The Student Nurse of the Year Award recognizes an outstanding nursing student who exemplifies compassion, exceptional promise in clinical expertise, and academic achievement the foundations of nursing excellence. 
For Yarilé Ortiz, nursing is more than a career path. It is a calling shaped by family, personal loss, compassion, and a deep commitment to improving healthcare for underserved communities.
Recognized as the 2026 ANA-Illinois Student Nurse of the Year at the Professional Issues Conference, Ortiz represents the next generation of nurses who are not only committed to clinical excellence but are also passionate about advocacy, health equity, and making a meaningful difference in the lives of patients and families.
A Personal Experience That Shaped Her Purpose
Ortiz’s interest in healthcare began at an early age. Growing up surrounded by nurses, including her mother and other family members who pursued nursing and advanced practice careers, she developed an appreciation for science, medicine, and helping others.
But it was a deeply personal experience that transformed her interest in healthcare into a purpose-driven commitment to nursing.
Shortly before entering nursing school, Ortiz’s great-grandmother, who helped raise her alongside her mother, became seriously ill. Diagnosed with heart failure and mitral valve regurgitation, she experienced seven hospitalizations over 11 months before passing away.
Throughout that difficult period, Ortiz balanced classes and preparation for her nursing school entrance exam with long days and nights at the hospital, spending as much time as possible by her great-grandmother’s side.
“Watching someone I loved so deeply experience chronic illness changed the way I understood healthcare,” Ortiz shared.
Witnessing her great-grandmother’s healthcare journey opened her eyes to the emotional realities of chronic illness and the importance of communication, education, access, and culturally responsive care.
The experience also deepened her awareness of health disparities affecting Hispanic and other underserved communities.
“Being with my great-grandmother throughout her illness, including during her final moments, shaped the kind of nurse I hope to become,” she explained. “I want to advocate for patients and families, but I also want to be the nurse who is kind, gentle, respectful, and attentive to the person behind the diagnosis.”
That perspective continues to guide her approach to nursing education and her vision for the future.
Finding Her Voice as a Student Nurse
Being named ANA-Illinois Student Nurse of the Year carries special significance for Ortiz, who believes students have an important role to play in shaping the nursing profession.
While she recognizes how much she still has to learn, she has embraced opportunities to advocate for issues that matter to her, including health equity, culturally competent care, bilingual health education, and community outreach.
“I believe that if I see a need, I have a responsibility to contribute where I can, even if I am still learning,” Ortiz said.
For her, the award represents more than recognition of her accomplishments. It reinforces the importance of using her voice and participating in conversations about the future of nursing.
“This award reminds me that you do not have to wait until you have every credential or every answer to make a positive impact.”
Ortiz also hopes her experience encourages other nursing students to recognize the value of their perspectives and contributions.
“I belong in spaces where conversations about patient advocacy, equity, education, and the future of nursing are taking place. I may enter those spaces as a student, but my perspective still has value.”
Her commitment to professional engagement reflects the importance of developing nursing leadership early and recognizing that advocacy can begin long before a nurse enters professional practice.
Combining Compassion with Clinical Excellence
Compassion, clinical excellence, and academic achievement are central to the Student Nurse of the Year Award. For Ortiz, these qualities are closely connected.
She believes compassionate nursing care begins with recognizing the humanity of every patient, particularly during moments of illness, uncertainty, and vulnerability.
“For me, compassion means remembering that strength and gentleness can exist together,” she said. “Nurses are often called to be strong for their patients, but that does not mean we have to lose our tenderness.”
Ortiz also views clinical excellence as an essential expression of compassion. Developing sound clinical judgment, recognizing changes in patient conditions, communicating effectively, and advocating for patient safety are all ways nurses demonstrate their commitment to those entrusted to their care.
“To me, developing strong clinical judgment is another expression of caring because our patients trust us to notice, think critically, advocate, and act when something is not right.”
Her dedication to academic achievement is equally grounded in a desire to provide better patient care.
With a particular interest in cardiology and heart failure nursing, Ortiz hopes to continue developing her knowledge through clinical experience, professional certifications, and eventually graduate education.
However, she remains focused on her immediate priority: becoming a capable, compassionate, and teachable new graduate nurse.
“I never want education to become simply about earning another title for me. I want everything I learn to make me more capable of serving my patients well.”
Learning from Every Experience
Ortiz credits the nurses who cared for her great-grandmother with demonstrating the importance of balancing clinical preparedness with compassion.
Watching them recognize changes in her condition, respond quickly, communicate with family members, and provide care during vulnerable moments left a lasting impression.
Her nursing education and involvement with professional organizations have continued to broaden that perspective.
Through her engagement with the National Association of Hispanic Nurses Illinois Chapter and other professional spaces, Ortiz has connected with nurses from different specialties and educational backgrounds, gaining insight into the many ways nurses can serve patients and communities.
Rather than modeling her future practice after any one individual, she hopes to incorporate lessons from the many nurses, instructors, patients, and experiences that have influenced her.
“One of the greatest lessons nursing school has taught me is that nursing is rarely black and white,” she reflected. “Every patient, nurse, instructor, and experience can teach you something different.”
For Ortiz, becoming an excellent nurse means remaining open to those lessons while developing her own professional identity.
A Commitment to Health Equity and Chicago Communities
Born and raised in Chicago, Ortiz has a strong connection to the communities that helped shape her.
She views the city’s diversity as one of its greatest strengths while recognizing that differences in language, culture, and access to healthcare can create challenges for patients and families.
As she looks toward her future nursing career, Ortiz hopes to contribute to healthcare that is more equitable, accessible, and culturally responsive, particularly for Hispanic, bilingual, and historically underserved populations.
She also believes that nurses must recognize the importance of listening to patients and understanding their lived experiences.
“I also want my patients to know that their experiences are a form of knowledge,” she said. “Listening to what they have lived through, what barriers they have encountered, and what they need from the healthcare system can make us better nurses.”
Her long-term goals include combining clinical practice, education, advocacy, and lifelong learning to improve patient experiences and help address healthcare disparities.
Although she remains open to where her nursing career may lead, her commitment to service is clear.
Representing the Future of Nursing
As ANA-Illinois celebrates Yarilé Ortiz as its 2026 Student Nurse of the Year, her story serves as a reminder that nursing excellence begins with more than clinical knowledge alone.
It begins with compassion, curiosity, advocacy, humility, and a willingness to recognize the person behind every diagnosis.
From the hospital rooms where she accompanied her great-grandmother to the professional spaces where she now advocates for health equity, Ortiz’s journey reflects a commitment to transforming personal experience into meaningful service.
She approaches her future with an appreciation for the responsibility of nursing and an eagerness to continue learning.
“The pursuit of knowledge is a blessing and something I value deeply,” Ortiz shared. “I hope to use that knowledge throughout my career not simply to advance myself, but to better care for all patient populations I come across.”
ANA-Illinois congratulates Yarilé Ortiz on receiving the 2026 Student Nurse of the Year Award and looks forward to the contributions she will make to patients, communities, and the nursing profession.