Name: Hanna Kim

Medical Title/Credentials: RN, BSN

School/Program: Glendale Community College and University of Texas Arlington

Favorite food: Omelettes!! Nearly any ingredient can be placed in an omelette; cheese, sausage, ham, mushroom, tomatoes, bacon, chorizos, etc. You name it!! 

Why did you choose your profession? I was working as a paralegal in downtown LA after graduating from UC Irvine in Criminology. It was a very mundane, repetitive job and I was not enjoying work one bit. Then one night, I got into a car accident on the freeway and was sent to the hospital. Luckily, I only stayed one night and did not have any injuries. But while I was in the hospital, I observed everyone working together to help me get better. The nurses, nursing assistants, transport, doctors and even the cleaning crew were all professional and in my eyes every one of them looked like heroes. That’s when I realized I needed to change my career and follow my dream into becoming a nurse.

Biggest Inspiration: My charge nurse from my first hospital as a new grad. She was a strong, and kind nurse who was never afraid to stand up for what she believed in. She always stood up for the nurses and showed tremendous leadership skills while still maintaining a gentle motherly side. I still to this day look up to her and is my inspiration to always striving to be a better, smarter and caring nurse.

Current Passion Project: My current passion project is reading classical novels, and not from kindle or an ipad, but to read from an actual book. I want to read these timeless classics and truly understand why they have been one of the greatest novels of all time. I have thus far finished reading Les Misérables, War and Peace, A Tale of Two Cities, Jane Eyre, Crime and Punishment, Anna Karenina and more.

How do you get over troubled times? I have always been an optimist so even if I’m going through a hard time, I just know it’s not going to last. It’s hard to explain, but stress literally doesn’t bother me. I shrug it off and say, “Oh well, what can i do?” And if there is an answer, I act upon it and if there is no answer, I move on. For example, if I had a bad shift, after I clock out, all that stress literally vanishes and I get so happy that I’m going home and am no longer stressed. My attention span from stress is like Dory from Finding Nemo!

Fun Fact: I am a new dog mom of a bi-colored eye (blue and brown) husky boy named Tuco!

Do you have any advice for others interested in entering your field? Try to figure out who you are as a person before becoming a nurse. I see so many young nurses who became one because their parents forced them to, or because of the money. Get experience in fields that allow you to hone in on your customer service skills. Because as a nurse, you are constantly advocating for the patient, their family members, and doctors at the hospital. Not only are you the advocate for your patients, but you are also the face and representative of the hospital you work in as well. Therefore, your customer service and communication skills are important in maintaining a professional atmosphere of who you are as a nurse.