Linda Vanessa Yaul, MSN, an ICU nurse at St. Dominic Hospital, has been with St. Dominic’s for eight and half years. She serves as a preceptor and charge nurse, training new nurses and ensuring her unit runs smoothly.
After earning her associate’s degree in nursing (ADN) from Hinds Community College, Yaul earned her master of science in nursing (MSN) from the University of South Alabama in December 2022, specializing in acute care nurse practitioner studies.
Beyond Borders
Yaul’s father immigrated to the United States from La Lima, Honduras, and her mother moved to New Orleans when she was a baby from San Jose, Costa Rica. Both were naturalized as U.S. citizens when they were 18. Despite the distance and borders between them, Yaul says that they make it a point to prioritize family and be together when they can.
“In Hispanic culture, family is a big deal,” she says. “Even though my family and I live in different places — some of us in different states or even countries — we always find a way to get together for special moments. The best part of these celebrations is simply being there with each other. We make sure the little kids are part of everything too, teaching them how important our family traditions and sticking together are.”
One of those gatherings is usually around Christmas, when her family observes their own tradition with the flexibility to accommodate their family.
“We make a big deal out of it on Christmas Eve with a fancy dinner party. The exciting part is that we let the kids open one gift right at midnight, and the rest we save for the next morning,” Yaul says. “Sometimes, my work schedule lands on the holiday, but that doesn’t stop us. We just shift the celebration to another day when everyone can be there.”
Yaul’s favorite cultural dish is sopa de albondigas, a meatball soup that is made with corn on the cob, potato, cilantro, onions, garlic, chayote, carrots, rice, and ground beef mixed with corn flour.
A Career in Comfort or ‘A Desire to Care for Others’
Yaul’s desire to ease people’s suffering is what led her to a career in healthcare. She says she has had this desire for as long as she can remember, thinking back to a time when she “cared” for her great-grandfather with a common household item.
“For as long as I can recall, I’ve had this innate desire to bring comfort to others,” she says. “I can vividly recall instances from when I was just four years old, staying with my great-grandfather. He would let me apply Vick’s Vapor Rub on his face so I could think I was actually helping him feel better. As the years went by, my fascination with human anatomy and physiology grew, eventually evolving into a profound passion for nursing.”
With her new master’s degree, Yaul is excited to see what the future holds for her as she continues her career of compassion.
“I’m eagerly looking forward to embarking on this new chapter in my career, aiming to secure a nurse practitioner position that aligns perfectly with my aspirations and expertise.”
Our DEI Commitment
Our ministry’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion supports culturally competent care education for our team members all year long, especially during Hispanic Heritage Month each September.
