“I want to help people in their most desperate times of need,” recent College of Nursing and Public Health graduate Hitesh Jani '13 said.
Working as an emergency medical technician in New York City gave Hitesh Jani ’13 a firsthand look at how nurses saved and changed lives and inspired him to join their ranks. “I chose to be a nurse because of a desire to have an impact on as many people as I can,” Mr. Jani said. “I want to help people in their most desperate times of need.”
The long and arduous hours Mr. Jani spent as an EMT meant he needed a convenient and compact class schedule. The evening classes offered by Adelphi’s College of Nursing and Public Health allowed him to continue working while pursuing his degree as a full-time student.
Adelphi’s Manhattan Center nursing program suited Mr. Jani’s ambitions. “The placements for clinical rotations, especially the capstone clinical rotation, really accelerated my career and gave me several opportunities to present myself to the hiring managers and the staff of some of the best hospitals in New York,” he said. “In addition, Adelphi’s PantherZone helped me locate a work-study position where I remained until graduation.”
Mr. Jani found himself very much at home at Adelphi’s Manhattan Center. “The availability of resources here is second to none, starting with the location of the campus,” he said. “I don’t have to carry my iPad because now I can borrow it at the library. I love how compact the campus is– everyone knows everyone. It has allowed us to cultivate professional relationships with our classmates.” The Center’s proximity to the United Nations even enabled Mr. Jani to work with the Nightingale Initiative for Global Health, a grassroots campaign to broaden public concern for global health issues.
Mr. Jani aims to begin his career as an emergency department nurse, but hopes, eventually, to become an educator. “Throughout my studies, my instructors have been great role models for me,” he said. “I have always gravitated to teaching, and would [enjoy] preparing the next generation of nurses.”
Adelphi Manhattan Center Nursing Director Irene Auteri Ferguson ’79 envisions a bright future for Mr. Jani, describing him as “an articulate young man who will be a great, caring and intelligent nurse.”