Santa Barbara City College Nursing Program Students have their “finger on the pulse” of local healthcare
SANTA BARBARA, Calif.—It’s an emotional day for graduates like Sabrina Balat.
“My family worked so hard to come to this country. And now that I'm here, I just want to make them proud. And it's just. It's really it's really hard not to get emotional,” said the proud soon-to-be practicing nurse.
Balat takes immense pride in being first generation Arab American.
“Even in high school, I was like, the only Syrian girl, and now I'm in college, like, one of the only Syrian girls, so it's nice. Thank you, my mom. It's nice to be able to represent my family,” said Balat.
The recent nursing graduates completed a 2 year program where they learned everything from pharmacology and surgical skills to critical care and pediatric care.
There’s also an emphasis on mental health.
To get through the program it truly takes a village.
Molly Hartdog says she is beyond proud of her twin sister.
“She's really nurturing and like, really good at taking care of people. She always takes care of me when I'm sick, which is nice,” said Molly.
Molly’s twin Megan says this milestone feels surreal.
“Honestly, I just feel so numb, like it doesn't feel real. I know. I'm just sitting here with my gown and everything, but I kind of feel like I have a test,” said Megan.
SBCC Nursing Program Director Mary Sullivan says there’s huge burnout in the nursing field. She says the need for nurses locally keeps growing.
Many of the graduates will be hired into the new graduate program at Santa Barbara’s Cottage Hospital, where they will be supervised by an experienced practitioner.
