Chaminade University of Honolulu

Nursing & Health Professions

School of Nursing Training, Inspiration from Mom, Launches Nursing Career for Jordan Tomas ’15

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The education alumnus Jordan Tomas ’15 received at Chaminade University’s School of Nursing – and the inspiration he received from his mother – propelled him into graduate school and a health care career on the Mainland.

After graduating cum laude from Chaminade and passing his National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN) to become a Registered Nurse, Tomas joined a medical/surgical unit at University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle. He’s also working toward a Master of Science in Nursing degree at UW.

Jordan Tomas“Chaminade’s nursing program played a huge part in preparing for my career,” Tomas said. “What made the journey challenging and fun was that I was a student of only the second graduating class in nursing in the school’s history.”

Despite the program’s young age, Tomas said students were provided with “some of the latest technology and latest information as the nursing school continued to evolve.”

“I learned a lot from my professors and my clinical instructors throughout my four years,” he said, “gaining insight of the nursing profession, the challenges nurses are facing in the real-world and the variety of opportunities in the nursing field.”

Also assisting Tomas academically and professionally was his mother, a nurse at The Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu.

“She influenced me with her work ethic and her compassion,” Tomas said. “Despite coming home from work exhausted, I could tell that nursing was something she was proud of pursuing. I wanted to help people and I pursued nursing thanks to her influence.

“During my time in nursing school, my mom pursued her Bachelor of Science in Nursing through an accelerated program,” Tomas added, “and it inspired me to continue my journey through nursing school.”

Tomas is especially grateful to three of his Chaminade instructors: Chief Nurse Administrator and Professor Edna Magpantay-Monroe, Associate Professor Tiffanie Hoffmeyer and Associate Professor Jeanette Peterson.

“Dr. Monroe kept our class in line and supported me whenever I needed help in my assignments,” Tomas said. “She was especially supportive when I studied for the NCLEX-RN examination.

“Next, Dr. Hoffmeyer taught me a lot in my Complex Disease course, helped me become more confident in my nursing skills and encouraged me to persevere when times were tough in nursing school, which helped made me the person I am today.

“Finally, Professor Peterson introduced me to the unique technology of nursing simulation and expressed empathy and compassion when our class needed it.

While attending Chaminade, Tomas participated in several special programs, including a nursing conference focused on viral hepatitis and meetings with state legislators to discuss how laws – including nursing-related laws – are passed. He also took part in the TADE Triennial Event, a mass casualty exercise facilitated by the School of Nursing at Honolulu International Airport.

Tomas said Chaminade helped him understand “what nursing meant to me.”

“There were moments throughout my time in nursing school that I wondered if I made the right career choice or if I could manage to complete nursing school,” Tomas recalled. “I was fortunate to have the friends I made within my class and be able to learn and grow with them despite the challenges.

“My professors were nurturing and patient with us and were able to guide us into the path of success in nursing,” he said. “Without taking on this journey, I could not be the nurse that I am today.”

Chaminade’s School of Nursing offers a four year, full-time program culminating in a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing. Students gain medical experience with human-patient simulators, community outreach projects, service-learning and supervised clinical settings. The  fall semester application deadline is February 1, 2018.

Pauahi Foundation Scholarships Help Joey Pantil Pursue Her Dream of Attending Nursing School

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Two prestigious scholarships from the Pauahi Foundation are helping Chaminade University undergraduate Joey Pantil realize her dream of becoming a nurse.

Nursing student Joey Pantil

“When I found out that I received the scholarships, I was so ecstatic, thankful and relieved because I would have a bit of a financial burden lifted off of my shoulders,” Pantil said.

The Nanakuli High and Intermediate School graduate is the youngest of four children and the first person in her family to attend college.

Now Pantil is on track to receive a bachelor of science degree in 2021 from Chaminade’s School of Nursing. After that, she plans to enroll in graduate school and eventually become a nurse midwife or nursing informatics specialist.

“I found out about the Pauahi Foundation through my high school’s college and career center,” according to Pantil. “During my senior year, I made it a point to apply for every scholarship I was eligible for. And because the Pauahi Foundation scholarships have a preference for people with Native Hawaiian ancestry, it was one of the many scholarships I applied for.

