At an early age, Anna Colón Negrón learned the importance of empathy and serving those around her. Growing up in a Latino household, she remembers the individual struggles her parents faced after moving from Puerto Rico. Though they arrived at different points in their lives, they both encountered hardships in their early years, often discussing the challenges of supporting their family. Over time, they each found success in their careers, driven by a shared desire to create a better future for their children.
Having a heart of service was a character trait instilled in Colón Negrón and her brothers when they accompanied their mother to work, learning about her job as a social worker and seeing first-hand the need to support surrounding communities.
Although she had these lessons engrained in her heart, she was not initially interested in health care until her father fell ill and ended up at AdventHealth Orlando.
“When my dad got sick, I dropped out of high school to take care of him. I spent a lot of time with him in the hospital, asking his nurses so many questions because at the end of the day, I knew he would be my responsibility,” said Colón Negrón.
Colón Negrón’s father had a nurse who saw how invested she was in his care and asked her a life-changing question: “Why are you not in school?”
The nurse talked with Colón Negrón about a career in nursing and if she might be interested in learning more. After talking, they walked over to AdventHealth University where the nurse paid for Colón Negrón’s tuition for a year.
During her time as a student, Colón Negrón continued to prioritize her father’s health, often skipping class to be by his side. This level of care continued into her career once she graduated with her practical nurse licensure (LPN), when she got a job at his rehabilitation center.
When her father suffered a stroke, Colón Negrón became a neuro intensive care nurse to better understand what was happening. Then, her father had a massive heart attack that almost took his life. Once again, she pivoted, pursuing a role as a cardiac nurse.
“Every specialty that I have is based on how I can prevent things from happening in my own world and my own life to take care of my family,” said Colón Negrón. “This helped me understand that I have to be really good at what I do to prevent any other issues.”
Because of these experiences, Colón Negrón was able to provide compassionate care not only to her father but to her patients, seeing the importance of dedicated, quality care for everyone.
With this heart of service, Colón Negrón now leads as senior manager of international recruitment, working with AdventHealth’s Transcultural Assimilation Program (TAP). In this role, Colón Negrón supports international nurses joining AdventHealth’s workforce, sharing the necessary resources to make their transition as seamless as possible. During their time in TAP, she ensures new nurses are assimilating to the U.S. culture and health care system, providing them a safe space to ask questions without judgement.
“I have an opportunity to grow with international nurses with a unique approach – teach me about your culture, and I’ll teach you about mine. This allows us to learn about each other and work better with one another because of our shared similarities and differences,” she said.
As part of her duties, Colón Negrón has traveled to Puerto Rico on a few occasions. Outside of those recruitment visits, she’s visited the island only one other time as a teenager to learn Spanish.
“I never thought I was going to need Spanish,” said Colón Negrón. “But looking back, I am thankful because it opened so many doors.”
One of the ways she connects with her culture is by being a part of the National Association of Hispanic Nurses (NAHN), a nonprofit organization devoted to ensuring high-quality health care delivery to Hispanic communities. Additionally, as a professional, Colón Negrón seeks opportunities to engage Latinas in professional development, not just in nursing but in other fields too.
Reflecting on her career, she emphasizes the importance of being curious and learning as a caregiver, using herself as an example.
“It’s okay to ask ‘why?’ In fact, doing so enabled me to go to nursing school,” she said. “Be comfortable and confident asking questions because at the end of the day, the more you know, the safer patients are.”
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