Nurses need a supportive community to thrive in their field, especially nurses of color, mainly because of a lack of Black representation in the field. Caucasian nurses make up around 80% of the total nursing workforce, but Black nurses only comprise 6% of total registered nurses.
However, nurses are influential in advocating for minority communities and reducing healthcare disparities around the world. These same nurses are also ones who may still face racism at the workplace or struggle to find a sense of belonging with other nurses who share the same struggles, but that’s where these organizations can come in.
Joining a Black nursing organization or attending an event focused on diversity and celebration for Black nursing can foster community and engagement. Plus, these organizations also bring a level of professionalism to your career.
If this sounds promising, then these resources could be for you. Learn some of the most active Black nursing events and organizations today.
Black Nurses Rock is one of the largest minority nursing organizations in the country, representing nurses across the world with over 174,000 nurses and nurse students from the USA, Canada, the Eastern Caribbean, Japan, and Germany.
The organization also has an active online community on social media. Nurses who want to learn more or start with a nursing organization can join their closed Facebook group, a popular forum that shares advice and stories from nurses across the county.
If you’re a student, one of the benefits of becoming a member of Black Nurses Rock is that you can apply for scholarships, awards, and discounts on university tuition. There are also local chapters in over 25 states so that nurses can get connected and network.
Founded in 1971, the National Black Nurses Association (NBNA) is one of the oldest nursing organizations, with over 200,000 members. They focus on ensuring their members have equal access to healthcare opportunities, education, and professional growth.
They have different membership levels for registered nurses, licensed nurse practitioners, and students, with benefits such as association partnerships with other federal and national organizations and speaking engagements at national conferences.
Members can also attend their annual summer conference to see exhibitors for employment opportunities and attend sessions with prominent speakers on diabetes, breast cancer, women’s health, cardiovascular health, and more.
Look at their chapter directory to see if there’s a chapter near you.
The National Coalition of Ethnic Minority Nurse Associations (NCEMNA) is a nonprofit made up of the largest five-member organizations for nurses:
The NBNA
The Philippine Nurses Association of America (PNAA)
Asian American/Pacific Islander Nurses Association (AAPINA)
The National Alaska Native American Indian Nurses Association (NANAINA)
Its goal is to create a unified community with other nurses of color for more culturally appropriate health care and to foster alliances with other professional organizations.
Individual nurses cannot apply, but if you’re a member of any of the five member organizations, you can access NCEMNA’s resources through their sign-up page. NCEMNA is active in health equity and policy advocacy, and its annual conference centers around public policy solutions and speakers with experience in social justice and health disparities among the BIPOC community.
From July 26 to August 1, Black Nurses Week is a conference dedicated to uplifting the Black nursing community professionally and personally. Black Nurses Week was founded by Tauquilla Manning, a nurse travel leader who saw a need for an event like this after being told at work that her natural hairstyle was unprofessional.
Since 2022, the nationwide event has focused on business, health, and wealth, putting Black nurses at the center as they learn from nurse leaders on topics such as entrepreneurship, financial wellness, and healthcare. This year’s Black Nurses Week will be held in Washington, D.C., allowing attendees to attend sessions with nurse leaders, earn continuing education credits, and meet fellow nurses through daily breakfast and coffee breaks.
Black Nurses Meet is an online community and website for Black nurses to find resources and advice to help their careers. Black travel nurses especially can find this community helpful for sharing healthcare-related tips and advice online.
Their memberships are cost-friendly, with their lowest tier at only $25 for nurses and nurse influencers who want to build their content. For nurses who don’t like to spend money, their Instagram account offers tips on burnout and career motivation for Black nurses.
Although Black Nurses Meet is primarily active on social media, they also have in-person events such as their yearly gala designed for the professional community and their travel group trips with other Black nurses.
Selena Gilles, DNP, ANP-BC, CNEcl, FNYAM, is a Clinical Associate Professor and Associate Dean of the Undergraduate Programs at New York University Rory Meyers College of Nursing.
She’s also an Affiliate Faculty member of the Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing (HIGN), where she serves as Co-Director of the HIGN Scholars Program, an Affiliate Associate Professor at Howard University College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences, and a Volunteer Associate Professor for the State University of Haiti.
