bilingual CRNA gives me the satisfaction of providing high-quality and safe anesthesia care to our growing community.”

✨ Thank you, Dr. Hincapie Escobar, for sharing your thoughts and happy National Hispanic Heritage Month to the Hispanic communities you serve and all communities across Pennsylvania!

🩺💙 For additional #HispanicCRNA stories in our #HispanicHeritageMonth blog series, click here.

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Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month: Featuring SRNA Jorge Alvarez

Jorge Alvarez is a 3rd year student at Villanova University Nurse Anesthesia Program at Villanova University, where he will graduate in December 2022. He won the Pennsylvania Association of Nurse Anesthetists’ 2022 Student of the Year Award. The upcoming celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month allowed him to reflect on the path he has taken to reach his goal of becoming a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA):

“This Hispanic Heritage Month I am reflecting on the journey that, in a few short months, will lead me towards my career as a CRNA. My mother brought us to the U.S. from the Dominican Republic when I was eight years old. As a single mother, she worked multiple jobs to make ends meet so that my sister and I would have a chance at a better education and life than she did. My mom set a strong example of what work ethic means and how your attitude and perseverance contribute to your success. I keep my heritage alive by honoring my family’s sacrifices for their children, always remembering our humbling beginnings, and the privilege that it is to have an opportunity at higher education. As Hispanic SRNAs and CRNAs, we are united as one extended family. My hope for the future of anesthesia in PA is that we continue to bring representation to the profession so that we may reduce stereotypes while simultaneously validating and inspiring other Hispanic and underrepresented youths along the way.”

🩺💙 For additional #HispanicCRNA stories in our#HispanicHeritageMonth blog series, click here.

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