Moments of Pride: T’eria Mathews (B.S.’12/N, M.S.’15/N)
We’re so proud of our VCU School of Nursing alumni who are working all over the world in various capacities to keep our communities and families safe and healthy. Meet T’eria Mathews (B.S.‘12/N, M.S.‘15/N), a family nurse practitioner at the Riverside Medical Group in the internal medicine and primary care unit in Newport News, Virginia.
Q. What do you enjoy most about being a nurse?
A. Nursing provides so many joys but I think one of my favorites is the individual bond I get to create with each patient. Everyone has a different personality and/or a different need and I get to experience each person in their own unique way.
Q. How has your VCU School of Nursing education prepared you for your work as a nurse, particularly in situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic?
A. VCU School of Nursing prepared me for this job by setting standards high and allowing me to understand the value of teamwork and asking questions. There have been so many times when I first started in this career where I lacked confidence in areas and asking questions and reaching out allowed me to grow and develop into the nurse I am today. In situations such as COVID-19, I recall being in the skills lab learning effective hand washing with the black light and everyone missing their thumbs when washing. I will never forget that and as I’m reminding my patients about how important it is to wash their hands I remind them to never forget their thumbs. 🙂
Q. Can you share any words of encouragement or advice to current and future nurses?
A. My advice is to be sure that you love this career because being a nurse is rewarding but there are some really rough days, difficult patients, and tough circumstances and you have to remember why you chose to be a nurse and let that shine through.
Categories Alumni and Friends