Cebuana Makes Good in Hawaii

CEBU, Philippines - During our high school years, most of us have dreams of completing college and applying our degree to a good job or a satisfying profession. Seeking to fulfill these dreams and aspirations is a great motivation to get top grades in school.

Dominique Isabel Zuluaga, Nikki as she is fondly called, was such a student. Diligent with her studies, she graduated from Sacred Heart School for Girls in 2004 as class salutatorian. In 2008, she graduated from Velez College of Nursing with a Bachelor's degree in Nursing. Her proud parents are Ralph and Mary Ellen Zuluaga. 

When she first went to Honolulu in January 2010, it was to pursue a dream of becoming a nurse and living in Hawaii with its pristine beaches and perfect weather amidst the famed aloha spirit of the Polynesian culture.

During her time in Hawaii, she lived at the YMCA Atherton Branch student dormitory and at the Wesley Foundation, a campus ministry of the United Methodist Church.

Admittedly, while studying for her graduate degree in nursing, Nikki, being the youngest student with the least hospital experience, had certain insecurities. However, she did not waver in   her firm determination to achieve her goal. She finally graduated with Distinction (GPA 3.87) from Hawaii Pacific University with a Master of Science degree in Nursing with a concentration in Family Nurse Practitioner. She is a member of the Sigma Theta Tau International, the International Honors Society of Nursing.

Nurse practitioners are advance practice registered nurses who work mainly in the primary care setting, such as clinics or urgent care. They assess, diagnose and treat patients much like medical doctors do, but with a slightly different scope of practice. As such, they are often focused on preventive medicine and keeping healthy people to live well.

Likewise, they can practice independently of medical doctors in the United States and at times, like medical doctors; they may refer patients to specialists. They can also prescribe a subset of the medications that medical doctors prescribe.

Nikki firmly believes that this type of practitioners would be helpful in rural areas of the Philippines where the people do not receive enough care. Nurse practitioners are adept to provide basic care needs, preventive care and health education which would be suited to improve the overall health and wellbeing of a population. 

Nikki credits the Hawaii Pacific University's M.Sc in Nursing Program for helping her realize what she wanted to do with her nursing degree. During her two and a half years in the program, she had interned in Pediatrics with Edgar dela Cruz, M.D. and Joseph Gary dela Cruz, M.D., Women's Health with Redentor Rojales, M.D. and with Internists Rodrigo Bristol, M.D. and his wife Zita Cruz-Bristol, M.D.all of whom had been wonderful mentors to her.

She is also grateful to have been part of the Wesley Foundation, a United Methodist Campus ministry where she worked hand in hand with campus minister Rev. Charlene Zuil and her outreach activities with the local community. All these blessings and achievements would not have been possible were it not for her parents, Ralph and Ellen who unconditionally showered her with love and encouragement and gave their all out support in making her live her dream. (FREEMAN)