It seemed like a small thing – calming a patient.
But Kiyavanna Robinson, an Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing student at the Grand Canyon University ABSN site in St. Louis, discovered that it's those little things that mean a lot.
She was assigned to assist a middle-aged patient who had a lumbar puncture scheduled that day. Robinson saw how nervous that patient was and went beyond the usual preprocedure assessment.
“I wanted to know what happened to her and why she was in for the procedure,” said the nursing technician. “I wanted to know the whole backstory and what we could do for her to help with what she had going on. I wanted the story before I just jumped in with patient care.”
That helped calm her. “We had a few laughs, but we showed her a lot of compassion, and that stood out to her."
It's those small moments of compassion that earned Robinson a TULIP Award, which honors support staff and patient care associates, such as nursing technicians and other non-nursing professionals, for their compassionate and exceptional care.
For Robinson, nursing is more than a job.
“It represents the trust and gratitude of the patients and families that I care for. It’s being present at someone’s most vulnerable times versus just handling a task."
Her road to nursing began at age 17, when she started working at an assisted living center. That job had a significant impact on her. She was inspired to continue in the health care field, influenced not just by that first job but by her mother, a psychiatric nurse practitioner.
“The residents would always tell me, ‘Kiki, you should go forward with school and go into nursing. We think you would make a great nurse.’”
Robinson has been a certified nursing assistant for a little more than three years. That followed a trio of years with the assisted living center.
“I don’t look at nursing as just going to a patient and changing a dressing. It’s not a task,” said Robinson. “You want to make sure your patient is feeling comfortable and they understand why this is happening and what’s going on, and that we’re here to help them get better. We don’t just ‘do what we have to do’ and get out (of the room).”
Robinson wants to become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. These advanced certification nurses can attain that designation after earning a bachelor's in nursing and becoming a registered nurse.
“I actually want to work in the (intensive care unit),” she said. “I’m really good at critical care. That’s where I see myself. I feel like, over the years, I’ve been able to build my foundations, especially patient to patient.”
Robinson likes challenges, and she believes that anesthesia is one of the hardest and most challenging opportunities in nursing.
“If they wake up, that’s on you,” said Robinson. “It happens because of not enough (patient) information before a procedure.”
Robinson learned about GCU in an advanced placement class in high school. She took advantage of a GCU Discover trip, when students have a chance to visit campus.
“It was like a real campus life experience, and I really loved the school,” she said. “It felt like home. It’s a very beautiful campus.”
She spent her first and second years on the Phoenix campus then accepted an offer to attend the new St. Louis ABSN site. She has one semester left toward her bachelor's degree in nursing.
On this journey, her faith has given her strength and perspective. She says it’s always with her.
“(My faith) keeps showing up with passion for the patients and compassion,” Robinson said. “It reminds me to see each patient as more than their illness – and to bring kindness and empathy to every interaction that I have with the patient.”
Her faith helps her cope with the challenging days she encounters.
“With nursing, you never know what you’re going to walk into,” she said. “You still have to understand that there’s a deeper purpose and you’re the source of comfort for others.”
Opening and running an outpatient clinic is her long-term goal. Robinson said she always has wanted to open a minority-owned hospital.
She speaks passionately about health care and health care opportunities for people.
“Health care is not fair, and I really want to alter that in some kind of way,” she said. “I come from a background where I’ve been through that before.”
She said the health care system puts up a lot of barriers. Ultimately, she wants to practice anesthesiology and provide health care services to those who cannot access it.
“I thought that I’d start with a smaller practice before I (open a hospital),” she said. “I’d see how that goes. My mom, with her license, and my license in the future, we can combine those and be great together.”
GCU senior writer Eric Jay Toll can be reached at [email protected].
***
Related content:
GCU News: Her nursing journey encompasses 3,000 miles, 16 months, three states and her faith
GCU News: Flight paramedic, nurse navigate discussion with ABSN students
