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.
“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.
