For the past 17 years I have been in positions of leadership in the United States Air Force Nurse Corps. The most recent positions: I was the Commander of the 673d Inpatient Operations Squadron, Joint Venture DoD-VA Hospital, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. I led the Pacific Air Force Command’s largest inpatient squadron with 196 military, civilian and VA members while supporting 55 inpatient beds and providing nursing care encompassing more than 850 infant deliveries, 3,800 admissions and 11,000 inpatient bed-days annually. I oversaw the 24/7 daily operations, administrative and clinical deliveries from 5 departments (BHU, ICU, MSU, Postpartum, and Labor & Delivery). I executed a $17.9M Operations & Military Personnel budget. I certified military medical readiness …show more content…
for 109 personnel, and I mentored and developed 12 up and coming flight commanders. I led the Squadron’s compliance with Department of Defense, Air Force, Unit Effectiveness Inspection Standards and The Joint Commission accreditation organization. I certified that the military members completed all training, were equipped and prepared for worldwide deployment missions. I was the liaison with the Veteran Administration in support of the Joint Venture hospital. My additional duties during that time were many: I was a Medical Group Executive Team member on the Joint Venture Business Operations Committee and Joint Venture Executive Committee. I was also the Expeditionary Medical Support Commander. I was the Commander of the 366th Surgical Operations Squadron, Mountain Home Medical Center, Mountain Home, Idaho. I led the 24/7 operations and administrative oversight of a dual inpatient and outpatient squadron that consisted of Diagnostic Imaging, OB/GYN, Labor & Delivery, Inpatient services, four operating rooms and the Post Anesthesia Care Unit. I operated a $7.1M budget and tracked $53M in equipment and supplies. I also coordinated the medical and nursing treatment and referrals with over 1,000 civilian clinicians and 35 independent facilities. I maintain the Squadron’s compliance with the Department of Defense, Air Force and civilian accreditation organizations. I also was vigilant in training and equipping military personnel for contingency operations worldwide. I was the Medical Group Deputy Chief Nurse and functional manager. I mentored 115 registered nurses and emergency medical technicians. I was the Chairperson of the Nurse Executive Function and oversaw inpatient and outpatient nursing services for the entire Medical Group and key to their accreditation by The Joint Commission. I was a Flight Commander with the 341st Medical Operations Squadron and oversaw the clinical and administrative operations of the Flight Missile Medicine, Optometry, and Public Health clinics. I also directed and managed Bioenvironmental Engineering and the Health and Wellness Centers. In addition, I was responsible for the Nuclear Personal Reliability (2,500 enrolled) program, Preventative Health, Individual Medical Readiness and Occupational Health Programs for 350 personnel. During that period I was the Medical Group Deputy Chief Nurse and supervised registered nurses and emergency medical technicians to ensure compliance with Air Force, Department of Defense and Civilian Healthcare Standards. I was the Deputy of Operations of the 59th Surgical Inpatient Squadron.
I assisted the Squadron Commander in leading 6 ICUs (surgical/cardiac/medical/pediatric/neonatal/intermediate) at a Level I Trauma Center; with care established valued at $24.7M. I provided career guidance and clinical oversight to 425 registered nurses & emergency medical technicians as they provide nursing care to 6,000 patients annually. I supported clinical training platforms; and continuously deployed personnel in support of worldwide aeromedical taskings. I ensured compliance with Air Force & national healthcare standards; oversaw squadron's staff development, medical readiness, and Process Improvement programs. I was the Board Certified CNS consultant and mentor for 96 critical care nurses. I collaborated with Squadron, Group, and Medical Wing resources to plan and deliver comprehensive patient nursing care. Set the standards within critical care, participated in leadership activities and developed staff, patient, and family education. In addition, I was a member of the Critical Care Working Group, Nursing Standards & Practice Work Group, Medical Wing Documentation Group, and Resuscitation
Committee.
I plan to pursue a career in nursing as a Family Nurse Practitioner. This career take many steps to complete. But it is different routes you can take and different programs you can enroll in for this profession. Family Nurse Practitioners can prescribe medication and diagnose patients and give treatment. They can work either in hospitals and or clinics as a primary healthcare provider. They can also order specific x-rays and test that need to be done for a patient. The nurse practitioners interact with less patients in a clinic than in a hospital. Np’s have privileges to prescribe medications in every state.
MSG Peek demonstrated exceptional leadership in developing a Theater Health Services Policies Document which enabled two realistic field training exercises. He also mentored of eight Field Grade Officers through complex clinical operations resulting in a more efficient team prepared for contingency operations. His efforts led to 30th MEDCOM’s validation to assume theater medical mission
When I am older I would love to be a Nurse Practitioner, I enjoy helping people when they are sick and taking care of them. Another reason I want to be a Nurse Practitioner is because my sister is also a Nurse Practitioner.
Essay 1: How will you contribute to the mission of the Nurse Corps scholarship program in providing care to underserved communities?
