Growing up, Kelby Sosa wanted to be a paramedic so he could help others on what might be their worst day. Urged by his brother who was in the nursing program, Kelby felt even more confident in becoming a nurse.
He has been pleasantly surprised by how much he has learned in BYU College of Nursing. He’s faced everything from simple assessments, to understanding different lines (various types of catheters or tubes that are inserted into the body to deliver fluids, medications, or to monitor different parameters) work and doing some invasive skills (like inserting catheters, performing wound care, inserting IVs, different types of injections, etc.). The standout principle he has learned is that doing several safety checks has to occur before anything can be performed.
Things that worried him during his first semester, like conducting a full head to toe assessment, are now things he is able to do with ease. “Things that stressed us out immensely have now become second nature,” said Kelby. “We have learned so much and it makes me feel proud of myself and everyone else that we have come so far.”
He also fondly remembers the mass casualty incident (MCI) training from Fall 2024. Along with BYU paramedics and other EMT students, he practiced emergency care and how to be an asset in a difficult scenario. Prior to the MCI, he and the other volunteers received a few hours of training so they could effectively take care of the patients.
“I have always been drawn to critical care and [I liked] being able to practice what we learned and feel even a little bit of the stress that would come with a real MCI,” said Kelby. “In a high stress scenario, you learn to rely on your education and training, and I got to see that shine through not only for me, but for everyone in my cohort.”
Throughout his time in BYU College of Nursing, Kelby has learned what it means to embody the Healer's art. “I learned that each patient deserves quality care and patience,” said Kelby. “Whether a patient is in the hospital because of poor decision making or a freak accident, it is not the nurse's job to judge. It is the nurse's job to care for the patient the best they can with compassion and kindness.”
After graduating, Kelby hopes to work in an ICU for a few years before moving on to either work in the catheterization lab assisting doctors in inserting a thin tube into the heart through a blood vessel or study to become a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA).
Good luck, Kelby!