Dr. Gilles is known for creating and implementing nontraditional immersive teaching/learning innovations to address nationally identified nursing education issues that will enhance student learning/program outcomes.
She is regarded as a leader and prelicensure nursing education expert who has implemented curricular innovations that have been evidence-based, creative, and effective teaching strategies that span multiple courses at Meyers and settings outside of Meyers, significantly impacting student academic success and role transitions.
Dr. Gilles’s contributions have helped enhance the nursing curriculum, filling identified gaps and answering the new essentials call for all entry-level professional nurses to have knowledge and proficiencies to practice across various settings in wellness/disease prevention and chronic disease management.
She’s passionate about the management of acute and chronic pain, as well as opioid overdose prevention, and is the Program Director of the Greater NYC Black Nurses Association Opioid Overdose Prevention Program. Dr. Gilles has strong community advocacy and a passion for global health; currently working with organizations aimed to serve the underprivileged and underserved communities in Haiti, Ghana, and Nigeria and has been on six medical missions.
Dr. Selena Gilles is an important nursing leader, and we’re proud to profile her as part of the Champions of Nursing Diversity Series 2024. The series highlights healthcare leaders who are prominent figures in their organizations and are making transformational impacts in nursing.
Meet Dr. Selena Gilles, Clinical Associate Professor and Associate Dean of the Undergraduate Program at New York University Rory Meyers College of Nursing.
Talk about your role in nursing.
I am a Clinical Associate Professor and Associate Dean of the Undergraduate Program at NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing. I am also an Affiliate Associate Professor at Howard University College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences and a Volunteer Associate Professor for the State University of Haiti. I am a certified Clinical Nurse Educator and certified in Critical Care Nursing. As an Adult Nurse Practitioner, I specialize in neuro and pain management, including medical marijuana and opioid overdose prevention.
I have always been passionate about giving back to my community, which often lacks the resources and support to combat health disparities, inequities, and social injustice. With a proven track record of volunteering, my work with nursing organizations and community groups has impacted thousands of students, nursing colleagues, and community members locally and globally.
My pioneering work has impacted 8,000+ disadvantaged patients in Haiti, Ghana, and Nigeria. As a volunteer Nurse Practitioner for seven medical missions, I have significantly contributed by educating local professionals and providing appropriate patient care while mentoring nursing students in global health initiatives. My innovations enhance health professions curricula with local/global community-based experiences, fill international gaps, and prepare nurses to gain essential competencies across cultures and practice settings.
How long have you worked in the nursing field?
I have been in nursing for 18 years. It’s hard to wrap my head around that question whenever I answer it. It feels like it was just yesterday when I graduated from nursing school. I have been a nurse practitioner and nurse educator for 13 years.
Why did you become a nurse?
My grandmother migrated to Brooklyn in 1969 from North Carolina with her three daughters at a time when being black in the South was still dangerous. My grandmother struggled with heart disease and diabetes and suffered a stroke, as do many African Americans in underserved communities. Seeing her severely ill is what sparked my interest in a healthcare career.
Aside from my grandmother, my parents have been very influential in my career. My mom grew up in a very disadvantaged neighborhood. She spent her early years in a housing project. She worked for over thirty years as a certified nursing assistant. My father, a Haitian immigrant who came to America at age 20, instilled in me early on that I’d have to work twice as hard to get the same opportunities as my counterparts. I didn’t grow up in the best neighborhoods. As a latchkey kid who grew up in the NYC public schools, I knew I had to make it out of areas where most lack the resources to succeed. These are places where community members didn’t have the best healthcare access or all the resources required to live a healthy life, like safe areas to play or exercise or even grocery stores with fresh foods. That taught me about the impact of the social determinants of health and how I could serve as a community advocate to combat health disparities and inequities.
What are the most important attributes of today’s nursing leaders?
Compassion, emotional intelligence, collaboration, resilience, determination, flexibility, innovation, critical thinking, problem-solving, diligence, not being afraid to challenge the status quo, advocates, and being a team player.
What does being a nursing leader mean to you, and what are you most proud of?
