In 2018, Frontier Nursing University (FNU) celebrated its 10th anniversary of the Doctor of Nursing Program (DNP). To honor the milestone, FNU held a contest, challenging DNP students and graduates to submit posters or videos demonstrating the importance of obtaining a DNP. We are proud to announce FNU graduate, Lisa Kiser, DNP, CNM, WHNP (Class 26) as the winner, who authored a poem titled “No Sufre Doble” [Don’t Suffer Twice].
Lisa works in Tucson, Ariz. which is nestled near the border of Mexico. In her poem, Lisa provides glimpses into the lives of those who work in the clinic as well as those who come seeking care. One element of the poems shines out above all else: Lisa’s love not only for the work she does, but for the people she serves.
Because of the clinic’s proximity to the border, Lisa sees many patients who have crossed into the U.S. seeking asylum.
“Large groups of people are being taken into custody then released into our community,” said Lisa. “We see anywhere from 20-90 patients a day, many of whom are children. With this huge number of asylum-seekers, the needs in the clinic are rising rapidly.”
In her poem, Lisa expresses the challenges and joys of working with refugees who are seeking healthcare “in a culture and a language that [are] not always their own.” According to Lisa, the refugees often have a spirit of thankfulness and perseverance.
“I have been going to temporary shelters to help with translation and medical assessment. The spirit of “no sufre doble” is very present. Their gratitude for care is so very moving,” said Lisa.
Lisa serves as a great role model for other Frontier students and graduates. She is truly living out the mission of FNU by serving the vulnerable in her community through quality healthcare. Her poem brings beauty to the mundane and shines a light on the important work nurses are doing in their communities all across the nation.
“I am proud to be a Frontier graduate and grateful to have the legacy of this organization to carry me forward in this work,” Lisa said.
Lisa will receive a $100 gift card to the FNU book store as a prize for her winning submission.
FNU is proud of DNP students and graduates like Lisa who make a difference in their communities. Thank you, Lisa, for your service to those in Tucson, especially to the refugees who seek quality healthcare and a new place to call home.
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No sufre doble
An End-of Term Poem
By: Lisa Kiser
Irma’s advice carried me this term:
NO SUFRE DOBLE
Don’t suffer twice
So I learned:
don’t wake up in the middle of the night thinking about the project
breathe—BREATHE—into the data—
hold it like the hand of a quiet, introverted friend
who will open to you if you are calm and patient.
Observe, don’t just see:
the parts left blank on a too-long form
the recalcitrant staff member
who enrolled twice the number of patients than others
the volunteer who blossomed
while talking to patients
in the waiting room.
No sufre doble:
What are you waiting for?
This never was about perfection
but appreciation:
the provider who handed out patient engagement tools
to help keep numbers up
the staff who patiently filled out the team engagement survey
multiple times
the patients who deeply listened and chose
to be enrolled in a program and screened for cervical cancer
in a culture and a language that was not always their own.
Perhaps we should not call this process Quality Improvement (QI).
Switch to Spanish:
Iniciativo Querido (IQ):
the beloved initiative
for that which is done in love
requires an intelligence
for which we can and do suffer
but never twice.
