{"id":208753,"date":"2025-01-06T11:15:34","date_gmt":"2025-01-06T21:15:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=208753"},"modified":"2025-01-06T11:15:34","modified_gmt":"2025-01-06T21:15:34","slug":"molokai-nursing-interns","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2025\/01\/06\/molokai-nursing-interns\/","title":{"rendered":"Moloka\u02bbi internship inspires next generation of nurses"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
\"abad
Cedric Abad and Sandra Xiao<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

University of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> at M\u0101noa nursing<\/a> students Cedric Abad and Sandra Xiao credit their six-week internship at Molokai General Hospital<\/a> (MGH<\/abbr>) this past summer with transforming their career aspirations and deepening their commitment to healthcare. As the first nursing students from UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa to complete an internship at MGH<\/abbr>, they gained unique insights and hands-on experience in a rural setting, preparing them for their graduation in Spring 2025.<\/p>\n

“The rural setting of Molokaʻi<\/span> added a unique dimension to their learning, offering an immersive experience that exposed them to healthcare in a resource-limited environment while fostering rich connections with the community,” said Connie Gazmen, instructor of the NURS 399 Summer Internship course. “Moloka\u2018i General Hospital Nursing Director Michael Mullen curated an experience that challenged and inspired the students, setting the stage for their future careers.”<\/p>\n

MGH<\/abbr>, a member of The Queen\u2019s Health Systems, serves as the sole healthcare provider to Molokaʻi<\/span>\u2019s 7,500 residents and visitors, offering 24\/7 care in a remote island community. <\/p>\n

Finding a calling in emergency nursing<\/h2>\n

Abad, a graduate of Damien Memorial School, was initially nervous about being the first nursing students to represent both UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa and Queen\u2019s on Molokaʻi<\/span>, but he found the experience life-changing.<\/p>\n

“Going to Molokaʻi<\/span>, where Saint Damien served, made the experience even more meaningful to me,” he said. “The support and guidance of the nurses, staff, doctors and patients allowed me to learn and do things I never imagined possible.” <\/p>\n

\"xiao,
Xiao and Abad with MGH<\/abbr> Nursing Director Michael Mullen.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Abad\u2019s time at MGH<\/abbr> honed his clinical skills, improved his patient communication and solidified his interest in emergency department nursing, which he now sees as his chosen career path. From managing ventilators to participating in rapid sequence intubation and medevac transfers, Abad\u2019s hands-on involvement in high-pressure scenarios boosted his confidence as a future nurse. <\/p>\n

“The hospital\u2019s limited resources emphasized self-reliance and adaptability, which helped me grow immensely,” he said.<\/p>\n

Outside of work, Abad appreciated Molokaʻi<\/span>\u2019s serene lifestyle, finding it “deeply therapeutic” compared to the hustle of urban life.<\/p>\n

Gaining perspective in rural healthcare<\/h2>\n

For Oʻahu<\/span> native Xiao, the internship provided a fresh perspective on rural healthcare. “It wasn\u2019t just about building nursing skills,” she said. “Living on Molokaʻi<\/span> and experiencing its slower pace made me appreciate the simple things in life.” Xiao\u2019s work at MGH<\/abbr> ranged from operating ventilators to learning ultrasound-guided IV insertions\u2014skills she wouldn\u2019t typically encounter as a nursing student on Oʻahu<\/span>.<\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t just about building nursing skills. Living on Moloka\u02bbi made me appreciate the simple things in life.
—Sandra Xiao<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

“One of the highlights was practicing ultrasound-guided IVs on a manikin arm and then applying it to real patients,” she said. <\/p>\n

Beyond clinical tasks, Xiao cherished local traditions like enjoying Molokaʻi<\/span>\u2019s famous hot bread from Kanemitsu in the middle of the night, peaceful sunset strolls along the wharf, and attending community events such as the Kamehameha Day Celebration.<\/p>\n

With tuition assistance from The Queen\u2019s Medical Center, the Molokaʻi<\/span> internship enabled Abad and Xiao to excel and gain new skills at MGH<\/abbr>, earning them job offers upon graduation and paving the way for potential healthcare careers on Molokaʻi<\/span>.<\/p>\n

\"Molokai
The Molokaʻi<\/span> Kamehameha Day Celebration<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Molokaʻi<\/span> General Hospital\u2019s first UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa nursing interns reflect on a transformative experience.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[1466,189,167,9],"class_list":["post-208753","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-academic-news","tag-manoa-enhancing-student-success","tag-nursing","tag-school-of-nursing-and-dental-hygiene","tag-uh-manoa","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/208753","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/16"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=208753"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/208753\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":208789,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/208753\/revisions\/208789"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=208753"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=208753"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=208753"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}