Page 18 - MidWeek - May 10, 2023

18 MIDWEEK MAY 10, 2023
COVER STORY
FROM PAGE 15
huge difference in our patients’ lives,” she says. “To do that, we have to bring our best selves forward every day. We need to stay on top of our education and continue to learn and grow so that we can
he passed away. I will forever be
Lori Conley comes from a Waiʻanae farming family and was raised with a strong work ethic. Her interest in the nursing field blossomed when she was 20 years old. At the time, she was work- ing a retail job but realized it wasn’t the path for her.
medical center’s pediatric oncology department and the rest is history.
support our patients.
“My favorite part of the job
A
when she was a sophomore in high school. She initially wanted to become a nurse because all her friends had the same desire, too. But Mancini soon realized she didn’t want to be a nurse just to follow the crowd — she wanted to make a difference in the com- munity.
“It’s rewarding telling pa- tients their procedure is done and seeing the happiness and relief on their faces,” she says. “I feel like I’m the one who gives them the good news that the hard part is finished.”
So, she went to school to become a licensed practical nurse. She landed a role in the newborn nursery at Ka- piʻolani Medical Center and quickly knew the profession fit. She then moved to the
While Conley has been a nurse for more than 40 years, she says she’s still constantly learning and travels across the country to attend yearly nursing con- ferences.
To Conley, being a nurse isn’t just a job or a career — it’sapartofwhosheisasa person. She enjoys being at patients’ bedsides and espe- cially loves that Kapi‘ola- ni is able to provide such high-quality care, thus allow- ing families to stay close to home instead of traveling to the mainland for health care.
She acknowledges numer- ous heroes who helped shape her into the nurse she is today. Ernie Libarios, Mancini’s col- lege counselor, is one of the standout individuals in her life who never gave up on her.
For those who aspire to join the medical field as a nurse, Mancini offers the following advice: “Persevere. You need to keep moving forward. It’s never easy. It’s never smooth. It’s just life in general. But if you know what you want, go for it.”
Always Learning
Lori Conley, RN
Kapi‘olani Medical Center for Women & Children
It’s All Worth It
Alma Mancini, RN
Pali Momi Medical Center
grateful.”
She especially relish-
“When you find some- thing you love, you stick with it,” Conley explains. “I really enjoy working with the kids and the fami- lies. You see them during the most challenging times, but you find out how strong and resilient children really are.”
is when I’ve had my busiest day, and my patient and his or her family says, ‘Thank you,’ ” Conley continues. “You feel like you mattered to a child and that what you did somehow made a difference.”
lma Mancini grew up in Kalihi and moved to Pearl City
Being part of a close-knit community is important to Mancini. It’s why she enjoys being at Pali Momi. “My team is the best,” she says.
“Nurses can make such a
When a friend asked her what her goal was, she re- plied, “I believe my purpose in life is to help people.”
“He guided and empow- ered me to reach my goal to become a nurse. He believed in me,” Mancini shares. “I had the chance to thank him for all his help before
To pursue nursing, Manci- ni attended Leeward Commu- nity College and then went on to University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Fast-forward to to- day and Mancini is a charge nurse in the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit.
es seeing patients’ reactions after they wake up from the anesthesia.
It’s always been all things nursing for Charmaine Oshiro. She attended a career fair in the ninth grade and it was there that she became captivated by the industry. From writing research papers about Flor- ence Nightingale, the found- er of modern nursing, to watching medical TV shows in high school, Oshiro knew her life would be dedicated to caring for others.
she made it happen.
“I worked hard to prove to
tobeapartofateamthat works so well together,” Os- hiro says. “I not only have support from people in my department, but also have the privilege of working in a medical center where so many people share the same values and passion for patient care.
G
amount of time in hospitals because both her moth- er and sister had chronic health conditions. During these vulnerable moments, Kali recalls the kindness her family received from the nursing staff.
compassion during those difficult times inspired me at a very young age to be- come a nurse.”
calling at a young age, she also reveals that it’s always been her goal to work at Wilcox. To those hoping to join the nursing field, she says, “Know your standard of care and never deviate from it. Always start your shift with a positive atti- tude and be prepared for anything. Also, don’t ever be afraid to ask questions.”
Fulfilling her dream of becoming a nurse was challenging, but thanks to a strong support system,
When asked about her favorite part of the job, Os-
“It is all worth it in the end,” Oshiro says. “I was on a slow path to nursing. It was a long, bumpy road, but it all worked out. Nursing is a very fulfilling career.”
“It takes a special person to say, ‘I’m going to serve my community today,’” she says.
A Team Player
Charmaine Oshiro, RN
Straub Medical Center
hiro notes that her coworkers make it easy for her to come to
Utilizing Compassion
Tiara Kali, RN
Wilcox Medical Center
I’m a strong believer in compassion and hu- mility, because once you have that, you can connect
myself that I could do it and to be able to give my kids all the opportunities I did not have,” Oshiro explains. “I’m so happy with all that I have accomplished; I would never change any of it.
rowing up on Kauaʻi, Tiara Kali spent a significant
Kali got her start at Wil- cox Medical Center nearly five years ago. Since then, she’s been building strong relationships with patients.
“I care for a variety of people every day,” Oshi- ro says of her endoscopy charge nurse duties. “It isn’t always easy, but I’ve made it my goal to always make ev- ery patient feel like they’ve gotten the best care that I could give.”
“I have been a patient at Straub since I was a child. Now, I bring my entire fam- ily to Straub,” Oshiro adds.
“It’s the feeling of know- ing that I was there to help someone through a painful and challenging time and that, hopefully, I made it a bit easier for them,” says the resource nurse for Wilcox’s Medical Surgical Unit. “Some patients are scared to accept health care in the first place, so helping them un- derstand that they’ re going to be OK is very rewarding.
Kali notes that she doesn’t have one particular hero in the medical field be- cause she believes everyone in the profession is someone to be admired.
work each morning.
“It means a lot to me
with any patient.”
While Kali found her
She urges aspiring nurses to never give up and to take it one day at a time.
“Hospitals can be scary for kids, but the nurses made me feel so com- fortable,” Kali shares. “I remember one nurse just holding my hand and telling me, ‘It’s OK.’ Feeling that