Nicole Ramirez

Nicole Ramirez is the recipient of the Columbia University Presbyterian Hospital School of Nursing Alumni Association, Inc./J. Margaret Ada Mutch Scholarship. Nicole currently attends Columbia University pursuing her master’s degree in nurse anesthesia as part of the class of 2021. She earned her BSN at New York University in 2013 while she volunteered at her local hospital and served as a research assistant at the college of nursing on the use of high-fidelity simulation in nursing schools. During her time at NYU, she served as the public relations chair for her undergraduate nursing student organization and created a nursing newsletter for the NYU community. Nicole started working as a nurse at a New York City hospital on a respiratory and medical-surgical critical care unit. She acted in nurse leader roles on her unit as charge nurse and the unit-based council chair.

In 2015, Nicole continued her nursing career in San Diego, California and most recently worked in a Neuro-Surgical ICU where she enthusiastically served as co-chair of the unit-based council and as a nurse preceptor. As one of the unit’s nurse leaders, she helped create a space for her unit to have a meditation room and held a fundraiser at her hospital. Additionally, Nicole has been a Stroke Certified Registered Nurse (SCRN) for the past 4 years and obtained her cardiac surgery specialty and critical care certification (CCRN-CSC) from AACN in 2016 and 2018 respectively. Nicole belongs to a number of nursing organizations including the American Association of Neuroscience Nurses (AANN), Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI) as part of the Alpha Zeta chapter at Columbia University, American Association of Critical-Care Nurse (AACN) and the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA).

She has continued pursuing her advanced degree with a focus on promoting the wellness and mental health of her fellow nurses. She wants to develop a way to integrate mental health in her graduate anesthesia program and make an impact on her fellow anesthesia students and other anesthesia providers who may have unique stressors relating to their training and role within healthcare. Once she completes her program, her goal is to return to school to continue to advance her nursing career and obtain her doctorate in nursing practice (DNP) in the hopes of becoming a nurse educator.

Nicole believes that being a teacher and educator is rewarding in many ways. She would like to give back to her community by influencing the next generation of nursing students. Reaching her goal of being a nurse anesthetist will also allow her to be able to care for those in her local community in New York as well as care for patients on medical mission trips, and in rural areas who have little provider access.  Nicole has participated in various volunteer and community outreach programs throughout her career. While in San Diego, she volunteered for community projects such as gardening at her local wildlife and habitat preservation and she distributed food to those in need at her local church. She hopes to continue the spirit of giving back once she completes her rigorous nursing program.