Positions are temporary. Ranks and titles are limited. But the way you treat people is what will always be remembered. I am passionate about helping the underserved and will prioritize doing all I can to help those in need. As an award-winning expert clinician and community leader, I’ve launched effective models that bring under-resourced communities access to healthcare and education while creating nontraditional community-based immersive learning/interprofessional experiences for NP students. My groundbreaking contributions enhance the knowledge/competencies of 40,000+ healthcare professionals across community settings worldwide. I’ve secured corporate and community-based sponsorship for multiple community health initiatives and established an NP-led COVID-19 vaccine clinic that delivered 28,000+ vaccines to vulnerable people. As a volunteer NP, I have immersed nursing students in seven international medical missions, providing care to over 8,000 vulnerable patients and promoting health equity in Haiti, Ghana, and Nigeria. My innovations enhance health professions curricula with local/global community-based experiences, fill international gaps, and prepare nurses to gain essential competencies across cultures and practice settings
Tell us about your career path and how you ascended to that role.
At some point in our careers, we’re all asked how we accomplished our goals. All of our stories are unique. When reflecting on my journey and my road to success, I’ve realized that all paths are not a straight line. My path had many bumps, obstacles, twists, and turns, and I’ve met many people. Often, when we think of education, we think of it in the traditional sense, whatever we’ve learned in school. Of course, as nurses, degrees earned ultimately shape our careers regarding the type of healthcare provider we become and the setting in which we practice. I’d say that my identity as a nurse started to develop way before I entered nursing school. I credit a lot of who I am as a nurse to all of the many experiences I’ve had along the way.
We are a product of our society and our parents and their struggles. It began with seeing my grandmother struggle with chronic illness and seeing my mom work long hours at the hospital. My parents couldn’t afford to send me to the best schools, reinforcing the importance of hard work and dedication. It gave me my drive, made me more ambitious, and taught me not to take no for an answer. This led me to continue to pursue higher education and seek a terminal nursing degree
I am the daughter of a Haitian immigrant. A father who told me I could have anything that I ever dreamt of if I just worked for it. He’s a huge part of where I get my work ethic from. Some may call me a latchkey kid, as my mom worked very hard at a Community hospital to provide for me. That experience taught me to be independent, self-sufficient, and hardworking. I learned that sometimes, you must sacrifice for the greater good. We’ve all made sacrifices for our patients
I think about my experiences in public school, where I didn’t have a lot of teachers who looked like me. You can’t be what you can’t see. In my third year of nursing school, I was exposed to two doctorally prepared women faculty of color. They gave me something to aspire to. It was at that moment that I realized that anything was possible. That my career in nursing could be whatever I wanted it to be. That shaped who I would become as a nurse in academia. So, I pay it forward by being that example. I wish I had more of this when I was pursuing my education. To look at my surroundings and advocate for more diverse faculty so that the diversity in leadership mirrors the diversity of our students and the patients we care for. To ensure our curriculum is diverse and inclusive, we are preparing culturally competent and aware nurses who can provide culturally appropriate care to all patients. This is the change I wish to see in the world.
I started wanting to be a pediatrician after doing an externship in the pediatrics unit at the hospital where my mom worked as a teenager. That was my first taste of healthcare. I double majored in college because I didn’t come from money and knew medical school was expensive. I was premed with nursing as my backup. Seeing the great care my grandmother received from her ICU nurses at the end of her life, coupled with my early clinical experiences in nursing school, solidified that a career in nursing was best for me. After completing my degree and passing my licensing exam, I worked in a Med Surg unit for a year and then transferred to the medical ICU because I aspired to become a CRNA. At the same time, I enrolled in a master’s program to get a head start on core courses. I ultimately did not get into the CRNA program I applied to and ended up finishing my master’s and becoming an Adult NP. Upon graduating, I had difficulty finding a job as an NP. You did not see many working in the hospital at the time. One day, while working a shift in the ICU, I ran into a former colleague from my previous Med Surg unit. She had been working as an adjunct clinical instructor at my current institution and thought it would be a perfect fit for me. It wasn’t something I intended for myself, but I decided to try it, and the rest is history. The first and only hospital I’ve ever worked at now became the place where I would educate nursing students. Eventually, I secured a position at this same hospital as an NP in outpatient neurosurgery. Realizing I had a newfound love for nursing education, I began precepting NP students once I settled into my role. This led me to achieve my terminal nursing degree to pursue nursing education full-time. In my 13 years at NYU Meyers, I have strategically moved through the ranks. It feels like just yesterday when I was a clinical instructor. After completing my DNP, I advanced to clinical assistant professor, then a clinical associate professor seven years later. I have been active in the community locally and globally, taking on many leadership roles inside and outside my institution and spearheading many initiatives to advance health equity. In 2020, I was inducted as a fellow in the NY Academy of Medicine. In 2023, I was inducted as a fellow in the American Academy of Nursing and the Academy of Nursing Education.