The foundation awarded Pantil the Dr. Lori Ann Kim Scholarship for students pursuing STEM degrees. Pantil also received the Kamehameha Schools Class of 1960 Scholarship for students demonstrating academic excellence, good character and a commitment to serving their communities.

“I had no idea how I was going to pay for college,” Pantil said. “The scholarships that I received not only allow me to attend college, but they push me to work harder in getting my degree in nursing.

“Because there are people who believe in me,” she added, “and that is shown with their endorsement.”

Chaminade University’s School of Nursing offers a four year, full-time undergraduate program leading to a bachelor of science degree. The school’s core values include holism, caring, diversity, integrity and commitment, plus Marianist values of lifelong learning and community service. The nursing program is fully accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

School of Nursing Students, Ho`oulu Scholars Raise Health Awareness at ‘Hawaii Children & Youth Day’

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Students from Chaminade University’s School of Nursing and Ho`oulu Scholars with the “I Am a Scientist” mobile outreach program raised awareness about the importance of healthy lifestyles during the 24th annual “Hawaii Children & Youth Day” at the State Capitol.

“This year is the fourth year that my junior nursing students participated in the fair,” pointed out Assistant Professor Eurina Yujin Cha. “Our purpose was to provide health screenings and nutrition education for parents and encourage physical exercise and vaccination education for children.”

Nursing students volunteering their time at the Oct. 1 event were: Abigail Adina, Mae Kimberly Corpuz, Ashley Farin, Airelle Guron, Eric Ganding, Jadelyn Yasuoka, Melissa Biador, Lauren Ngatuvai and Shayvell Noa.

Ho`oulu Scholars Cassandra Ainoa-Kanoho, Dairian Balai, Hi‘ilani Fujihara-Nagamine and Destiny Hamasaki underscored the importance of making healthy dietary choices by using hydrometers to reveal how much sugar is hidden in sodas, fruit juices and flavored milk.

In addition, the students showed more than 400 children how to read nutrition labels, while encouraging them to pursue college degrees and STEM careers.

“It’s important for people to understand that their children can have only a certain amount of sugar each day,” pointed out Hamasaki ’21, a Forensic Science major. Accordingly, this outreach educated “not only children who came to the table, but the parents who brought them.”

“This experience made me cut down on juice,” Hamasaki added, “so now I only drink water.”

Fujihara-Nagamine ‘21, an Environmental Studies major, said there were “many surprised faces” among children and parents when they realized how much sugar is contained in certain beverages.

“It was very eye opening for them, and some of the children even told me they were going to drink more water from then on,” Fujihara-Nagamine said. “A lot of the parents really appreciated that our booth was raising this awareness and thanked us for educating their children about how much sugar they intake just from sugary drinks.”

Fujihara-Nagamine described the outreach as “truly amazing.”

“Being able to help spread knowledge to families and children was really fun, and their enthusiasm was refreshing,” she said. “It reminded me of my childhood when I would learn about similar subjects. I never thought I would have the chance to be the one on the other side of the table teaching.”

Research Associate Lori Shimoda, who directs “I Am a Scientist” and founded the program in 2009, described the student volunteers as “fabulous ambassadors for Chaminade.”

“They were professional, cheerful and engaging,” Shimoda said, “with both little kids and their parents.”

Nursing Students Among Presenters at Pacific Regional Behavioral Health Summit

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School of Nursing graduates from Chaminade University presented three, year-long projects on mental illness issues at the sixth annual Pacific Regional Behavioral Health Summit.

Held in September at Tripler Army Medical Center, the summit brought together clinicians, researchers, policymakers, clergy, artists, community leaders and professors to discuss a broad range of evidence-based care for active duty military personnel, veterans and their families.

“Participating in this summit brings attention to the quality of work expected of our nursing students,” according to Associate Professor Julie Elting, the school’s Clinical Facilities Coordinator.

Mark Kawasaki (Nursing '17) Research Poster

“This demonstrates Chaminade’s commitment to providing health education for our community partners and their populations,” she added, while giving graduates an opportunity to meet other medical professionals from Hawaii and the Pacific region.

