‘I am excited to give back to the community I grew up in:’ NA/HHA Students Share Why They Chose Healthcare

With a waiting list of roughly 200 people, Catholic Charities Boston’s Nursing Assistant and Home Health Aide Training program at the Labouré Center attracts individuals from all walks of life – college students curious about the nursing field, immigrants eager to make a living and support their families and healthcare professionals looking to deepen their knowledge and sharpen their skills.  

“Our students have diverse backgrounds, but what they each have in common is that they are passionate about learning and are eager to make a difference in our community,” said NA/HHA instructor at Labouré, Kathy Curran-Nigl.  

With many students being immigrants who are still perfecting their English, Kathy said her classroom is often full of talented healthcare professionals who had careers in the medical field in their native countries, such as recent NA/HHA graduate Gio, who worked as a dietician in Venezuela before immigrating to the US.  

Upon arriving in Boston, Gio said he worked in housekeeping and the restaurant business to pay the bills. Still, he longed to return to the healthcare field and utilize his knowledge of health and the human body. 

Catholic Charities Boston NA/HHA program was the perfect gateway back into healthcare, he said, exposing him to English medical terminology and allowing him to learn more about the US healthcare system.  

“It’s great learning new things and at the same time being able to get a job in the field of health, which is so important in this country,” said Geo.  

Others, like Memi, a recent graduate who was born and raised in Brighton, consider the program preparation for nursing or medical school. 

With a bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration and a master’s in healthcare management, Memi has long known she wants to work in the medical field. Enrolling in the NA/HHA program has allowed her to gain more hands-on, clinical experience as she prepares to start nursing school at St. Joseph’s College in the fall.  

“I am excited to give back to the community I grew up in and to help others who are less fortunate or who might be struggling,” said Memi. 

Learn more about Catholic Charities Boston’s NA/HHA training, and other workforce development programs, click here. To find out how you can support Catholic Charities Boston’s clients in need, visit our Ways to Give page.