Nursing Scholarship Awarded

Until Nai Saechao's mother became ill with lymphoma three years ago, Saechao couldn't stand hospitals. She couldn't stand the way they smelled. But she explains that she didn't leave her mother's side and she was impressed with the care and interaction the nurses demonstrated. It was Saechao's mother who suggested that she try nursing because of how much the nurses had helped her. "I thought they were wonderful and I appreciated how much better they made my mom feel," says Saechao.

As a high school senior, Saechao took part in a Regional and Occupational Program which helped train her for job placement. Saechao received an externship at Kaiser Permanente in South Sacramento to see if she could stand working in a hospital setting. For the next six months she realized that she didn't mind the hospital and being around patients didn't bother her at all.

Saechao applied to CSU Sacramento for the BSN program and was admitted based on her GPA and the TEAS testing (Test of Essential Academic Skills) which consists of math, reading, English and science.

Saechao has been working since she was 15 and continues to live in the family home with her siblings. She says her dad pays all the bills. "Dad is my mentor," she says. According to Saechao, her father has always encouraged his children to get an education because he or Saechao's mom didn't have an opportunity to finish school. She explains that when he was seven or eight, his family was running away from the Vietnam War. Saechao remembers when she was six years old they were in a refugee camp in China . It was a cousin who sponsored her family to come to the United States . They've been here for 16 years.

During one of her rotations at UC Davis Med Center she was shocked when a patient she was caring for passed away. She said even though he was very ill, she broke down because it brought back the pain of her mother. "Welcome to nursing," is what she said to herself and then pulled herself together.

Saechao's short term goal is to get her BSN and work for three years to help out her dad. She then plans on returning to school to get a masters degree and become a Nurse Practitioner. "There are so many avenues I can take," she says, "I've even considered becoming a traveling nurse."

Saechao plans to use her scholarship money for books, ATI (Assessment Technology Institute) which is based on the NCLEX exam and tuition.

For nursing students, she advises to study and study hard. "Nursing opens many doors, so be open minded in the program because it allows you to see things in a different perspective," she says.

Congratulations Nai!

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