May 10th 2007: Sam Graduates!

Sam finally graduated from the Career Enrichment Center's (CEC) Licensed Practical Nursing program! He has been getting up at 4:30am for the past 2 years and going to bed early. He has put in around 1,000 hours of clinicals. He was the top student in his class and was awarded Valedictorian!

Here is Sam and Dayven Lopez before the graduation ceremonies. There were only 3 boys graduating--lucky guys!

Celestine hugging Sam after pinning him with his practical nursing pin. Sam's class is the 25th graduating class in this two-year program for High School Juniors and Seniors. There were around 50+ students starting the program and 24 graduates from 10 local High Schools. The program listed Sam as being "Home Schooled" since we pulled him out of school 1 month before graduation due to his knee surgury. Sam took the GED (General Education Development test) and placed in the 99th percentile. The GED is equivalent to a High School diploma.

The 25 graduates stand after coming into the auditorium:


As the graduates were pinned and presented with roses and certificates, one of the instructors read the quotes that got each of the graduates through the program. Some of our favorites were: "I'm not dead yet" from Monte Python, "You need a minimum grade of 75% to pass this program" from Nancy Hatfield, Program Director, and "Never exaggerate your faults; your friends will attend to that" anonymous (Sam's choice).

This is Sam after being awarded the Valedictorian. The Salutatorian and Valedictorian were not announced until after all the graduates had received their certificates. Sam was described as follows: "This person not only brought intellect, but also compassion, empathy, and great humor to the patients and class at CEC. It is an honor to present the award for Valedictorian to Mr. Samuel Hobbs."

Sam told me a story about his last rotation in the nursing home. He was asked by a fellow student to help transfer an elderly woman from her wheelchair to her bed. When Sam introduced himself to this woman, she said, "Is it alright if I love you?" Knowing that this patient had dementia, Sam said, "Okay, but first we need to get you into your bed." He helped her stand up, pivot, and sit down in her bed. After the transfer, the woman told Sam, "I thought you were giving me a hug. Can I have a hug?" Sam quickly gave the woman a hug, made sure she was safe, and left the room. There happened to be three other students passing by the room at precisely this time, which made the situation all the more embarrassing. Afterwards, the student nurse who was taking care of the woman came out of the resident's room. She told Sam, "Mrs. S. told me, 'You're not magnificent, but he is!'" Sam does have a way with the ladies!

Here are some shots of the graduating class following the ceremonies:

Afterwards, there was a reception for all of the graduates. There was a round table set up and decorated for each student and his/her family. On each table was a poster collage of the student, a gift bag, and a stuffed animal dressed in a white nurse's uniform.

Here are the pictures from Sam's poster:

The following picture is actually a photoshopped version of Uncle Dan's body with Sam's head:


Here are some quotes from Sam in his 2007 Memory Booklet:

1) What is your most memorable moment related to the CEC PN Program?

During my OB rotation at the Women’s Hospital, I was getting lab work from one of the newborns—a beautiful little girl, only a few hours old. I noticed that there wasn’t a bulb syringe in her bassinet, so I went to get it, but it took me quite some time since the nursery was out of stock. When I started drawing blood and milking the newborn’s foot for a good drop of blood, this little girl started choking after coughing up some brown, meconium-stained amniotic fluid. She was gagging, trying desperately to breathe, yet it was all in vain. I was able to quickly sit the infant upright and suction her mouth with the syringe I had earnestly looked for before any permanent damage could take place. It is amazing to know that because of simple actions on my part, I saved a precious life.

2) What is the greatest lesson learned during your time spent at the CEC PN Program?

Never be afraid to try something new; you might just find that you enjoy it. Before this program, I wanted to be a surgeon. However, after going into something as unfamiliar and frightening as pediatrics, I realized surgery isn’t for me. I found that I’d much rather work with children than operate on people. But who knows what the future will hold? If I were afraid to try something new, I would never find my true niche.

3) What is the funniest thing that happened to you during your 19 months in the CEC PN Program?

One of the funniest things that I experienced was with a patient that I took care of early in my junior year. He had dementia, and he was pretty confused. When I was taking his temperature, he held the thermometer like a cigarette. After trying to smoke it, he told me, “There’s nothing in this one.” At another point during our visit, he told me he thought he saw his car. He pointed to the “parking lot,” which just happened to be his bed. He also conversed with the television in his room, asking the news anchors if they spoke Spanish.