Noozhawk is proud to celebrate National Nurses Month with our annual Salute to Nurses. Throughout May, we honor the invaluable contributions of our local nurses, recognizing their vital role not only in healthcare but also in the wellbeing of our entire community.
Nurses are the backbone of patient care, health promotion, and disease prevention. From compassionate bedside caregivers to pioneers in healthcare innovation, nurses exemplify resilience, empathy, and expertise.
National Nurses Month offers an opportunity to express our deep gratitude for their tireless dedication and unwavering commitment to healing and comfort.
As part of this special series, Noozhawk spoke with Rosette Strandberg, Director of the Vocational Nursing Program at Santa Barbara City College (SBCC), to learn more about the nursing profession and her inspiring personal journey.
Santa Barbara City College
Question: Please briefly tell us a bit about your background, and how you came to be a nursing instructor at SBCC.
Answer: I received my nursing education in Australia and moved to the U.S. as a traveling nurse during a significant nursing shortage in the early 1990s. I have practiced in various hospitals and clinical areas, including oncology, pediatrics, medical surgical, and mostly in the ICU.
While working for Cottage Hospital, I was offered a position as an adjunct clinical instructor for the SBCC RN Program. I discovered a passion for nursing education in this role and then became a full-time instructor for the Vocational Nursing (VN) Program, and now the Director of the VN Program.
Q: What drew you to a profession in healthcare? How does this inform you when inspiring your students to do the same?
A: I was drawn to the nursing profession because I was very interested in both human biology and psychology. I am naturally empathetic, and wanted a profession where I could make a difference in people’s well-being in a direct and meaningful way.
I remind my students that the greatest reward in this profession comes from the ability to use both the science and art of nursing to provide the most proficient and compassionate care.
Q: What would you tell a student who might be interested in healthcare as a career?
People are drawn to the healthcare field for various personal, practical and emotional reasons. I would encourage prospective students to truly research the role of a nurse (RN and VN), and do a self- inventory of their values, compassion, academic preparation, and tolerance for hard work and human suffering.
Q: How is the nursing program at SBCC helpful in finding employment for local nurses after they graduate from the program?
A: Prior to each graduating cohort, I work with our outstanding SBCC employment engagement team to organize a career fair with healthcare employers in our county. We have many employers attend, eagerly wanting to meet and hire our VN and RN graduates. It has been an enormous success.
Q: How do you think the nursing profession has evolved over the years, especially in light of recent global health challenges?
A: Nurses are generally more educated, have increased responsibility, and have gained more respect as highly skilled professionals. The pandemic exposed the complexity and importance of our role in healthcare.
The utilization of RNs and VNs is also changing possibly due to the rising costs of healthcare. For example, the aging population is in increasing need of Licensed Vocational Nurses in long-term care facilities (SNFs, assisted living, memory care), clinics, and home health agencies.
Q: Can you highlight a particularly memorable or rewarding experience you’ve had as a healthcare provider?
A: Volunteering as a recovering room nurse for Operation Smile. This organization provides free life changing cleft lip/palate and facial deformity repairs globally. I have had the honor of caring for children and their families in places like Siberia, Egypt, Vietnam, Mozambique, Madagascar, Brazil and Colombia. I have learned so much about various cultures, religions, the human spirit and resilience in the face of adversity.
Q: In your opinion, what are some of the biggest challenges facing nurses today, and how do you think they can be addressed?
A: The challenges truly vary and are dependent on the nursing specialty and type of facility. A challenge that has existed since the birth of our profession is caregiver fatigue which is a state of physical, emotional and mental exhaustion. The good news is that the younger generations, especially Gen Z, prioritize life-work balance more than their predecessors.
Q: How do you prioritize self-care and well-being while working in a demanding healthcare profession?
A: One must make time for some form of physical activity which is so beneficial for the body and mind. I play tennis which I love and prioritize weekly. For me it is also a form of meditation as it demands focus on that ball, and consequently everything else is shut out. There is a saying, “If you don’t make time for exercise, you will have to make time for illness”.
Q: What would you like the greater community to know about SBCC’s nursing programs?
A: I would like to remind our community that SBCC has two very successful nursing programs. We prepare Registered nurses and Licensed Vocational Nurses (since 1957) to care for our community in a variety of health care settings.
For more information about SBCC School of Nursing click here.