Nursing graduate inspired by her mother’s legacy of care in Laos

Decades before Hmong Nguyen became a nurse, her mother, Kia Ly, cared for community members in her rural Laotian village, delivering babies, treating wounds and treating sick people — all with natural treatments and skills passed onto her from other members of her village.

Nguyen, who graduated from the Regis RN-Master of Science Program on April 29, said she was inspired by her mother’s legacy to become a nurse.

“Growing up seeing my mom be that nurturer, without an education, I'm like, man, I want to be like my mom and just know things off the top of my head, and care for people,” Nguyen said.

Nguyen now uses that knowledge as a nurse for the Boulder Valley School District, where she serves students in elementary through high schools.

Nguyen’s recent family history was shaped, in part, by the Vietnam War. The Hmong people, an Indigenous group from East and Southeast Asia, were granted refugee status in the late 1970s in recognition of their assistance to the United States during the war. Nguyen’s father, Xang Ly, fought on behalf of American allies in Laos, serving as a captain with the Special Guerrilla Units. Nguyen’s family was among the tens of thousands of Hmong people who were granted asylum after the war, a status they embraced as they prepared to move to the United States.

As they arrived in their new country, volunteers from the local Lutheran church who helped the family settle in North Carolina were surprised to see that Nguyen’s mother was pregnant — with Nguyen. Nguyen, who has two brothers and one sister, was the first of her immediate family to be born in the United States and in a hospital — just two months after her family arrived in their new home. Nguyen, who took her husband’s last name when they got married, said her father chose the name “Hmong Gao Ly” for her. Hmong translates to “freedom.”

“He felt that that was a beautiful name because now that we’re here in America, it would always remind me of where I'm from, and then remind them of the beauty of having freedom,” Nguyen said.

It’s a history Nguyen is passing on to her own children, and one she often shares with people she meets, including at work.

In addition to her mother’s legacy, Nguyen’s path to nursing was also inspired by her desire to work one-on-one with patients. After earning her first degree from North Carolina State University, she worked in biotech research. But she soon realized that nursing would allow her to work more closely with patients. She earned her associate’s degree in nursing, and later expanded her skills by enrolling in the RN to MSN program at Regis, which allows students to pursue their master’s degrees while they take undergraduate nursing courses. Students entering the program already have their RN licenses, so the University grants 33 credits. By the end of the program, students have their BSN and MSN degrees.

“I love the mission of Jesuit education,” Nguyen said. “I decided to do the RN to MSN program, the leadership program … I think it has a lot to offer to help me grow as a nurse.”

As she reflected on her career, Nguyen said her goal to become a nurse can be traced back to her mother’s care in Laos. Because the country was underdeveloped, Nguyen’s mother did not have access to an education. When she raised her own children, she prioritized school. The message stuck with Nguyen throughout her schooling.

“I think my role model would be my mom because growing up, she always told me to go to school because she never had that chance,” Nguyen said.