Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month: Featuring SRNA 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!”