Humans of UNAC/UHCP: Elizabeth Hawkins, RN
“I’ve been a nurse for 40 years, 31 of those in the emergency department. I didn’t set out to be a nurse at first. In high school, I was heading down the business path: typing, shorthand, working for the school district. But deep down, I wanted more. I took a nurse’s aide class, and everything changed. We trained in a skilled nursing facility and then at Kaiser Fontana. I loved every moment. That experience laid the foundation for my nursing career. Despite one counselor telling me it wasn’t ‘real nursing,’ I knew I’d found my calling.
“My aunt, a longtime Kaiser nurse, helped support me in my journey. My mom had wanted to be a nurse herself but never got the chance. She pushed her daughters, me and my two sisters, to become nurses. Nursing gave us independence, purpose, and a way to serve. It fulfilled her dream in a way, through us.
“When I was nine months pregnant, I applied to Kaiser. I didn’t think I’d get the job, especially with a baby on the way. I went into that interview nervous, knowing I was visibly expecting. But I was honest, and I think they saw my passion and potential. After I gave birth, my husband was told, ‘Don’t wake her, but tell her she got the job.’ When I woke up and heard, I was ecstatic, and a little scared. I didn’t know the system well yet.
“As a nursing student, I had done clinicals at Fontana, was hired at Riverside, and worked per diem at a local community hospital to stay afloat in the transition to Kaiser.
“Eventually, I let the other job go and stayed at Kaiser. The difference was clear. Even with low seniority, the environment was better: More supportive, more collaborative. We were building something from scratch: Stocking gurneys, setting up supply carts, onboarding together for six weeks. I remember our first patient like it was yesterday.
“I became active in the union early on, serving as a unit-based team co-lead and doing partnership work. But when my kids hit junior high and high school, I stepped back. Those are tough years, and I wanted to be present for them.
“Then in January 2013, everything changed again. I was assaulted by a patient. I did everything right. Security was present. A male nurse and tech were in the room. The patient’s parents were there. Still, I was injured. I had a concussion and other issues. When management asked what I could have done differently, I said, ‘You tell me.’ They promised to fix it. Six months later, the same thing happened to another nurse. That’s when I knew something had to change.
“I testified at Cal/OSHA and in Sacramento. That experience ignited something in me. I dove deeper into union work, became a contract specialist, and started mentoring officers. Carol Jones [retired UNAC/UHCP Education Director] asked me more than once to become a staff rep. The third time, I finally said ‘yes.’
“Later, when a leadership position opened, I hesitated. But I heard my own voice saying we need strong advocates, and I knew it was time. I put my name in.
“This journey has had heartbreak and triumph. It’s been about more than just nursing; it’s been about fighting for safety, respect, and dignity for all of us. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”
—Elizabeth Hawkins, RN, is Executive Secretary of UNAC/UHCP, a member of the Common Issues Committee, and a co-lead of the Partnership Effectiveness Subgroup for 2025 Kaiser National Bargaining