Examples of patients with complex acute care needs are those with multiple comorbidities who need mechanical ventilator weaning, administration of intravenous antibiotics, and those with complex wound care (Munoz-Price, 2009, p. 438). According to Landon Horton, CNO of Select Specialty Hospital in Fort Smith, Arkansas, “The services provided by LTACH facilities allow the patients to get home who would not otherwise, have a higher level of functioning at discharge, and increase their quality of life” (personal communication, March 7, 2014). The role of the Chief Nursing Officer is a complex position. Educational preparation for the CNO role ranges from a Master’s in Nursing to a degree outside of the profession such as an MBA or a degree in a related area of study (Kerfoot, 2012, p. 38-39). In L. Horton’s role as the CNO for Select Specialty Hospital, the duties required by him are multifaceted.
The Nurse Practice Act or NPA was created to not only protect nurses during their practice, but the public as well. According to American Nurses Association (2012) "Acts are intended to protect patients from harm as a result of unsafe or incompetent practice, or unqualified nurses" (para. 4). These set rules and regulations are in place to allow safe and efficient nursing practice in any setting.
Advanced practice registered nurses play a significant part in extending access to health care by providing primary care and specialty care services to clients. Advanced practices registered are mentors, educators, researchers, and administrators. According to Health Resources and Services Administration, “Ninety-six percent of the NP workforce reported being in clinical practice, providing direct patient care” (Health Resources and Services Administration 2016). Furthermore, “Nearly three percentages were in faculty positions and approximately one percent was in administrative positions”(Health Resources and Services Administration 2016).
The opportunity to expand and refine my nursing knowledge has always equated to me attending the University of Alabama School of Nursing’s masters program. With their master’s degree programs earning the number one spot for Top 50 Best Value, the quality of the programs is undeniable. I selected to apply to the psychiatric mental health track because during my undergraduate studies, I realized this was a career worthy study. My brother was diagnosed with bipolar/schizophrenia at fifteen, and I always questioned his lack of motivation and self-care abilities. It was not until taking the Concepts of Behavioral Health Nursing, that I realized the existence of positive and negative symptoms in patients with schizophrenia, and that apathy and learning disabilities were just as much a part of my brother’s illness as hallucinations or delusions. According to Akiko (2004) “Severity of negative symptoms was significantly associated with worse performance on attention/working memory,”(p. 750). With this
Clinical Nurse Leaders’ responsibility scope includes all nurse and patient management details except for administrative duties. They are important resources in United States medical intuitions. CNL candidates must have a master’s degree to fulfill this position. This knowledge gives them the needed skill set to manage the daily operation of the hospital’s entire nursing pool. They also observe and regulate the patient care setting. Ultimately, the Clinical Nurse Leaders’ role will continue to gain importance as healthcare caseloads increase in
When I started nursing school, I began to learn of the same disease processes I had heard sitting at the bedside of family members. It was then that I realized the role that education and appropriate management play in preventing complications and the difference those tools could have made for my family. As a first-generation child of a afghan immigrant and without a education, my family did not have access to those tools. Within our community, there was no emphasis on health promotion or education. However, I see this not as an obstacle but an opportunity for change: with the training from the Family Nurse Practitioner program, I can educate other families on how to live a longer and healthier life.
Working as a registered nurse for over six years has given me the opportunity to experience firsthand and understand the huge impact, either negative or positive, that health care providers can have in their patients’ wellbeing.
Seven months into my job they called a code Blue in Vascular Interventional Radiology and according to procedure I ran over with all the equipment, drugs, and fluids necessary, but nothing would have gotten me ready for what was going to happen. Once I arrived, without hesitation, I went to the anesthesiologist in charge to see how I could help, but noticed that nothing could be done so instead I put on my gloves and proceeded to fall in line for CPR compressions. During hectic situations it is important to keep communication open; thus, I told the nurses ahead of me to let me go since I was a fresh pair of strong hands. From the age of three up to this point I had always wanted to be a doctor and follow in my grandfather’s footsteps; I always said with an optimistic imagination and convocation at hand that no one would ever die on my operating table. As I was doing compressions I remember glancing over to the frantic look on the patient’s family and the pale, emotionless and lifeless face of the person below my hands.
“Life is a balanced system of learning, adjusting, and evolving. Whether pleasure or pain; every situation in your life serves a purpose. It is up to us to recognize what that purpose could be.” - Dr. Steve Maraboli
My interest in nursing began at age 18 at Bridgeport Hospital in Connecticut where I was trained as a Certified Care Partner, then as a Phlebotomist, followed by a two year surgical floor assignment and a one year burn unit stint.
A leader is described as a person who guides others and has authority and influence over others. They work to influence others into meeting certain goals. There is no right or wrong definition of a leader and there is no recipe that ensures effective leadership. Successful leaders have a good balance of vision, influence, and power. Leaders gain their authority from their ability to influence others to get the work done; because of this, anyone has the potential to be a leader. (Finkelman. 2012, p15)