Tassnim Ouhssayne

MY STORY

My name is Tassnim Ouhssayne, and my passion for the nursing profession is rooted in personal experience and a commitment to helping others.

My journey to making heart-shaped pillows for breast cancer patients started in 
fifth grade when I used this small act to provide comfort to people who faced challenging times. 
The COVID-19 pandemic made my brother's hospitalization more important to me because our 
family could not visit him at the hospital. I used FaceTime to see nurses who treated my brother 
as they provided him care while they also showed him compassion and reassurance and 
emotional support. The experience demonstrated to me that nursing helps both patients and their 
entire support network.

I developed my dedication to nursing through my academic and practical learning. The NOVA-Mason Partnership Program has allowed me to maintain a 4.0 GPA while completing demanding 
coursework and clinical training. My clinical work in medical-surgical and rehabilitation settings 
has involved patient care, vital signs monitoring, and support for recovery. As a medical assistant 
in an internal medicine and pediatrics office, I have interacted with patients of various ages while 
assisting with examinations, documentation, and patient education under supervision. I traveled 
to Morocco where I worked closely with orphans, helping support their daily needs and teaching 
basic hygiene and health education in a low-resource setting. That strengthened my passion for 
nursing, as I saw firsthand how even simple health education can make an impact on vulnerable 
communities.

My community service work extends beyond my work in clinical environments. I have helped 
organize hygiene drives and food drives to support individuals and families in need and I have 
participated in fundraising efforts to build a well in a town in Afghanistan that lacked access to 
clean water. The experiences showed me that service work extends beyond direct patient contact 
because both sectors deliver valuable benefits to society.

I plan to pursue my master’s degree and eventually my doctorate in nursing to become a Family 
Nurse Practitioner, allowing me to provide comprehensive, long-term care while focusing on 
prevention, education, and community health.

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