Advancing Equity March 2023 – Externship Spotlights
Say hello to Briana Allen!
Briana was born and raised in San Francisco Bayview Hunters Point and currently lives in Sacramento, CA. She graduated from City College of San Francisco in December 2022.
I chose a career in nursing because I had the opportunity of taking care of my Great-Grandmother before she passed, and I got to witness firsthand how compassionate and tirelessly the nurses that cared for her worked. Whether it was in the hospital setting or at home. They took care of her like she was their family member, and I would like to be able to do the same one day.
I enjoyed floating to the different care areas and getting a feel of what it is like to work on other units that we as nursing students are not always privy to like the Emergency Room or the OR for instance. I also enjoyed seeing such a diverse work environment on the floors. It showed that ZSFG can be inclusive to all different ethnicities and backgrounds.
I learned that no matter what specialty or care area you go to, it’s always good to be willing to ask questions if you don’t know something. Being a nurse there are always new advancements in healthcare and with ZSFG being a teaching hospital I thought it was great doing this Externship because literally everyone is willing to teach you things.
I am definitely more motivated to get into the ED. I had a wonderful time in the Emergency Dept, and the Trauma area was eventful to say the least.
Say hello to Gabby Adel-Berdan!
Gabby is from Vallejo, CA and graduated from San Francisco State University in December 2022.
I chose a career in nursing because I wanted to be in a position to serve, educate and advocate for people. I also like the role nursing plays in patient care and the knowledge I get to use in pathophysiology and science.
I appreciated how I got to experience many types of both inpatient and outpatient units. I got exposure to units that I wouldn’t have gotten the opportunity to see otherwise in my nursing program. It made me aware of and appreciated the variability and flexibility in the nursing field.
The most important thing I learned in this externship was how to better serve a wide variety of populations and individuals. I hope to work in places that actively works to serve disenfranchised individuals and improve health disparities.
This externship first exposed me to ER nursing, which made me want to complete my senior preceptorship in the ER. Now, it is a goal of mine to eventually become an ER nurse!
Say hi to Mariela Magana Rocha!
Mariela is from Livermore, CA and graduated from Samuel Merritt University in December 2022.
I pursued a career in nursing after a nurse advocated to use a translation service to facilitate communication with my parents and provide equitable care for my younger siblings who had become ill. Nurses play a crucial role in patient care. We provide support, advocacy, and strive to deliver care using science to improve patient health.
Mahoney Reign’s externship reinforced my passion for delivering the highest-quality health care to patients and supporting affordable health care services that improve the health of patients and the community.
I learned about the importance of being a healthcare provider for a hospital that delivers trauma and mental health services for bay area patients from underrepresented communities. Having the support of my preceptors during the externship gave me the opportunity to participate in multiple units and specialties, reinforcing my strengths and supporting my growth.
ZSFG gave me the opportunity to have my preceptorship in my dream specialty. I was provided with the resources and support to feel confident in delivering patient care and advocacy. As a first-generation student, this program provided me with the background to feel confident in applying for Nursing Residency programs. Being a part of Zuckerberg General Hospital reinforced my passion for working for low-income, and underrepresented communities.
Say hello to Susan Nguyen!
Susan is from El Dorado Hills, CA and is working towards her 2023 graduation from University of San Francisco.
I chose a career in nursing because not only did I want to challenge myself, but I also want to dedicate my time to working alongside a strong team that can make a difference in the lives of others.
I enjoyed being able to learn with hands-on experiences and seeing the thought process of each nurse regarding the care of the patients on each of the units.
I learned that being a nurse is a lot more than just passing medications and carrying out nursing orders. Nursing is about human connection, and to properly care for each patient and go beyond their needs, it is very important to have a team that will support you as it can get very challenging physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Since my externship, I have grown a strong interest in the ICU and I hope to continue my career as an ICU nurse in the future.
Say hello to Yaneth Zamora!
Yaneth is from Hayward, CA and graduated from Samuel Merritt University in December 2022.
I decided to pursue my dreams of becoming a registered nurse due to a medical error that caused my sister to be paraplegic after her birth. This medical error almost took my sister’s life. Her first six months of life were spent in UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital – Oakland. She has been in and out of hospitals throughout her entire life due to her medical condition.
Over the years, some of the most amazing nurses cared for her. Every time we visited my sister, I was amazed at the nurses’ work with their pediatric patients. My sister was not supposed to live past 6 years old, but I am happy to say she is now 24 years old. I truly believe the excellent care provided by the nurses at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital in combination with my sister’s amazing strength are the reasons why she is alive and well today. I want to apply the compassion and empathy bestowed upon my little sister to my future patients and their families.
Mahoney Reign’s externship reinforced my passion for delivering the highest-quality healthcare to patients and supporting affordable healthcare services that improve the health of patients and the community. I truly enjoyed shadowing the nurses in each department.
I learned about the importance of being a healthcare provider for a hospital that delivers trauma and mental health services for bay area patients from underrepresented communities. Having the support of my preceptors during the externship gave me the opportunity to participate in multiple units, and specialties, re-enforcing my strengths and supporting my growth.
ZSFG gave me the opportunity to have my preceptorship in the emergency department and trauma center my dream specialty. I was provided with the resources, and support to feel confident in delivering patient care, and advocacy. As a first-generation student, this program provided me with the background to feel confident in applying for Nursing Residency programs. Being a part of Zuckerberg General Hospital reinforced my passion for working for low-income and underrepresented communities.
Say hi to Zephyr Horowitz-Johnson!
Zephyr is from Fairfax, CA and is working towards her 2023 Associates Degree in Nursing from College of Marin as well as her 2024 Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Sonoma State University.
I have always been interested in science, education and social justice. After administrative jobs at non-profit and community organizations, I wanted more direct contact with the people I served. Nursing allows me to combine my interests and experience into a direct service that ultimately promotes the basic human right to health.
The teamwork atmosphere and being able to connect with the patients at ZSFG are what I enjoyed most about my externship with ZSFG.
Compared to my clinical rotations at other hospitals, ZSFG has the most interdisciplinary environment. It showed me how collaboration and coordination between the many specialties are vital in providing high-quality patient care.
The ZSFG externship has shown me that public health nursing is a viable career option for me to pursue my goal of giving back to under-resourced communities.