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Karen B. Garcia, RN, BSN, MSN-Ed, CEN, TCRN

Karen B. Garcia, RN, BSN, MSN-Ed, CEN, TCRN

Staff Nurse
NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln
7 years of service

Being a new nurse is tough. Succeeding as a new nurse in one of New York City’s busiest emergency rooms requires a special caregiver.

“When I started my career, there were many times I didn’t know what to do in certain situations but was able to overcome the challenges with the help of my senior nurses,” said Karen B. Garcia, a staff nurse at NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln. “Also, seeing everyone pull their weight and help one another is inspiring. These are the times I see nursing teamwork at its best.”

Garcia was inspired by her mother to become an emergency nurse and pursued her dream after emigrating to the U.S. from the Philippines. She graduated from Hostos Community College and went on to earn her bachelor’s degree at Lehman College, graduating summa cum laude. She received her master’s in nursing education from Chamberlain University in 2019. Garcia also has actively pursued advanced certification, including Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN) and Trauma Certified Registered Nurse (TCRN).

“Nursing is a profession with an ever-changing landscape,” she says. “Staying curious and always expanding my knowledge base helps me remain up-to-date with current practice, so I am able to give the best care to my patients. When I am passionate about something, I want to know everything I possibly can about it, and this certainly applies to my love for emergency nursing.”

Garcia hopes to be an inspiration to new nurses in the future.

“I want to teach,” she says. “Second only to learning new things is my love of sharing knowledge with others. It would be my dream to advance not only my nursing career but also my profession as a nurse educator. It doesn’t matter whether I would be teaching nursing students, training new nurses or holding refresher courses for my colleagues on the floor.”

Learn more about our Nursing Excellence Award Winners