Favorite Quote

“Whatever we plant in our subconscious mind and nourish with repetition and emotion will one day become a reality.”

– Earl Nightingale

At a young age, Mia always wanted to learn skills and knowledge to help other people. She knew she wanted to go to college, but did not know what major. One Saturday afternoon in her junior year in highschool, her family was having lunch at her Aunt Tria and Uncle Choua’s house. Mia was in their living room hanging out with her cousin’s and Uncle Choua came up to her and asked, “Abmaum (Hmong name), koj yuav mus college kawm dab tsis?” She stared at him and thought to herself, no one has ever asked me this question. She paused then answered, “Kuv kuj tsis tau paub thiab as. Cia kuv xav tso,” Then Uncle Choua immediately replied, “Koj mus ua nurse xwb mam. Nurses make a lot of money…” She chuckled at Uncle Choua and paid no attention to his comment about nurses making a lot of money. At that time, she was clueless about the responsibilities of the profession nor how much they made. But because of this one stimulating question, Mia decided that she was going to become a healthcare professional in order to acquire the medical skills and knowledge to not only be useful in the workforce, but also in her life.

Mia’s nursing background includes a diverse array of nursing experience in the intensive care unit, assisted living, cardiac and telemetry unit, and hospice and home care. These experiences have prepared her on both a clinical and personal level in which she is able to empathize and establish deeper connections with her patients. She has experience in precepting new nurses and student nurses, educating and training registered nurses, licensed practical nurses and unlicensed personnel, acting as a charge nurse on acute care cardiac units, and performing case management. These experiences have allowed her to hone in on her leadership skills and helped her be a better leader and advocate for others. Aside from her role as a nurse, she is an active HNA member in the Twin Cities chapter. She is assisting in the Medical Assistance (MA) Redetermination Community Engagement Project. The goal is to educate the community about the MA renewal process and provide assistance to those who need to renew their MA insurance through workshops. Additionally, she is a member of the Multicultural Task Force with her current employer, Our Lady of Peace (OLP) Homecare and Hospice. She has had the opportunity to create Hmong educational videos with Dr. Yer Xiong, provided hospice education to the Hmong community through Hmong Radio, and assisted in translating hospice content in Hmong for the organization.

Mia was recently elected national secretary in Hmong Nurse Association. Her goal is to be an inspiring mentor to current and future Hmong nurses and students, promote a healthy community through health and wellness education, and be an active participant in the projects and events of the Twin Cities chapter. She desires to positively impact and empower Hmong nurses nationwide to be more active in their chapters. She believes that through the collaboration of Hmong nurse leaders in Hmong community engagement at events, workshops, health, and social organizations, and through social media, her goals may be achieved. She also believes that through these avenues, Hmong nurses can collectively empower, encourage, and educate the Hmong community by emphasizing healthcare maintenance, preventative care through disease management and ultimately minimizing healthcare disparities and barriers within the Hmong communities.