Inspired by her grandmother graduating college at 54, Cynthia Santos participated in St. Nicks Alliance Home Health Aide Training, which encouraged her to further her aspirations in the medical field.
It was always my passion to help others in distress. I became an emergency medical technician in 2007. After three months of intense training I was on the job for seven years. I met a lot of wonderful patients along the way who I won’t ever forget as I grew from my experiences with them and that needs to be acknowledged.
After seven years I wanted a change and chose to take training with St. Nicks Alliance at LaGuardia Community College for Home Health Aide certification. My experience there made me a more skilled and compassionate caregiver for the elderly and disabled. I found the instruction productive as I became more proficient in caring for patients with physical pain and emotional behaviors due to old age or loneliness. I found purpose in helping people who were helpless like bedbound patients and patients with limited daily activities. No one should have their dignity taken away from them so I would try to make the patient understand that it was something they could not control, and that’s why I’m there to help. I wanted to lend them my strength and energy as I benefit from still being young.
I earned HHA certificate for Assisted Living after my last clinical at Jennings Hall Senior Housing and immediately I became employed by Hart to Hart Home Care Agency in Brooklyn. It turned out that I would work almost every borough for this agency. I loved my job because I have compassion for others.
I am now in a fifteen-month training course to become a medical specialist. I marked a full year of training on May 11, 2016 and received a diploma of completion. After my three months of internship I will take my state board license in August. My skills consist of phlebotomy, electrocardiogram, medical code and billing, accounting, medical transcript, medical terminology, and clinical with administration duties. I feel I will be climbing the ladder to success in the medical field and hope to become a RN. Furthering my education and wanting to better myself for me and my family is my lifetime goal. It’s never too late to achieve in life. My grandmother finished college at age fifty-four, and she is the reason why I have ambition. Thanks to my instructor Mrs. Duchess de Guzman (RN) I’m more sharper with my skills and will continue on to where I want to be in the medical field.
The Greenline 