Ni Vang ’23 began her career working in postpartum care at Northside Hospital in Atlanta, shaped by rigorous training in Berry’s nursing program and a commitment to serving her community. It’s the fulfillment of a goal since childhood.
Relocating with her family to the U.S. from Myanmar, Ni faced the challenge of adapting to different norms and learning a new language. But she was certain about one thing from an early age — becoming a health-care professional. “I come from an underdeveloped country where the health system’s quality is poor due to its lack of qualified medical practitioners/providers and resources. I took it as a personal mission to be a part of the medical field when I grew up,” she explains. “As a young girl, I heard and knew stories of neighbors and relatives who died during or after childbirth, so that triggered my interest in being a part of labor and delivery.”
She says Berry’s nursing program was the right fit from day one: “What drew me to the college is the small, closely knit community where I was able to advance in my educational background and experiences. Professors gave one-on-one attention and hands-on experiences to cultivate me into a compassionate, caring nurse who will provide the best care for patients.”
Ni values her nursing courses, as they’re taught by professors with years of work experience in a variety of nursing specialties. She also credits Berry’s nursing simulation lab for giving her the confidence to transition to real-world practice during her clinical practicum at Atrium Health Floyd Medical Center. Run by professors and student supervisors, the lab allows nursing students to participate in scenarios that replicate hospital settings. Human-patient simulators create lifelike symptoms, so students learn to identify changes and initiate corrective actions critical to patient care.
“The simulation lab was a safe space for a nursing student like me to get exposure to diagnostic processes that treat diseases and nursing implementations in a safe and realistically simulated learning environment,” Ni explains. “I could make an error without worrying about harming a patient while gaining real work experience and skills.”
In addition to the nursing program, Ni is passionate about the Bonner Scholars Program in which students apply their talents and skills to community service and leadership development over four years. As a Bonner Scholar, she held positions with nonprofits like Global Impact Restoration Rome, A Teen’s Choice, The Global Village Project and YMCA Outreach.
“I served diverse populations with vulnerabilities and needs,” Ni says, noting that service opportunities are transferable to the nursing profession. “For example, I worked with Restoration Rome to support community members in foster parenting programs working toward family reunification. This involved evening childcare for children in foster care while their parents were in support classes, aiming to increase the success of reunification.
“I believe that having empathy and compassion is an essential asset in health care, especially for nurses, because most patients are vulnerable emotionally, mentally and physically while they are hospitalized. My job is not only to provide medical care for patients but also to be emotionally and mentally supportive and understanding.”
