Graduate Brings Upbeat Optimism to the Field of Nursing
Born into a family of health care professionals, Cheska Santos chose nursing because of its focus on patients
When Cheska Santos speaks with patients, some of them ask her if they have met before. The Rutgers School of Nursing–Camden graduate, who will begin her career at Jefferson Cherry Hill Hospital after commencement, knows that a warm smile, genuine conversation, and a sense of humor help create a familiarity that puts patients at ease.
“My dad is an occupational therapist, and my mom works in pharmaceutical research,” Santos said. “I have aunts and uncles who are physical therapists and nurses. So, if there’s ever an emergency at a family event, we know everyone’s going to be fine.”
Though her family members offered her a glimpse into various health care career paths, Santos chose nursing so she could maximize her time spent working directly with patients.
“You come home after your 12-hour shift and you know you've made a big difference in people's lives,” Santos said. “It's rare to find a career like that—you're with a patient almost all the time. At first, I wanted to be a doctor, but I saw that it's really the nurses who spend the majority of time with patients.”
Born in Staten Island but raised in Cherry Hill, Santos found in Rutgers–Camden a comfortable place close to home to pursue her dreams. She began taking classes in the fall of 2021, having graduated from high school when the COVID-19 pandemic was still ongoing. Rutgers–Camden allowed her to maintain close family connections during challenging times—especially with her two younger sisters—while finding independence as a college student. She credits the variety of scholarships available at Rutgers–Camden with making a nursing degree a realistic option.
As a Rutgers–Camden student, Santos found fulfillment in more than just her classes. While she admits that she was initially the kind of student who went to classes and then went home—the need to wear masks made socializing difficult—Santos later found herself immersed in extracurricular activities. She joined the Student Nurses Association as junior secretary, then leveled up to the position of secretary during her senior year.
A proud Filipina American, Santos also got involved in the Filipino League of Innovative Pinoy Students (FLIPS) and found inspiration in Jamille Nagtalon-Ramos, an assistant professor of nursing whose research focuses on women’s health and reproductive health among Filipino Americans.
“She really inspired me, because women's health is kind of a taboo subject in my culture,” Santos said. “No one really talks about reproductive health, so she has motivated to get my master’s and become a women's health nurse practitioner one day—hopefully soon. Her women's health class was very enlightening, and she was telling me that I could be one of the few Filipina nurse practitioners in the field.”
With her sights set on the long-term goal of a master’s degree, Santos first has plenty to celebrate and accomplish. When she walks across the commencement stage, she will do so with a 4.0 GPA. But a perfect academic record is only part of what she will bring to Jefferson Cherry Hill Hospital, where she will serve as an orthopedic and medical-surgical nurse. Her boundless energy and enduring optimism will continue to make a difference in her patients’ lives.
“If patients see that their nurse doesn't want to be there, they're also going to feel negative.” Santos said. “I’ve noticed that because of my positive energy, my patients want to tell me about their day. They want to talk to me, and sometimes that's what patients need, because they might not have any visitors or family to support them. I'm always happy just to be in the room so they can tell me how they're feeling.”
