The privileges and experiences of serving in the nursing profession for over thirty years brings resiliency, dedication, and passion for improving student, patient/family, healthcare professionals, faculty, and organizational outcomes. My clinical bedside experience has primarily focused on emergency nursing with additional time in cardiovascular and agency staff relief nursing. I served as a clinical nurse educator in a large health system for emergency services, worked as an adjunct clinical instructor in medical surgical settings, and have transitioned into a tenure track faculty position while maintaining current bedside emergency nursing staff relief and providing adjunct instruction at several universities in both graduate and undergraduate nursing and non-nursing courses.
I completed my Doctor of Nursing Practice degree with concentration on health systems leadership. A systems perspective helps understand and navigate wicked problems in healthcare, academia, and beyond. I have a master’s degree in interdisciplinary studies which allowed a broad course experience including women’s studies and conflict resolution which continue to inform my practice. I have a Master of Science in Nursing in adult health which was integral in my academic and role progression.
Involvement in practice and academia provides a broader, diverse, and more inclusive perspective on challenges faced in nursing, healthcare, and higher education. The essential need for collaboration across professions and industries is evident now more than ever as we face growing economic, political, technological, and social barriers to global health. I have served on numerous committees both in practice and academia from disaster management to academic affairs allowing for growth in knowledge and skill as an effective contributor and partner in dialogue and achieving goals.
I have had the opportunity to serve in numerous leadership roles within my chapter of Sigma including multiple terms as: Vice President, treasurer, secretary, president, and leadership succession and awards committees. During my terms as president, I led our chapter to obtaining our first ever chapter key award and maintained this honor for each of my three terms in this role. I also facilitated several chapter recognition awards and helped navigate our operations through the COVID-19 pandemic. The challenges of leadership succession continue post-pandemic as we seek effective strategies to supply qualified and dedicated candidates to serve our chapters, regions, and organization. I had the privilege of serving as a delegate for two biennium and mentoring new delegates to the process. I have volunteered at both national and international Sigma events including moderating, poster set-up, career counseling, table discussion facilitation, and marketplace assistance. These experiences have provided a better understanding of the governance, needs, and operations of our international nursing honor society at the micro and macro levels.
If elected to the role, I see diverse representation in our organizational leadership roles as a priority and would advocate for recruitment of members from diverse backgrounds and areas of practice to serve. I also see technology as a key influential factor impacting our organizational sustainability and would support efforts to optimize technology in an ethical and economically responsible manner in organizational operations.