What is the most significant challenge facing nursing today?
Historically, the image that comes to mind when people think of nurses is the caregiver at the bedside, following orders, administering medications, or being hands-on with their patients. They think of Florence Nightingale. Frankly, the first image is not likely of a person who looks like me. There is so much more work to do to improve diversity in nursing so that the nursing workforce mirrors the patient population they care for. There is still work to address diversity, equity, and inclusion issues in the profession and healthcare. To dismantle the structural and systemic racism that unfortunately exists within our profession. We need more nurses and other healthcare professionals to keep our ever-changing healthcare systems functioning. We need providers who are not only culturally diverse and aware but committed to advancing the profession and working towards eliminating health disparities and inequities.
As a nursing leader, how are you working to overcome this challenge?
Nurses should have a seat at every table, and if we don’t, as Shirley Chisholm says, pull up a chair. We are here because of pioneers like Sojourner Truth, Madame CJ Walker, Andres Fernandez, Mary Mahoney, Teresa Urrea, Mary Secole, Beverly Warne, Kay Fukuda, Junta Sotejo, and countless other nurses of color. I believe it’s important for nurses to have a seat at the table. Because of this, I prioritize dedicating my time to serving on boards of organizations that advance nursing and provide spaces for nurses of color to thrive and advocate for health equity. I am so grateful to DNPs of Color for creating a space where we can all come together, support, and encourage one another. Truly change the game and forge a new path through networking, mentorship, and advocacy. I am proud to serve as their Vice President.
I’m a founding member of the Greater New York City Chapter of the National Black Nurses Association, whose mission is “for the greater good.” The genesis of the Greater New York City – Black Nurses Association, Inc (GNYCBNA) was forged out of the need for a progressive and innovative chapter that addressed healthcare inequities in communities of color. The chapter was founded in 2017 and grew quickly. Through our various initiatives, we strive to positively impact the communities where we live, work, and play. The GNYCBNA’s mission and vision is to U.N.I.T.E. NYC: uplifting neighborhoods through innovation, teaching, and engagement. The cornerstone of GNYCBNA is innovative community service, focusing on health education, improving health, and building and strengthening the community. Through stand-alone efforts or collaboration with local, regional, and national community and professional organizations, GNYCBNA hosts and participates in at least 20 events each year. Committed to addressing health inequities, I spearheaded a strategic partnership between a federally qualified health center (FQHC), Stop the Spread, the Greater NYC chapter of the National Black Nurses Association (GNYCBNA), New York University (NYU) and Long Island University (LIU) Colleges of Nursing to establish four FEMA vaccination sites delivering 28000+ COVID vaccines (70% Black/Hispanic) during the height of the pandemic. As lead Community Liaison, I co-launched an NP-run vaccine clinic in an African-American church accessible to 180,000+ community members, providing access to vital healthcare services. I leveraged this collaboration to offer a semester-long immersive learning experience for 100+ pre-licensure nursing students working with medical students and registered nurses under the supervision of NPs to administer vaccines and provide health education to under-resourced communities disproportionately affected by COVID.
As the founder and inaugural Director of the GNYCBNA’s Opioid Overdose Prevention Training Program (designated by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene{DOHMH}), I was instrumental in addressing rising NYC opioid overdose death rates in communities of color. We provide annual training to 400+ undergraduate/graduate nursing students through a multi-university collaboration. We also developed an innovative partnership with national music artists, DJs, and an LGTBQ+ clinic, allowing us to create a community coalition delivering ongoing naloxone training to over 400 clubgoers, owners, and personnel within the LGBTQ+ community. Because of the success of our program, I collaborated with the DOHMH on their 2023 Overdose Awareness Media Campaign. As the only NP featured in the campaign, my ad highlighting the use of naloxone for overdose prevention has been placed around NYC in train and ferry stations, neighborhood businesses, and online (in English and Spanish). Banners can be found on the DOHMH website, and the videos are accessible on their YouTube page.
