Author: Eleanor Holmes
SEPTEMBER 27, 2022 — Victoria Yoneoka, RN, was in the middle of another busy day when she was abruptly called into the 5 West break room in June 2022.
Keeping her I CARE values in mind, she focused on finishing up with her patients before walking into what was a very special surprise — her co-workers put together a red, white and blue party to celebrate her American citizenship.
“I was so moved, I could have never expected it,” Yoneoka said. “Never in my lifetime.”
Yoneoka, a relief charge nurse in 5 West, took her oath of citizenship on June 15. But the road to get there was filled with obstacles.
Yoneoka moved to the U.S. from the Philippines in 2015 to follow her then-husband. With no other family or friends stateside, a marriage she described as struggling and missing her work as a nurse, Yoneoka’s adjustment to life here was hard. On top of it all, she was still trying to pass the NCLEX exam so she could get back to the work she loved and had done since 2008.
Third time was the charm for Yoneoka in 2017 when she passed the rigorous exam, which is required to be licensed as a nurse in the U.S. or Canada.
Upon passing the NCLEX, she took a job as a transfer coordinator for another health care company before finally applying at Houston Methodist. The job, however, almost didn’t happen. Because her experience stateside was limited, she was initially overlooked for the job.
“I knew she only had experience in the U.S. for nine months, but her experience went way back in the Philippines and she even had her master’s degree,” said Daisy Del Rosario, the nurse manager for 5 West. “She has very strong clinical knowledge. I didn’t want to wait and tell her to reapply because I was sure we were going to lose her.”
Del Rosario was not alone in seeing Yoneoka’s value. Her directors and HR agreed that Yoneoka was more than qualified for the role and joined the team in July 2018. She has been with that unit ever since. Yoneoka has been promoted twice in 2022, to RN III to RN IV. When she is not charging, Yoneoka is on the floor or serving in an education capacity on her unit.
“Victoria precepts many new employees and new graduate nurses,” said Joseph Altamirano, a professional development generalist in the Education Department. “5 West is a stroke floor, so documentation is very important for these patients, and she makes sure new employees understand what is required.”
The job would lead to much more than Yoneoka could have dreamed. In March 2019, after many failed attempts at setting up blind dates, Del Rosario invited Yoneoka to a party where she introduced her to a family friend named Jerry. The two hit it off immediately and were inseparable. They were married by August. When describing her connection with Jerry, Yoneoka said it was like talking to someone she had already known.
“She really played cupid,” Yoneoka said.
Jerry has been a driving force in her work to obtain her citizenship. She described him as an encourager, always reminding her that she could achieve anything she set her mind to.
Yoneoka finally applied for her citizenship in 2021 and was accepted. The process afterward, she says, was relatively smooth. She had her interview in May 2022 and was sworn in as a citizen on June 15, with nearly 1,300 other new Americans at M.O. Campbell Center on Houston’s northside.
When asked what it was like to become a U.S. citizen in such a tough political climate, Yoneoka said it was never a deterrent.
“I focus on what America can give to me and what I can give to America,” she said.
The U.S. also brought a sense of financial stability. Yoneoka described her home country as expensive but with low wages, leaving individuals unable to afford necessities like groceries and medicine. She is thankful for other advantages like being able to drive a car — something she said is typically reserved for the wealthy in the Philippines.
When it comes to her 5 West family, Yoneoka says they have been integral in her journey professionally and personally.
“They are very supportive. They are good team players. It’s easy to work with them,” she said. “No matter what happens in my career, my heart will always be in 5 West.”
The feeling from that unit is mutual, according to Del Rosario.
“Victoria is a delight to work with. When you think about somebody that you can run to, count on, depend on — that’s her,” Del Rosario said.
Yoneoka’s determination does not end here. She is planning to petition her parents to be able to come to the U.S.
“I want them to experience what I am experiencing,” she said. “The availability of basic needs, the happiness.”
Above all, Yoneoka says she wants to be an inspiration to others. Living halfway across the world with a 12-hour time difference from her family in the midst of her divorce, Yoneoka said she struggled severely with her mental health.
“It’s never easy to be left alone. There are a lot of women struggling out there, but if I did it, you can,” she said.
“You’ve got to choose yourself.”
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