nurses

Nursing students looking to specialize in maternal and neonatal nursing have a great advantage taking classes with San Jacinto College vocational nursing professor Dora Martin. Aside from teaching, Martin is also a women’s nurse practitioner. Her constant encouragement and motivation in the classroom make her a mentor to so many of her students.

Describe the difference between a nurse and a nurse practitioner.

“Almost all nurses work with some type of patients, and their responsibilities are usually based on the amount of education they have and their particular area of study. Typically, an LVN goes to school for one year, and an RN will have a two-year degree (ADN) and/or a four-year degree (BSN). A nurse practitioner (NP) is a nurse with a graduate degree in advanced practice nursing. The NP is allowed to provide a broad range of health care services, which may include performing a physical exam; ordering laboratory tests and procedures; diagnosing, treating, and managing diseases; and writing prescriptions and coordinating referrals.”

What made you want to get into nursing as a profession, and how did you become interested in teaching nursing courses?

“Growing up in Mexico, I had an aunt who was a nurse and admired how she seemed to help so many people. I grew up wanting to have a career in the medical field so I could help others too. I also knew that someday I would end up in the classroom, since teaching has always been my passion. Since 2005, I have been a NP and in 2009, I began teaching at San Jacinto College. My wonderful, supportive husband and daughters kept me focused along the way.”

What makes up your teaching style?

“My personal goal for my classroom is to challenge students to reach their full potential. I try to create a classroom that is a safe learning environment. I use a lot of preventive and supportive behavior strategies. I create engaging lessons with clear expectations, and hold the students accountable for their success. By directing students to take ownership over their education, they become more involved in achieving a successful outcome.”

What are some of the best experiences of your nursing and teaching careers so far?

“That’s a tough question. In my experience in labor and delivery, there is nothing like seeing a new life enter the world. The joy and happiness of the parents can only be fully understood if you are either a parent, or had the opportunity to assist in a delivery. It is a true blessing. As a nursing professor, as simple as it sounds, I love it when a student calls or sends me a text after they pass their state board exams and says, “I’m a nurse!” I had a student come to me and say, “I don’t have a social life!” I shared the same thing a good friend and mentor said to me, “This is only temporary; only two more semesters and you will have your life back.” I laughed to myself, since I too had the same experience. As each student graduates into the profession of nursing, I walk away with a great nursing peer and more than a few new friends.”

Andrea Vasquez

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