I think about all of the mentoring I have received throughout my career. I gained all the knowledge from seasoned nurses, all of the great times, and, yes, even the challenging times. I sought out mentors because of their stellar leadership or outstanding accomplishments, as well as those who saw something in me that could develop into something even more significant and wanted to play a part in my professional development. They have helped me grow personally and professionally in so many ways. I’ve gotten so many opportunities from mentorship or simply connecting with different people I’ve met. Because of this, I pay it forward and mentor the next generation. I encourage others to pay it forward, mentor and support nurses of color, and do their part in diversifying our nursing workforce and combating health inequities.
What nursing leader inspires you the most and why?
To know where we are going, we must understand where we came from. Black nurses can be found throughout U.S. history, but they faced racism on all fronts. It took dedication and perseverance to obtain an education and recognition. They had to fight to progress and pave the way for more nurses. Without them, there is no me. I think about Mary Eliza Mahoney, the first Black American to earn a professional nursing license, dedicating her life to increasing access to nursing education for people of color. I think about Estelle Massey Osbourne, the first Black American to earn a master’s degree in nursing. Because of her work, more nursing schools began to admit Black students. I think about Hazel Johnson-Brown, the first Black female brigadier general in the U.S. Army, in charge of thousands of nurses. I think about Eddie Bernice Johnson, the first nurse to win a national office, elected to serve the 30th Congressional District of Texas (1993). I think about Ernest Grant, the first black American Nurses Association (ANA) male president spearheading their Racial Reckoning. I think about living legend C. Alicia George, educator, practitioner, community activist, and the creator of the National Black Nurses Association’s (NBNA) annual Day on Capitol Hill. I think about Beverly Malone, ANA’s past president and chief executive officer of the National League for Nursing. They have truly paved the way for people like me to succeed. I stand on the backs of my ancestors, and I am committed to pulling up others as I climb.
What inspirational message would you like to share with the next generation of nurses?
What I love about the new generation of nurses is their fearlessness and willingness to speak up and to advocate for themselves, their patients, and their profession. For them, that may often seem like a huge weight to bear, but they will be the ones who will push our profession forward. I want them to remember what it took to earn their title. Remember how they’ve triumphed, persevered, been resilient, and supported one another. Remember the challenges they’ve overcome and all that they’ve learned along the way. Remember to be as kind to themselves as they are to others. Remember to care for yourself because you can’t pour from an empty cup. Remember to give yourself grace and that learning is a life-long process. Remember always to do what’s right and prioritize accessible and equitable healthcare.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
Remember, not every path is a straight line. Our identity as nurses is shaped by our formal education and, more importantly, by the challenges, obstacles, difficulties, opportunities, and victories we’ve experienced. Continue to pay it forward. Be that preceptor, that mentor, that faculty member, that leader you had, or even wish you had. You never know who’s watching and who you’re helping to develop their identity as a nurse. In my circle, we have a saying: Show up, show off, and show out. So show up as your authentic self. Show off all you have accomplished because you never know who you are inspiring. Show them that you are outstanding, even when imposter syndrome is knocking at the door.
What we all feared just happened when Claudine Gay, the first Black president of Harvard University, announced that she was stepping down after only six months on the job—the shortest stint ever for the university’s president position.
The latest news about Claudine Gay admittedly dredged up some all too familiar and saddening experiences for me and many executives like me when I heard the news. While writing this, I just saw a news report about the inauguration of the first female mayor of Philadelphia, Cherelle Parker, who is only the fifth Black woman to run one of America’s largest cities. They highlighted parts of her speech about shattering the glass ceiling and opening up opportunities for more women and POCs to walk through.
Is that really the case?
We felt the same hope, promise, and determination when we first heard of Dr. Gay’s appointment. And yet, six months later, here we are. Her interim replacement looks and sounds like nothing of that promise or the person who just vacated that position.
