A life-threatening experience forever altered Anthony Attalla’s future. A recent graduate of Cal State Fullerton’s School of Nursing, Attalla spent several days in 2021 hospitalized with COVID-19.
“I was so exhausted, I slept throughout the entire day,” he said. “Now that I understand the health aspects of what I went through, it’s really shocking.”
While fighting for his life, struggling to breathe, Attalla formed a deep connection with the nurses who attended to him. “They were always with me, and we had many interesting conversations,” he said. “They cared for me holistically, far beyond just the physical aspect.”
The care Attalla received cultivated a deep sense of altruism. The result: Last month he graduated, summa cum laude, from CSUF’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science Nursing program, with accolades that go beyond his academic achievements. Altruism has been a guiding light throughout his professional development.
“The essential quality of a good nurse is altruism, and Anthony is driven by that,” said Jutara Srivali Teal, associate professor in CSUF’s School of Nursing and the program’s nurse coach. “In my experience as a critical care nurse, when a person isn’t sure if they can continue to breathe, they think deep, philosophical thoughts about life’s purpose. Seeing health care providers caring for Anthony when he was hospitalized with COVID may have sparked a plan to act on the path of caring for others. I suspect his appreciation of nursing came from his reflections while he was a patient and how nurses made him feel.
“Often, the nurse assumes the additional role of surrogate: a surrogate sister, brother, aunt, mother or father – wherever that love and caring energy can come from. And altruism drives many into leadership.”
For Attalla, that leadership came in many forms. In addition to acting as a peer mentor, assisting fellow students, he served as the cohort representative for his class.
“You’re there to advocate for the students,” Attalla said, “but you’re also there to advocate for nursing in general. At the end of the day, I have this responsibility, not only for the students but for the future patients we’ll be caring for.”
For his accomplishments, Attalla was accepted into the exclusive Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing, and he presented the commencement speech for his Accelerated Bachelor of Science Nursing cohort at the May 14 graduation ceremony. In addition, he created the School of Nursing’s first-ever Chamomile Award (named after the calming effects of chamomile tea), given by each nursing grad to their faculty member of choice.
“I felt there should be something to recognize the amazing work that the faculty put into educating us,” he said.
While Attalla had many nursing school options, he chose CSUF’s program because of its impressive number of resources, he said. This includes writing coaches and tutors as well as its Nursing Simulation Center and its nurse coach, the first-ever in the U.S. assigned to a nursing school, Srivali Teal.
“Nurse coaches are really unique and innovative,” Attalla said. “They help take care of the ‘whole you’ during the challenging times as a nursing student. … And once you walk into the Simulation Center, it literally feels like you’re in an emergency room. The nursing faculty here at Fullerton give the students every opportunity to practice in a real-world setting.”
Attalla stressed the critical role of student-faculty communication. “Nursing faculty really care about student feedback and how they can continually improve the experience for future cohorts,” he said. “The way they interact with you is far beyond just as a student. Once we graduate, we’re responsible for the lives of others. So they treat us as professionals and see nursing students as their future colleagues.”
Leaning toward working in a cardiac- or intensive-care unit, Attalla admits that he prefers a fast-paced environment.
“I don’t enjoy sitting down for long,” he said. “Every time I sit, I feel as though there’s something else I should be doing. Even in a chaotic setting, you have to stay calm, since critical thinking and precision are necessary.”
Attalla is also drawn toward a future in teaching. “I saw how amazing the professors and faculty are at Fullerton, touching our lives in so many ways,” he said. “They’re making a difference, not just in an individual’s life, but in the whole profession.”
Teal is certain Attalla will be successful in whatever direction he chooses. “He’s very thoughtful and embodies brilliance and humility at the same time, which is refreshing,” she said. “Many of our great graduates maintain high GPAs, but the intangible qualities are the ones that make a student like Anthony exceptional.”
“I feel indebted to nursing,” Attalla said, “and I want to give it everything I have.”