When 19-year-old Tavia Vicenti was working in the gift shop at the University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque six years ago, she knew she wouldn鈥檛 be there long.
What she didn鈥檛 know is that she鈥檇 eventually return in a very different role鈥攁s a Patient Care Technician in the hospital鈥檚 Inpatient Oncology Unit.
Tavia, now 25, was a stay-at-home mom to two sons鈥攁ges 1 and 2鈥攍ast summer when she decided to apply to the Medical Assisting program at Carrington鈥檚 Albuquerque campus. In May, she completed the certificate program and passed the National Healthcareer Association Clinical Medical Assistant exam.
鈥淚鈥檝e wanted to work with cancer patients for a long time鈥� says Tavia. 鈥淲hen I was nine years old, my 16-year-old brother, Camden, was diagnosed with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia. His was treated at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale and our family moved there so we could all stay together. Fortunately, my brother is in remission, but that experience turned our family鈥檚 world upside down. I know firsthand what it鈥檚 like to love someone who is undergoing cancer treatment. I think that experience has helped make me more empathetic when I鈥檓 interacting with patients and their families.鈥�
When Tavia decided to enroll at Carrington, she knew exactly what to expect because her father, Garry, completed the MA program back in 2011.
鈥淎 few years after my son鈥檚 cancer treatment, the company I was working for went bankrupt,鈥� Garry recalls. 鈥淚 had to decide whether to look for a job in Human Resources, which is what I鈥檇 been doing, or to shift gears and do something completely different. I鈥檇 spent a lot of time observing the people who provided my son with such great care, and I was pretty sure that was something I wanted to do for others. As it turns out, I made the right decision.鈥�
Tavia, who was a high school student when her father earned his MA certificate, says seeing him complete the program helped inspire her to continue her own education.
鈥淚 teased my father that if he could do it, so could I,鈥� she says. 鈥淲hen I started thinking seriously about enrolling, his support really made a big difference. He was able to answer all my questions and encourage me.鈥�
Tavia says that while she and her father both work in the hospital鈥檚 Inpatient Oncology Unit, their paths seldom cross.
鈥淧eople sometimes ask if it鈥檚 weird to see my dad at work, but it really isn鈥檛,鈥� she says. 鈥淲e actually only see each other at the hospital a few times a week, and we make an effort to keep our work and home life separate. We have a sort of unspoken policy that we don鈥檛 bring our family life to work, and we don鈥檛 bring our work life home.鈥�
Tavia was in the middle of her six-week externship at UNM Hospital during the intense early weeks of the coronavirus epidemic, but that didn鈥檛 dissuade her from applying for a full-time position as a Patient Care Technician.
鈥淲hat I love most is interacting with the patients, and since there tighter restrictions on family visits and fewer patients, I had more opportunity to really connect with them,鈥� Tavia recalls. 鈥淭hat experience reminded me why I enjoy this line of work so much鈥攁nd why I want to do more of it.鈥�
When Tavia found out she鈥檇 landed the job, she remembers feeling that she was where she was supposed to be.
鈥淚 feel very at home here,鈥� she says. 鈥淓ven back when I worked in the gift shop, there were doctors, nurses, and administrators here who encouraged me to get my education and come back to help care for patients. Having so many people believe in me has felt really good.鈥�
Tavia鈥檚 current job responsibilities include monitoring a patient鈥檚 temperature, pulse, and blood pressure, as well as helping them shower, dress and stay ambulatory, as directed by doctors. She also handles a variety of administrative duties. Her plan is to work as a Patient Care Technician for a few years and then return to Carrington to continue her education.
鈥淐ompleting my MA program was the first step,鈥� Tavia says. 鈥淓nrolling in Carrington鈥檚 RN program will be my next step. I don鈥檛 know exactly when that鈥檚 going to happen, but I know it will.鈥�
