A Nurse First

After three attempts at nursing school and nearly walking away from nursing altogether, how did Jonathan Llamas become one of LinkedIn’s Voices of the Year? His path wasn’t perfect, but it was honest. What happened when he stopped hiding the hard parts of his story just might change the way you think about social media influencers, advocacy, and what it means to lead as a nurse. Connect with Sigma: Tweet us at @SigmaNursing Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn Share your A...

Roxana Chicas is turning personal history into powerful advocacy. As the first Latina on her research team, her journey weaves lived experience with scientific insight to uncover the human toll of heat on farmworkers and illuminate how listening can become a tool for change. Connect with Sigma: Tweet us at @SigmaNursing Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn Share your A Nurse First story

Riley Horner’s life froze on 11 June 2019, after a concussion left her memory resetting every two hours. She defied the odds through resilience and family support, reclaiming her future as a nurse and proving recovery is possible even when time feels stuck. Connect with Sigma: Tweet us at @SigmaNursing Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn Share your A Nurse First story

A three-hour bus ride, a two-hour walk, and a last-minute chance to take the nursing exam changed everything for Tameka Duncan-Baker. This pivotal moment of support and opportunity transformed her life and career, leading her to become Jamaica's first formally trained clinical nurse researcher. Connect with Sigma: Tweet us at @SigmaNursing Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn Share your A Nurse First story

Regina Yuen took a leap of faith when she accepted her first mission with Doctors Without Borders, stepping into the unknown in South Sudan. Faced with a new culture, limited resources, and the challenges of humanitarian nursing, she quickly learned the power of adaptability and teamwork. Her experience reshaped her perspective on global healthcare and solidified her passion for making a difference in the world’s most vulnerable communities. Connect with Sigma: Tweet us at @SigmaNursi...

For Lucas M. Davis, serving as Sigma’s new CEO means honoring a century-long legacy while paving a transformative path forward. His steadfast belief that nurses are truly "first"—the first to care, the first to lead, and the first to drive change in healthcare—fuels his bold vision for Sigma’s future. His mission? To lead with empathy, amplify nurses’ voices, and shape the next chapter of global nursing excellence. Connect with Sigma: Tweet us at @SigmaNursing Follow us on Facebook, Instag...

The beauty of embracing uncertainty lies in the potential for serendipitous discoveries. Each step Ronald Hickman took, whether through mentorship conversations or pursuing postgraduate education, opened doors he had not anticipated. The unexpected moments became stepping stones that shaped his career and research, demonstrating that the path to success is rarely linear. Instead, it is often a winding road filled with detours that can lead to even greater achievements—like being inducted into...

Witnessing a fellow caregiver succumb to the very issues she worked to treat as a psychiatric nurse was a profound wake-up call for Sheryl Garriques-Lloyd, reminding her that mental health challenges can affect anyone, even those trained to care for others. This realization reinforced her commitment to living her life by "PURPLE"—a personal acronym representing her values of Passion, Unstoppable spirit, Resilience, Perseverance, Leadership, and Excellence—and to using these principles to educ...

The thrill of her first nursing paycheck seemed like the promise of financial freedom but quickly led Renee Carter down a path of hard lessons and surprising discoveries about money. With relatable stories and practical tips, Renee reveals how she broke free from paycheck-to-paycheck living, unlearned bad money habits, and mastered budgeting, retirement planning, and negotiating pay—essential advice for any nurse ready to take control of their finances. Connect with Sigma: Tweet...

Jamla Rizek's journey into disaster preparedness began with a pivotal deployment during Hurricane Sandy that solidified her desire to contribute more significantly to this field. As she's learned, preparing for disasters proactively now is not just a responsibility—it is an opportunity to create a safer, more supportive world for future generations. Connect with Sigma: Tweet us at @SigmaNursing Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn Share your A Nurse First story

When faced with adversity and inequality, Patricia Coleman-Burns had the choice to accept the status quo or take a stand and work toward change. In her case, the injustice she experienced in the workplace fueled her passion for advocacy and breaking barriers in nursing for others, creating unmatched positive change in her community. Connect with Sigma: Tweet us at @SigmaNursing Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn Share your A Nurse First story

Starting a business can be daunting, but with the right mindset and belief in yourself, anything is possible. That's Farah Laurent's take, and one huge leap of faith later, she's helping nurses level up in their careers and find their dream jobs in less than 90 days with her very own coaching business. Connect with Sigma: Tweet us at @SigmaNursing Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn Share your A Nurse First story

From creating a groundbreaking peer mentoring program to navigating leadership roles with strategic focus, Benita Chatmon's story is a testament to the power of mentorship in achieving long-term goals. By prioritizing her time and commitments based on her professional goals and understanding the importance of saying "yes" to opportunities that align with her objectives, Benita exemplifies the value of mentorship in guiding career decisions and achieving long-term success. Connect with Sigma: ...

Jyu-Lin Chen began her nursing career with a passion for working with children, which led her to a pediatric ICU. Her curiosity and commitment to evidence-based practice shifted her focus to researching obesity trends among Chinese American immigrant children. Despite initial skepticism, she pursued her inquiry based on clinical observations and a need for data. Her pioneering research earned her induction into Sigma's 2023 International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame. Connect with Sigma: Tw...

Allison Young’s diverse background in East Asian studies, the role she played translating Japanese news bulletins after the 2011 tsunami, and her doctoral study in thanatology unexpectedly converged when she discovered an article online about a gardener in Otsuchi, Japan, and an old British phone booth. Connect with Sigma: Tweet us at @SigmaNursing Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn Share your A Nurse First story

Higinio Fernández-Sánchez's story begins in Tyler, Texas, where he migrated with his family from Mexico at a young age. Determined to pursue his dream of becoming a nurse despite being undocumented, Higinio made the difficult decision to return to Mexico, only to face a 10-year ban from re-entering the U.S. after being denied a study permit. His time there turned out to be a blessing in disguise though, as he embraced his culture, became fluent in Spanish, and discovered a passion for researc...

In this bonus episode of A Nurse First, Sigma president Sandra C. Garmon Bibb shares her incredible career journey and the many firsts she has experienced along the way. From making tremendous decisions to facing challenges head-on, Sandra's story is one of inspiration. Connect with Sigma: Tweet us at @SigmaNursing Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn Share your A Nurse First story

Sigma's new president Sandra C. Garmon Bibb always knew she wanted to be a nurse. Finding out at a young age that her name meant "helper of mankind" solidified the decision for her. Little did she know then though how full circle it would all come as she put pen to paper to develop Sigma’s 2023-2025 organizational call to action. Connect with Sigma: Tweet us at @SigmaNursing Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn Share your A Nurse First story

Katie Foster believes authenticity in healthcare goes beyond personal identity; it is about embodying professionalism, empathy, and dedication to patient well-being. When she reconnected with a patient who didn't recognize her after her transition, Katie was fervently hopeful that her belief would manifest in reality. Connect with Sigma: Tweet us at @SigmaNursing Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn Share your A Nurse First story

Facing challenges and limited funding, Jerry John Nutor's determination and passion for improving healthcare led him to create the Africa Interdisciplinary Health Conference—a platform for healthcare professionals to come together, share ideas, and address the complex health problems facing his continent. Connect with Sigma: Tweet us at @SigmaNursing Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn Share your A Nurse First story