This is not about Dr. Gay’s congressional testimony, and let’s set aside the plagiarism allegations for now. We continue to witness and experience this trend for people of color. When we finally think that we’ve made it and there is finally a path for distributive power, another (one) bites the dust, or another door closes and closes tightly with little expectation for the change we hoped to see. The quote by David Thomas, president of Morehouse College, that “… (this situation) does put in relief the vulnerability of Black female leaders. When they do ascend to these positions — there will be people who come after them” is real and jarring.
The evidence is quite clear that we have work to do not only with diversifying the nursing profession but with diversifying nursing leadership even more. According to a study by the National Center For Education Statistics, Black women have been obtaining degrees at a consistently high rate for the past 11 years, obtaining more associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate degrees. And yet, a health affairs study found that “historical legacies of sexism and racism, dating back to the division of care work in slavery and domestic service,” even though Black women are more overrepresented than any other demographic group in healthcare.
Nurses of color represent fewer than 20% of U.S. leadership roles in nursing administration, education, and professional organizations. A 2023 scoping review revealed that Black nurse leaders face obstacles and challenges with entering into or remaining in leadership roles, along with limited and inadequate research on Black nurses in leadership roles.
For many of us who have supposedly “made it” as nurse leaders of color, the fight to hold on has a weathering effect. The path is long and winding, with a constant need to justify your position with the stress of constantly overperforming, outworking, outproducing, and over-justifying why you belong in your role. I vividly recall my first experience of this when, with my first major promotion to an executive role, a position I was offered and didn’t even apply for.
After I received the unexpected and exciting news of my promotion, I was told by my then-boss, the CNO, that one of the surgeons (who was white) felt that he still needed to be convinced that I was qualified (I was overqualified with dual master’s degrees). She insisted that I stop by his office to meet with him, only to be subjected to degradation and veiled threats that he was watching me and he had the power to bring me down if I didn’t prove I was worthy of the role. My joy of being promoted suddenly turned into fear. I adopted the familiar methodology of being the first in and last to leave during my entire career there as I struggled, which also impacted my family and finances. Even that was not enough, or I didn’t know what enough was. It was an unclear and constantly moving target.
Back to the shattered glass analogy. This continuing trend is evidence that the shards of glass from glass ceilings that are figuratively shattered when people of color are appointed to these positions are never thoroughly picked or cleaned up. The shards remain littered in paths for people of color in these leadership positions to step over and avoid cutting themselves carefully. We’ve all literally seen the effects of broken glass, and shards tend to spread far, go wide, and hide. Even the most meticulous cleaning reveals a piece of glass days, months, or weeks later, which may have been missed, causing a cut or becoming embedded in limbs, causing harm when and where you least expect it. These injuries can also cause permanent damage – in this case, spirit murder.
When are we enough? Is it ever enough? And, once we get into these prized positions and the celebratory “being the first” honeymoon phases are over, what is enough? For all the Claudine Gays in nursing and other careers that have been loved, lifted, and are now lost or are fighting to hold on, it’s tough to play the game when you don’t know the rules when they are unwritten and constantly changing. A friend of mine sent me a quote that we continuously have to be “twice as good to get half as far” as some of our counterparts. This is not the way we wanted to start the year 2024.
Shauna Johnson is a registered nurse at Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center (LHAAMC) in Annapolis, Maryland, and exemplifies the meaning of resilience.
She worked as a tech for LHAAMC more than ten years ago, but then life got in the way. After her mom died of breast cancer, she had to take care of her two brothers (who were 7 and 13 at the time). Eventually, Johnson went to nursing school and got her degree in May 2022. During her last semester, she gave birth and got COVID. At nursing school, Johnson fell in love with working with geriatric patients; now, she works in Luminis Health’s Acute Care for Elders (ACE) unit.
Someone at school believed in Johnson so much that they privately funded her education.
She credits Christine Frost, the chief nursing officer at Luminis Health, for being a significant influence in her life. When Johnson first worked at LHAAMC 11 years ago, Frost was her supervisor, providing Johnson with guidance and mentorship.
The series highlights healthcare leaders who are prominent figures in their organizations and are making transformational impacts in nursing.
Meet Shauna Johnson, a Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center (LHAAMC) registered nurse.
Talk about your role in nursing.
