Carielle Joy Rio

Psi Beta Chapter member Carielle Joy Rio’s journey in the field of nursing began early in her life. Her mother is a nurse, and Carielle was inspired by her mother’s calmness and judgment during times of sickness in her family. So, when it came time for Carielle to choose a major at university, the choice was easy. “I thought nursing would somehow allow me to take care of both myself and my parents; enabling me to make better health decisions for them as they grew older.”

Carielle earned both her bachelor of science and her master’s in nursing from Central Philippine University and worked as a staff nurse at West Visayas State University Medical Center in the Philippines. She would go on to earn her PhD in nursing from Silliman University. It was during her time at Silliman that she was exposed to Sigma and a whole new world of experiences was opened to her. “It [Sigma] has given me access to great resources like the Virginia Henderson Repository, allowed me to connect and interact with other scholars and really learn from their works.”

Today, Carielle is a member of the Faculty of Nursing at Universitas Pelita Harapan in Indonesia, using her personal and professional experiences to guide and support the next generation of nurses. When asked what she enjoys the most about what she’s doing professionally today, Carielle mentioned her students and her community works immediately. “Prior to moving to Indonesia to teach, I was a community nurse with Medical Ambassadors Philippines, where we serve the indigenous cultural communities when healthcare resources are scarce. I was also a volunteer nurse educator for women who were victims of prostitution and human trafficking.” She continues, “The opportunity to work as a nurse educator in a foreign country is as rewarding as it is challenging. I have always been fascinated with languages, and learning a new language is a huge plus for me. Indonesia is a country rich with culture and beautiful geography. My students come from all over Indonesia; bringing with them the culture and perspectives of their respective ethnic groups, making it a great environment for learning.”

In between her duties as a faculty member, this past July Carielle was able to attend and present her research at Sigma’s 29th International Nursing Research Congress, thanks to a Leadership Education Grant provided by the Delta Theta Giving Circle. The Delta Theta Giving Circle Leadership Education Grant is funded by donors from the Delta Theta Chapter who donate a set amount each year in order to provide funding for members from low- or middle-income countries who want to attend Sigma events.  “Thanks to the generosity of the Delta Theta Giving Circle, not only was I able to attend the congress and present my research, but I was also able to connect with Sigma nurse scholars who share similar research interests and learn from their works.” She continues, “The sessions and plenary also gave me new insights about research and nursing; and I was able to learn more about the Sigma chapter-development process. Doing so deepened my appreciation and commitment of the nurse scholars who gave so much to establish my home chapter [Psi Beta Chapter].”

To discuss how you can set up your chapter’s own Giving Circle, contact Becky Frey at rebecca@sigmanursing.org or +1.317.917.4977 (International).