Ramon Baca was 7-years-old when a childhood injury shifted how he saw nursing.
“I thought only women could be nurses,” he remembered telling the male nurse treating his broken wrist. The nurse laughed and replied, “We all take care of people here.”
Seventeen years later, Baca is graduating with his Bachelor of Science in Nursing from The University of New Mexico College of Nursing. He completed the Pre-Licensure BSN program at the UNM Health Sciences Rio Rancho campus and is preparing to join the trauma intensive care unit at UNM Hospital as a full-time registered nurse.
Ramon Baca at the UNM Health Sciences Rio Rancho Campus.
Ramon Baca at the UNM Health Sciences Rio Rancho Campus.
Ramon Baca in a patient-setting learning room.
Ramon Baca placing an oxygen mask on a patient simulator.
Baca, who grew up in Rio Rancho, has spent the past couple of years working in the trauma ICU as a nurse intern. It’s a high-pressure environment where he’s learned to stay calm, focused and compassionate, even when things get difficult.
That mindset was put to the test last year when he was involved in a serious car accident and found himself on the receiving end of trauma care.
“I saw the way the trauma team worked together,” he said. “They kept calm and were empathetic, and I want to be able to be that person for my patients.”
I love pressure, I feel like I thrive in it. Patients can feel our energy – if we’re calm, they’ll be calm. I treat every patient like a family member.
-Ramon Baca, BSN, 2025 Inspiring Grad, UNM College of Nursing
Baca says the biggest challenge of nursing school has been balancing coursework with life’s unexpected challenges.
“After my accident, I lost my younger cousin to an overdose, and more recently, my grandma ended up in my unit after a car crash,” Baca said.
Despite everything, Baca stayed on track with his training. He says it’s a testament to the support system around him and the purpose he’s found in nursing.
“I love pressure, I feel like I thrive in it,” Baca said. “Patients can feel our energy – if we’re calm, they’ll be calm. I treat every patient like a family member.”
Over the course of his education, Baca has worked in a range of settings, from elementary schools and clinics to the medical-surgical unit and intensive care, learning from every environment and every nurse. He credits his growth to the community at the Rio Rancho campus, his professors and his girlfriend, who is also a nurse. His family has been another consistent source of strength.
“I don’t think I could have done this program without my family,” he said. “Even when I was having a bad day or a bad exam, they reminded me why I am doing nursing.”
His advice for future students?
“Make your own experience out of things,” Baca said. “If you go thinking this is going to be really hard, then it is going to be really hard. But if you go in open-minded thinking ‘I can do this, I’m strong, I’m smart,’ it’s going to be worth it in the end.”
With graduation around the corner and the National Council Licensure Examination, the national licensing exam for registered nurses, on the horizon, Baca is ready to step into his next chapter. He plans to keep building his career in New Mexico.
“This is my home,” Baca said. “I’m very blessed.”
Interested in getting your bachelor of science in Nursing at UNM? We offer several pathways to a BSN, including the Pre-Licensure program at our Albuquerque and Rio Rancho campuses. Learn more here.
