NIGORA’S COVID STORY Refugee begins new career as certified nursing assistant

Nigora Aminova found a safe haven in America when who volunteer in our CNA Prep Program, people like Nigora have she sought asylum three years ago; now, during the a chance to fulfill their potential and give back to the community.” coronavirus pandemic, she’s helping keep our patients The program pairs participants with mentors in the medical and her Bryan co-workers safe. field to review medical terms and concepts before taking a CNA

When she arrived from Tajikistan with her two children in class at Bryan College of Health Sciences. Naff pointed out in 2017, she found work as an Environmental Services technician, the newspaper article that many refugees in the program have cleaning rooms in the women’s and children’s tower at Bryan East medical backgrounds, but some have had to pause those careers. Campus. “I think Nigora is

About a year a great example of ago, she enrolled in just how dedicated a Lincoln Literacy and grateful refugees program that’s offered are when they get the in collaboration with opportunity to put the Bryan College of best of themselves to Health Sciences to help work,” he says. students prepare for Nigora earned a the exam to become bachelor’s degree certified nursing in Tajikistan, but assistants (CNAs). She supporting her two passed the test and children there became began working as a difficult. She moved to CNA in pediatrics and Lincoln following her the Neonatal Intensive brother, who came Care Unit in December. here in 2013, and But then the pandemic found a Bryan Health struck, and Bryan job in Environmental needed extra help Services similar to one ensuring rooms were she had in her home safe and clean. Nigora Aminova is a new certified nursing assistant in pediatrics and the Neonatal Incountry.

It was Nigora to the tensive Unit (right), but she’s also pitching in during Bryan’s response to the coronavirus But Nigora, like rescue! pandemic by returning part-time to her former position in Environmental Services (left). others in her family,

She agreed to help became drawn to the out with her former Environmental Services job, where she uses medical field — her grandfather was a neurological physician, and an ultraviolet germ-zapping machine to disinfect rooms. Between her aunts were nurses. the two positions she’s working to make a difference. She’s proud of her new role as a CNA while continuing to help

“Even the small stuff that I do can have an impact,” Nigora as an Environmental Services technician. notes. Recently she was featured in a Lincoln Journal Star article “We need to make double, double cleaning everywhere to — excerpts from that May 27 story are presented here. keep safe our staff,” she told the newspaper.

“We couldn’t be prouder to call Nigora Aminova one of our And Nigora’s proud of the steps she’s taken to build a better own,” says Clay Naff, executive director of Lincoln Literacy. life in America, a country where she’s found freedom. “Thanks to the doctors, nurses and other health professionals “They gave me the hand to stand up,” she concludes. n