Member of Adelphi University’s 10 Under 10
Nurse, Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory at St. Francis Hospital
Adjunct Professor, Adelphi University College of Nursing and Public Health
Sara Londono ’13, MS ’18 spent her first year of college at a big state school with a pre-med major. “I found myself feeling lost and very little sense of self-fulfillment,” she said. “I came to the United States when I was 11. My parents, being both immigrants and not educated here, were unable to guide me and help me make decisions regarding my education.”
After her first year, she decided to change schools and her career path. “My dream had been to become a nurse, so I wanted to chase that and find the right nursing school for me,” said Londono, who came to Adelphi for her nursing education.
“Adelphi became my home for four years and the opportunities and successes that have come my way because of my experience are like nothing I could have ever imagined,” she said. “Ten years later, I am still calling this place my home.”
In fact, you can find her on Adelphi’s campus today, now as an adjunct professor for the College of Nursing and Public Health. In addition to teaching current nursing students at the University, she also treats patients in her role as a cardiac catheterization laboratory nurse at St. Francis Hospital.
As a student at Adelphi, Londono was grateful for the support she received from faculty and, Deborah Murphy, Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Programs, in particular. “She was my clinical instructor for my first clinical experience. Her passion for nursing and doing the right thing for patients are a true description of what a nurse should have,” she said. “She has been supportive and helpful through every monumental moment for me.”
During her undergraduate experience, Londono was chosen to be part of a prestigious externship program with Northwell Health. “I was one of 10 nursing students from the Northeast to be paired one-on-one with a nurse during the summer going into my junior year. I followed this nurse for eight weeks and learned a great deal,” she said. This experience led to Londono’s first job at Northwell Health. A year later, she was offered a position in the Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU), where she worked for almost three years. “On this unit, I took care of the sickest patients in the entire Northwell Health System,” she said. “It shaped me to be the kind of person and nurse I am today.”
During her time in the MICU, she returned to her alma mater to pursue her master’s degree in nursing. After gaining experience in the intensive care unit, she decided that she would like to take her nursing career to the next level, and began working in the cardiac catheterization lab at St. Francis Hospital. After completing her master’s degree in nursing education from Adelphi, she accepted an adjunct faculty role at Adelphi.
Looking back at her career thus far, Londono says she is proud to have come to the United States as a young girl, learn English, attain the level of education that she has, and fulfill her dream of working as a nurse and educator. “I think it all hit me when I was asked to speak at Adelphi’s Nursing Pinning Ceremony in May 2019,” she said of addressing hundreds of students, faculty, families and friends present to celebrate the achievements of graduating nursing students. “It was truly an amazing professional accomplishment.”
Londono’s commitment to helping others extends beyond her role as a nurse. “A big part of my upbringing was community service and helping those in need,” she said. She has done volunteer work with different groups, including serving the homeless and elderly; helping needy families during the holiday season; and serving as a member of Delta Gamma Fraternity in the Omicron Chapter at Adelphi. She has also been active in creating teams for the Strides for Stripes Walks to Fight Neuroendocrine Cancer. “It is a cause dear to my heart as my mother passed away from this disease,” she said.