Jasmin Guzman grew up in Menlo Park, California and graduated from San Francisco State University. She is Latina and is proud of being a nurse. Jasmin genuinely loves her job and seeing her patients smile melts her heart and it reminds her that it was all worth it. She is currently working at Mills-Peninsula Hospital, Burlingame and she has been there since she was 22 years old. She first started off as a medical assistant and then as a registered nurse. She has been a nurse for about 6 years now.
What do you love most about your job?
What I love most about my job is the opportunity of taking care of patients, giving them my 110%. I love seeing patients regain their health again.
What is one piece of advice that you have for first generation LatinX students who are pursuing a career in the medical field?
One piece of advice I’ll give my fellow first generation LatinX students is that you have to give it your 110% when going into nursing school. After you graduate and are working as a nurse you would want to always treat your patients with respect and compassion. I always say treat them how you will treat a loved one. Remember to always smile no matter what the situation is, you will brighten someone’s day.
What are your job responsibilities? What is expected from you?
My job responsibilities vary day by day, sometimes I can be doing paperwork while the other I can be with patients all day. When I am with patients in the clinic, I go into the patient’s room, go over medications, prepare them for the doctor, help the doctor with certain medical procedures such as wound care, ultrasound injections, order medications and lastly discharge the patient from office. I am expected to make sure every patient leaves our office understanding what the plan of care is.
How did you decide that this is the career you want to go into? How did you get started? What was your career path like?
I decided to be a nurse when my grandmother was in the hospital for several weeks. The way the nurses treated her and took care of her was just fantastic. My grandmother will always talk highly about them. When I graduated high school, I wanted to be a nurse, but I didn’t have the guide I needed. I started at DeAnza community college from there I transferred to SFSU. It wasn’t easy because when I transferred to SFSU the nursing field was so impacted so you had a small chance of getting in right away, which for me I waited 2 years. While I was at DeAnza I got my Medical Assistant certificate which gave me the advantage of getting into the medical industry. While I was at SFSU I was also working as a Medical assistant.
How has your job changed since the pandemic hit? What does it look like to be a nurse now?
The pandemic has definitely changed everyone’s lives but especially as a nurse. Before the pandemic we didn’t take the extra precautions that we do now. For example, we try to avoid as much as contact with patients. If we are in a room, we try to be in there for 5 minutes or less. We no longer are allowed to shake hands or give them hugs.
What is something you have gained that has benefited you from your career?
Something that I have gained that has benefited me from my career is the true definition of compassion for others and always remember to look on the bright side.
Are you bilingual? If so, has being bilingual given you more opportunities?
I am proficient in English and Spanish which has made my career so much easier. Being bilingual in the bay area has given me so many more job opportunities. I am currently the only nurse in my department who can speak Spanish and it makes me proud I can help my Spanish speaker patients.
What are your future plans career wise?
My future plan as a nurse is to be a nurse case manager. A nurse case manager is responsible for the coordination of the various elements that are involved in the care of an individual when it’s time to be discharged from a hospital.