As a registered nurse at Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center, I provide optimal care to patients and the community. I love advocating for patients and helping them feel comfortable with their care. As a nurse, I am responsible for assessing, observing, and communicating well with patients. I collaborate with a team of medical professionals to ensure every patient receives the care they deserve.
How long have you worked in the nursing field?
I have worked in the nursing field for 15 years. I started as a patient care technician for 14 years and then earned my BSN and RN.
Why did you become a nurse?
My inspiration to become a nurse started with a nurse who cared for my mom during her last hours of life. It was such a difficult time in my life that I can’t remember much except for this nurse who had so much compassion, love, and dedication. It showed in everything that he did. When I was only 19, I knew I wanted to be the same for others. I made it my mission to be a great nurse to patients, families, and the community.
What sparked your love for working with geriatric patients?
My love for geriatric patients came from my first job in the nursing field as a geriatric nursing assistant. From then on, I respected geriatric patients more and more. Geriatric patients demonstrate incredible strength on a daily basis. Despite a complex medical history, they never give up. Their will and determination to thrive in life are inspiring, and as a nurse, I want to assist in making life worth every moment.
What are the most important attributes of today’s nursing leaders?
Flexibility, love, passion, dedication, and resilience.
What does being a nursing leader mean to you, and what are you most proud of?
It means being a role model to other nurses and the community, even when off-duty. Despite my challenges, I am proud that I pushed through and achieved my goal of becoming a nurse. I demonstrate my passion for nursing every single day.
Tell us about your career path and how you ascended to that role.
My first year in nursing was as a nursing assistant in a rehabilitation facility. After that, I worked as a patient care technician (PCT) in the Medical Surgical Unit for ten years. Then, I shifted from working with just adults to the Mother/Baby unit as a PCT, where I remained throughout nursing school. After graduating with my BSN, I wanted to work with adults again, specifically geriatric patients. I never gave up and never wanted to be a PCT forever. I kept pushing myself to grow and achieve my goals.
I chose to work at Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center (LHAAMC) because it is home. Everyone is supportive, loving and caring. The care that Luminis Health provides to the community is outstanding, and this team of caregivers truly exemplifies our mission of enhancing the health of the people and communities we serve.
What is the most significant challenge facing nursing today?
The most significant challenge in nursing today is maintaining a healthy work environment. Focusing on mental health and preventing nurse burnout is essential. Our country experienced a historic pandemic, and healthcare workers are still experiencing the residual effects of COVID and how it impacted nursing care. As nurses, we must take care of ourselves to ensure that we can provide optimal care to others.
As a nursing leader, how are you working to overcome this challenge?
Mindfulness is key! That means being mindful, recognizing the importance of self-care, and creating a work environment where others can open up about hardships and mental health issues.
What nursing leader inspires you the most and why?
My former Chief Nursing Officer (CNO), Christine Frost, was my supervisor for seven years and a source of inspiration for 14 years. I watched her ascend to her new role as CNO at LHAAMC and remain passionate about nursing and its core values.
Shauna Johnson with the nursing leader that inspires her the most – Christine Frost, the chief nursing officer at Luminis Health
What inspirational message would you like to share with the next generation of nurses?
The next generation of nurses should focus on showing passion and empathy rather than mastering every skill. Creating a safe environment for patients to open up and communicate with you about their health gives you so much knowledge on helping to develop the best treatment plan. Listen and assess!
Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers?
Nursing is not just a career but a lifestyle. I am constantly thinking and performing as a nurse. There are many avenues in nursing and plenty of room for everyone with a heart. Nursing ROCKS!
Shelise Valentine, RNC, MSN, C-EFM, CPPS, CPHRM, is the Director of Clinical Education, Healthcare Risk Advisors, part of TDC Group and chairs nursing, co-chairs obstetric and simulation initiatives, and directs risk management and obstetric education for insured hospital clients to improve patient safety and reduce malpractice risk.
Valentine lectures about patient safety, obstetrical safety, and risk management initiatives. She’s active in various organizations, including the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses, the American Society for Healthcare Risk Management, the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s Better Maternal Outcomes Rapid Improvement Network, and MomsRising. Recently, she presented “Shouldering the Responsibility: Implementation of a Collaborative Shoulder Dystocia Initiative” with her colleagues at the 2022 ASHRM Annual Conference.
