Nicole’s Nursing Journey Leads to Holding a Heart 

“This is insane, I can’t believe I’m seeing this right now.” 

Nicole Sierra didn’t expect her nursing education would include scrubbing in on open heart surgery. And she definitely didn’t think she’d get to hold life, and quite literally, a heart in her hands.  

But as a BSN student at Galen College of Nursing’s Las Vegas campus, Nicole found herself standing at the head of the operating table, the bright lights of Mountain View Hospital’s operating room illuminating the scene in front of her. The room was buzzing with focused medical professionals — surgical techs, circulating nurses, anesthesiologists — all preparing for a coronary artery bypass graft.  

Nicole had come expecting to observe but found herself invited into the heart of the action. 

Nicole says that her journey as a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) student has been full of great moments, but none quite like this.  

During her med-surg rotation at Mountain View Hospital, Nicole’s clinical instructor, Shakalee Exantus, MSN, RN, offered her the chance to spend a day in the operating room.  

“I collaborated with the charge nurse and advocated that this procedure would be a good one for Nicole to observe,” said Exantus. “As a Faculty, I try very hard to create experiences for my students that were not afforded to me 25 years ago. I thought the operating room was something she could get excited about.” 

Nicole was perfectly content with standing in a corner and quietly observing the surgery from afar. However, the surgeon, Dr. Chung, took the time to get to know her, answered all her questions and ultimately asked if she wanted a closer look.  

“Really, me? Are you sure?” she joked, anxious at first. But he invited her to stand at the head of the patient’s bed, and her curiosity outweighed her nerves. After scrubbing in — taking care to sanitize every single side of every single finger and all the way up to the elbows — Nicole stood right next to the surgeon. 

“I was able to have a downward view into them opening up the chest and cutting the sternum. That was crazy,” Nicole remembers.  

Then came the moment that would change her life: “Do you want to hold the heart?” Dr. Chung asked. Despite her earlier hesitations, Nicole’s answer was immediate: “Yes! Yes!”  

He guided her to hold the patient’s heart in place for 15 minutes while he stitched an artery. “I feel so lucky… I couldn’t believe it. I was just on cloud nine for the rest of the day,” she says. 

The experience didn’t just fulfill a dream — it transformed Nicole’s vision for her future. “It made me want to work towards a career in the OR. I want to be right there in the surgery, like how I was,” she shares.  

Nicole’s story is also one of support, felt from her first campus tour. “The person that gave me a tour, Albert, was very welcoming and encouraging. He genuinely cared about the school, and was passionate when talking about Galen,” Nicole says.  

She remembers touring other schools and feeling rushed. However, at Galen, she felt like she was given all the time she needed, and her tour guide answered all her questions. “He was just really focused on being there in the moment with me and my family.”  

Nicole traveled from California to tour Galen’s Las Vegas campus with her father, mother and grandfather.  

That support continued in the classroom and beyond. “I get the same feeling from a lot of the staff here, and not just the instructors. Jessica [Moreno] is also great with supporting us in many different ways,” Nicole says.  

Jessica Moreno serves as the Campus Engagement Specialist for the Las Vegas campus. A position dedicated to supporting students, keeping them engaged, and providing a positive student experience.  

Nicole noted how many instructors go above and beyond, offering condensed study guides, late-night review sessions and personal check-ins when grades didn’t meet expectations. “They’re doing a lot of extra things they don’t have to do. It’s really, really appreciated.”

 Nicole credits Galen’s curriculum and clinical preparation for helping her stay calm and capable in high-stakes moments. “My first term of nursing courses — learning about PPE, the sterile field — that’s where I learned a lot that’s paying off now,” she says. When she stepped into the operating room, those lessons came rushing back. 

Looking back on those early nursing school days, Nicole wishes she could tell her younger self to have more confidence and trust herself more.  

“You’re going to be surrounded by so many people that care for you, support you, and want you to succeed.” She adds, “What’s coming is worth it, and it’s where you’re supposed to be.” 

Nicole Sierra’s story is more than a memorable moment in the operating room. It’s a reflection of what happens when curiosity meets opportunity — and when students are surrounded by people who believe in them.  

For faculty and staff, it’s a quiet but powerful reminder: the everyday support you offer can lead to extraordinary moments — ones that stay with students long after they leave the classroom.  

Are you thinking about starting your own journey to become a nurse? Galen College of Nursing offers numerous degree paths with multiple start times during the year for new nurses. Consider our PN/VN diploma program, Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program, and 3-year Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing (BSN) program.