Chin Family Institute for Nursing

On Saturday, June 7, 2025 a public reading by six nurses who wrote reflections of their experiences during the COVID pandemic was held at the Ensemble Theatre, an intimate venue, in Atwood Village.

This was a powerful and moving evening as these nurses shared their stories from the heart of the pandemic. After participating in a series of intensive writing workshops designed to explore their vital roles and process their experiences, these dedicated healthcare professionals read their original works to the community.

Lorie Judson, current director of the Chin Family Institute for Nursing (CFIN) at Cal State LA and emerita professor and Leilani Squire, an award- winning playwright and writing coach, created the writing workshop after a chance meeting at a Veteran’s conference. Leilani has worked with Veterans for years through her non- profit, “Returning Soldiers Speak.”

After a proposal was written and approved by CFIN for funding, nurses were notified of the opportunity at all of the hospitals and medical centers in LA County. Six nurses volunteered to participate for these free 3- hour writing workshops, held on campus in the CFIN office for seven Tuesdays, every two weeks.

Using prompts, Leilani was able to elicit poignant descriptions of the nurses’ experiences with patients who were hospitalized with COVID, as well as humorous stories of issues they encountered. The culminating reading event offered a unique opportunity to bear witness to their resilience, courage, and voices. After the reading, the nurses engaged in guided dialogue with the audience members.

To listen to Leilani and Lorie being interviewed, as well as to hear excerpts from the reading you may go to this podcast: https://www.nurse.com/nursing-podcast/episodes/healing-trauma-through-writing/