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Nursing, to Haiti and back

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Marie Dominique-Louigene changed career paths and countries in 1983 when she immigrated to the U.S. from Haiti by herself at 27, shaken by the death of her mother.

“Whatever happens here … I have determination,” she said. “Going back was not an option.”

She reflected on her decision to leave her native country this month. May is Haitian Heritage Month, and Dominique-Louigene is aware of how her culture shaped her identity. She immigrated with the intention of continuing her career as a preschool teacher, but soon found out that destined for a different path. She took a job working as an assistant in a nursing home and developed a passion for nursing. Shortly thereafter, she decided to become a registered nurse because she enjoyed caring for people so much.

“It’s a scary thing when you’re sick and you’re powerless and you’re vulnerable and you can’t take care of yourself,” she said. “You were an independent person and now you have to wait for somebody to tell you to move.”

Dominique-Louigene, 60, said that being able to care for people gave her a sense of purpose. She still works twelve-hour shifts three to four days a week, and said she has no plans to retire. It took her a while to adjust to life in the U.S., and she still notices subtle cultural differences living and working here.

“When I get into an elevator, I say, ‘Good morning, how are you?’ and people don’t answer,” she said. She added that a hallmark of Haitian culture is a sense of caring and unity: If someone you know is not well, then you are not well.

When the massive earthquake struck Haiti in January 2010, killing more than 150,000 people, Dominique-Louigene was horrified. She felt compelled to do something about it and made frantic phone calls to the Haitian embassy, and tried to track down groups of medical staff who were traveling to aid in the emergency response effort. Within days, she found a group of doctors and nurses in Dallas, Texas, that was planning a trip. She spent 10 days in Haiti tending to injured people, sleeping in mobile camps sporadically to provide aid where it was needed.

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