Charlene Nguyen
Dr. Bell
NURS 7074 DNAP 03 Population Health and Clinical Prevention
17 September 2026
Social Location
This social identity exercise was deeply grounding. Reflecting on the wheel brought my
identity as a Vietnamese American woman to the forefront. Living and working in the Bay Area
and being surrounded by Asian Americans, I occasionally took this shared representation for
granted. As I returned to my small hometown, it reminded me of growing up with few Asian
peers—feeling isolated when I could not speak English and relate to them.
That memory also reminded me of an experience during my senior preceptorship in the
Santa Rosa Memorial emergency department, where Asian representation was minimal. A
Vietnamese patient arrived after falling off a motorized scooter. Her family was traveling and
could not accompany her. The moment I spoke to her in Vietnamese, her visible panic turned
into relief. She exclaimed, “Oh, you know how to speak Vietnamese?”
As a future nurse anesthetist, I want to bring this self-awareness to my clinical practice.
The pre-op interview is short. Patients surrender complete control to clinicians they just met. I
understand how cultural barriers and limited English proficiency can cause anxiety. I want to
approach each encounter with deep cultural humility. Whether by prioritizing certified medical
interpreters or validating unspoken cultural apprehensions, my goal is to ensure all patients feel
safe and heard before surgery.
I believe that true leadership goes beyond celebrating diversity. It requires dismantling
systemic disparities. I intend to use my platform as a doctoral-prepared leader in the healthcare
community to advocate for equitable perioperative protocols, such as improving language access.
Furthermore, I want to lead initiatives that guide and support clinicians from underrepresented
backgrounds entering nurse anesthesia. I know firsthand what it feels like to be
underrepresented. I am committed to building perioperative environments where patients whose
first language is not English can feel a sliver of peace before going to surgery.