Emily Gonzales-Bautista, a fourth-year nursing student at Newman University, hopes to transform society for the better with every patient she serves.
Life hasn’t always been easy, but the values instilled in her from an early age have helped shape the kind of nurse she hopes to be: a nurse “who can be relied on by patients during their challenging times,” Gonzales-Bautista said.
Gonzales-Bautista, who hails from the Phillippines, was just 3 years old when both her mother and father died. Her grandparents raised Gonzales-Bautista and her three older brothers.
“I am grateful to this day that I was raised by my grandmother,” she said. “My grandma taught me manners, love and respect. She made me the woman I am today, and I’m raising my three beautiful children with the same values I was taught.”
The desire to become a nurse and take care of those in need has been on Gonzales-Bautista’s heart since she was young.
“Being in touch with others has always been important to me,” she said. “I have the chance to assist those who are most vulnerable while I practice nursing.”
Gonzales-Bautista, her husband and three children live in Wichita while she pursues the degree of her dreams at Newman.
As unfortunate as the COVID-19 pandemic is, it played a significant role in both her personal life and the development of her real-world skills as a nurse. She worked on the COVID-19 ward in a local hospital and retirement home community. There, her patients’ struggles resonated with her on a personal level.
“It was devastating to see patients who were isolated and without their loved ones by their side during those difficult times,” Gonzales-Bautista said. “I also experienced not being able to go home immediately because of my role in attending to patients. With that event, my love for my family and profession strengthened. I am always grateful for the moments shared with them as well as for their good health, despite the life-threatening pandemic.”
“I wanted to be skilled and knowledgeable enough to help the patients to recover and be with their loved ones again,” she added.
As a student on her way to completing her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from Newman University, Gonzales-Bautista must acknowledge one of the most supportive individuals in her life.
“My husband is my biggest support while I get done with school. Without him, I would not be able to even start pursuing my dream,” she said.
Gonzales-Bautista considers Newman to be her second home “because of the people who make the university a hospitable and comfortable place.”
I wanted to be skilled and knowledgeable enough to help the patients to recover and be with their loved ones again.
Emily Gonzales-Bautista
She knew of Newman’s reputation with a focus on student empowerment and quickly discovered it was the best fit for her.
“When I got my eligibility to study here, I was able to cope with the new environment because of its diverse community that helps one another to improve,” she said.
She is confident that when it comes to providing effective patient care where the health objectives of her patients are met, she is learning from the best at Newman.
With only one semester to go before her schooling is complete, she is more excited than ever to advocate for her future patients on the job.
“My goal is to improve my patients’ conditions as much as medications and therapies do, and it’s my hope that through nursing, I can have a positive impact on them and the community,” Gonzales-Bautista said.
Earn a degree in nursing
A Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree from NU permits you to take the registered nurse national licensure examination and join the ranks of professional nurses who are truly making a difference.