Among the summit attendees was Mark Kawasaki ‘17, who presented on the topic of “Best Practice for Dual Diagnosis Patients.” Working with him on the project were classmates Charles Cutaran, Theresa Cameron and Hui Tsuji.

Chaminade graduates also submitted posters on “Effective Coping Strategies for Adolescents” and “Telehealth for Mental Illness and Crisis Management.”

Kawasaki and his group focused on Po`ailani Inc., a nonprofit organization in Kailua that treats patients suffering from a combination of mental illness and drug addiction.

“The staff at Po`ailani noticed that there had been an increase in the prescription of a certain antipsychotic medication among their patients called Clozaril, and they wanted to know the reason for that,” Kawasaki explained.

To answer that question, the nursing students gathered information on Clozaril from peer-reviewed journals and online resources. They also researched the best ways to care for dual-diagnosis patients.

“Without this type of research, the standards of nursing would stagnate and we would not progress or grow as a profession,” Kawasaki said. “New information is being released constantly. So, as a nurse, you have to keep up.”

Kawasaki, who’s studying for the National Council Licensure Examination in November, plans to work with youth afflicted by mental illness.

Chaminade’s School of Nursing is a four-year, full-time undergraduate program that offers a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. The unique program immerses students in nursing preparation with educational curriculum, human-patient simulations, community outreach projects, and service-learning and supervised clinical experiences. The curriculum for our undergraduate program is consistent with the Baccalaureate Essentials of Nursing produced by the American Association of Collegiate Nursing. The nursing program is fully accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

Nursing Student Chante Carter’s Road to Success Powered by HCF First Generation Scholarship

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Chante Carter ‘19 holds down a job and raises a young child in addition to her full-time studies at Chaminade University’s School of Nursing. The Kahuku High School graduate is also the first person in her family to attend college.

All these factors – plus a strong GPA – combined to earn Carter the First Generation Community Scholarship from the Hawaii Community Foundation. The non-profit organization, which awarded more than $6 million in scholarships this year, recognized students and donors August 5 at a statewide ceremony.

“My family is very proud of me, but they aren’t able to afford to support my education,” Carter explains. “So every dollar that I received in scholarships has helped support my dream of becoming a nurse one day.”

Carter also obtained funding from the Pauahi Foundation and a Hoʻoulu STEM Scholarship from Chaminade and Kamehameha Schools.

“Affordability for college is always a struggle,” Carter says, “especially when you’re pretty much on your own when it comes to paying for it. My process is a little easier now that I’ve had some experience. I literally Google words like ‘Native Hawaiian scholarship’ and many pop up.”

After identifying scholarship possibilities, Carter begins the application process by asking professors “way ahead of time” to proofread her essays and write recommendation letters.

“It may seem like a lot,” Carter says, “but there are so many professors that offer to help.”

Carter says it “feels really good” being a first-generation college student and “setting a good example for my younger cousins.”

“They all look up to me and ask me for advice when it comes to applying for scholarships and getting into college,” Carter says. “And that makes me want to work even harder for them so they can also believe in themselves.”

The future nurse describes her upbringing as “a little complicated.”

“When I was ten years old, my dad’s sister adopted me because of drug-related reasons my parents were going through at the time,” Carter says. “My auntie always encouraged me to stay in school – the sky’s the limit. She always acknowledged my hardships as a child, but she always told me to not let the past get in the way of my success. And I believed her!”

Carter says she chose the nursing field “because I love working with people.”

“I believe this is a job where you can really be a part of your community and make a difference in it,” she says. “Having a job that helps others makes my life worthwhile.”

Carter says she enrolled at Chaminade because “the professors are awesome” and they truly care about helping students succeed.

Her biggest takeaway from nursing classes? They’re certainly not easy.

“It’s a tough curriculum,” Carter points out. “But if you believe in yourself enough to think you are that right person who can make a difference in this world, then that’s when you know this is the career for you.”

Carter’s advice for future nursing students?

“When you fall, get up again and again until you get there,” she counsels. “Don’t ever think because you have a setback that it will change your path to success. It does not matter how long it took you to get there. As long as you get there, that’s what matters most.”

Nursing Students Share TLC with Health Screenings, Wellness Education at Big Island Cultural Festival

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In what has become a yearly outreach to Big Island residents, Chaminade University School of Nursing students conducted health screenings and offered wellness education at the Ho’oku’ikahi Establishment Day Hawaiian Cultural Festival.

The 45th annual event was held at the Pu’ukoholā Heiau National Historic Site, famous for its ruins of an ancient Hawaiian temple built circa 1790 by King Kamehameha I. The popular festival draws Native Hawaiians and other residents from throughout the Islands.

Nursing students participating in the 2017 Puukohola eventAlong with performing first aid and intake, the future nurses helped 150 festival goers by checking their blood pressure and Body Mass Index. Students also counseled local residents about the importance of making healthy lifestyle choices to prevent and treat common maladies such as diabetes, hypertension and obesity.

Joining students at the outreach was Chaminade President Lynn Babington, who holds doctorate, master’s and bachelor’s degrees in nursing. She also works to improve America’s health care system by serving as a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Executive Nurse Fellow.

Chaminade Chief Nursing Administrator Dr. Edna Magpantay-Monroe said the annual outreach is in keeping with the school’s mission and the University’s Marianist values.

“We want the students to share their knowledge in a humble way that serves the people,” Magpantay-Monroe said, “and look at the people they serve from a unique perspective of body, mind and spirit.”

Nursing student Erin Ah Sue (‘18) said conducting the screenings was part of her kuleana as a Native Hawaiian scholar to promote health and wellness among other Native Hawaiians.

“I felt ‘re-rooted’ to my Native Hawaiian culture,” she said. “It helped me to re-focus and ensure that my goals after graduation are in line with what I have promised as a Ho’oulu scholar, which is to be a part of a lahui (group) of health practitioners ‘who are equally grounded in science and culture.’”

Student Jessica Jicha (‘18) said it was “humbling to be able to give back to the community.”

“Not only did I get to indulge myself in my own culture,” Jicha said, “it is an experience that I can integrate into my bedside manner when working with patients of the Native Hawaiian culture.”

Nursing students participating in the 2017 Puukohola eventJohn Aiwohi (‘19) called the outreach experience “life changing.”

“I will take what I have learned and incorporate that in my future career as a nurse professional,” Aiwohi said. “The ability to work well and efficiently with other professions ensures quality care, continuity, promotes client safety as well as advocacy.”

Tiana Sula (‘19) described the outreach as “an amazing experience” that “challenged me to step outside of my comfort zone and explore different parts of myself.”

“As a future nurse, I plan to use what I’ve learned to serve the people of Hawaii to the best of my ability,” Sula said. “Hawaii is such a unique place, so full of culture and tradition. As a nurse I want to be sensitive to these different aspects, and provide care that is unique to each patient.”

Guam native Danielle Balajadia (‘18) said the Big Island trip helped her “learn and understand the Hawaiian culture through their history and traditions.”

“From watching the shooting stars at 4 in the morning to listening to the Hawaiian chants of the people, I could feel the emotions and connections among the people, land and waters,” Balajadia said.

“Just being in that moment and releasing all the worries and stressors of life was such an incredible feeling,” she added. “Truly a great refresher to start off senior year.”

Helping underwrite the Hawaii Island trip were School of Nursing graduates Michael Ono (‘14), Genalyn Agustin (‘15), Annette Pakele-Chang (‘16), Hailey Hema (‘17) and Alaina Cabreros (‘17). Additional donors include: Grissel Benitez-Hodge, Dr. Stephanie Genz, Jeanette Peterson, Bryan Arce, Eva Gallegos and the Filipino Nurses’ Organization of Hawaii. An anonymous donation also supported the outreach.

Chaminade’s School of Nursing is a four year, full-time undergraduate program that offers a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. The unique program immerses students in nursing preparation with educational curriculum, human-patient simulations, community outreach projects, and service-learning and supervised clinical experiences. The curriculum for our undergraduates program is consistent with the Baccalaureate Essentials of Nursing produced by the American Association of Collegiate Nursing. The nursing program is fully accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.