Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month: Featuring Rigo Lemus

The orgullo, or pride, felt by many Hispanics who are living the American dream is a sentiment expressed by Rigo Lemus, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA). He shares his experience of being both a health-care hero and an American hero. Thank you for serving our country, Rigo, and happy National Hispanic Heritage Month!

“As a recent graduate of the Allegheny School of Anesthesia at Duquesne University, I’m extremely proud to be a Latino CRNA. Being a second-generation immigrant, you are born with the weight of your parents’ dreams and struggles.

My Honduran parents came to this country with little to no English. I was often asked: ‘How could I not be successful if I was born here and know the language?’ This was usually followed with a motivational idiom like, “ponte las pilas,” which I think translates loosely to “put the batteries in.” So, with the “batteries in,” I went to work.

I proudly served in the U.S. Air Force during the Iraq War. Within a week of being honorably discharged, I started nursing school and worked for 10 years as a nurse. I started on a tele-floor and kept moving up until I worked a few years in a CTICU, always believing that one day I would reach my goal of being a CRNA. Now, as I embark on a new career, I am grateful for my Latin roots. All the years of hard work seem to have paid off just like my parents always preached to me: That an immigrant’s son can accomplish anything he puts his mind to with a little hard work and orgullo.”

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

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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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