Dominique Perry knew from a young age she wanted to become a nurse. “I grew up watching multiple TV shows surrounding individuals in the health care setting,” she said. “These people were smart, respected and made a great impact on the patients placed in their care. I wanted to make those same lasting impacts.”
List items:
- List
- List
- List
The first in her family to go to college, Perry earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing from Fresno State in 2021. She completed a year of service at Fresno VA Medical Center and is now working at Community Regional Medical Center, the only Level 1 trauma center between Sacramento and Los Angeles.
“I’ve gained invaluable knowledge working in the trauma intensive care unit.
“A typical work week includes providing care for two critically ill patients [and patients intubated with invasive hemodynamic monitoring devices],” Perry said. “My role is to monitor [them] while collaborating with other parts of the health care team, such as doctors, respiratory therapists and various imaging services.”
Heading
Perry was able to achieve her career goals, in part, thanks to the CalViva Health Scholarship she received while a student at Fresno State. The scholarship gave Perry the freedom to take time away from work to study for her exams.
“As a single mother who worked full-time, balancing work along with school was difficult,” she said. “I recall late nights and early mornings all too often. That extended vacation allowed me to move forward to the next step of my career. I am very grateful to the CalViva donors.”
CalViva Health is a locally managed health care plan dedicated to improving access to quality care in Fresno, Kings and Madera counties. CalViva Health established a partnership with Fresno State in 2019 through a $100,000 gift to support student scholarships.
CalViva Health has given $100,000 in support of student scholarships every year since, totalling $500,000 as of the 2023-24 academic year. The scholarship has impacted 100 students receiving degrees in the health care field, including many students who stayed to serve patients in the Valley after graduating.