The series highlights healthcare leaders who are prominent figures in their organizations and are making transformational impacts in nursing.
Meet Shelise Valentine, the Director of Clinical Education at Healthcare Risk Advisors.
Talk about your role in nursing.
I am the Director of Clinical Education at Healthcare Risk Advisors, part of TDC Group. In this role, I chair OB nursing initiatives, co-chair obstetric and simulation initiatives, and direct risk management and obstetric education for insured hospital clients to improve patient safety and reduce malpractice risk.
How long have you worked in the nursing field?
I have been a nurse for 26 years.
Why did you become a nurse?
I wanted to support women as they brought life into the world. My passion was to become a Certified Nurse Midwife and deliver babies.
What are the most important attributes of today’s nursing leaders?
Dynamism, cultural competence, and excellence are among the top attributes of today’s nursing leaders. Nursing is dynamic as patients, acuity, staffing, and medical best practices constantly change. Nurse leaders need to enact new paths for patient safety and the growth of the nurses they lead and not solely react in the moment that a situation occurs. Cultural competence enables nurse leaders to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse patient and nursing population with compassion and respect. Excellence in knowledge, communication, quality, and safety—no matter the realm, the focus should be excellence. This will serve as a model for the nurses you lead, and they will also expect excellence in the quality of care they deliver.
What does being a nursing leader mean to you, and what are you most proud of?
Being a nursing leader means ensuring that the nurses I lead understand and are prepared to be the last defense between harm and the patient. When that new graduate nurse or nurse with 25 years of experience encounters something difficult, personally or technically, they have the tools to address and overcome it and provide the best nursing care to the patient in need.
Tell us about your career path and how you ascended to that role.
I knew that I needed a strong nursing background if I was going to manage patients independently, so I decided to work for two years in critical care before going to the L&D Nurse Manager every week and asking her if I had enough experience yet to be hired as an L&D nurse. And finally, one day, she said I did!
This was at a Level 4 acute care hospital, and I was exposed to many complicated, high-risk patients and pregnancies. I became a women’s health nurse practitioner (WHNP), but through this exposure, I realized it was the high-risk, high-adrenaline environment of the hospital, the labor and delivery suite, and the OR that I wanted to make an impact.
I continued my work as an L&D nurse and taught at an accelerated BSN program. I was recruited to become an assistant nurse manager and hospital-wide nurse education manager. I was comfortable and confident in communicating with physicians and had opportunities to improve patient care, so I was asked to be the Patient Safety Officer in Obstetrics. In this role, I was half of the MD/RN dyad, working with the Medical Director of OB, and I provided the following:
Real-time support for nurses and physicians on L&D.
Advising on policy formation.
Reviews of root cause analysis.
The inception of best practices.
The affiliated malpractice insurance carrier asked me to join as Director of Nursing to reduce risk, and today, I am the Director of Clinical Education for physicians and nurses for our hospital clients.
What is the most significant challenge facing nursing today?
Staffing. Short staffing affects the ability to provide the best care imaginable and deters current nurses from remaining staff nurses in the hospital setting and new nurses from entering the field. Many nursing schools have waiting lists to attend. Still, unfortunately, our national nursing shortage has not improved because nurses start, but their reality may need to mesh with what they envisioned the nurse role to be. The many comorbidities patients now have, lack of ancillary support, and more attractive opportunities in advanced practice are significant challenges facing nursing today.
As a nursing leader, how are you working to overcome this challenge?
I am passionate about nursing and nursing education, and I convey that passion, excitement, and the possibilities to the nurses I interact with. I work to make nursing care in the hospital safer, more efficient, and lower risk by improving policies, workflow, and documentation practices. I also coach team communication, which has been shown to affect patient outcomes and nurse/physician satisfaction.
What nursing leader inspires you the most and why?
Every nurse who showed up to the hospital and provided patient care during the COVID-19 pandemic is an inspiring nurse leader to me. Sacrificing their health for the greater good of their patients, unit, and team will inspire everyone from today’s new student nurse to those at the highest level of nursing leadership for years to come.
What inspirational message would you like to share with the next generation of nurses?
Be the change that you wish to see; if there are disparities in care—based on gender, age, ethnicity, etc.—speak up and work to implement changes that recognize and decrease these disparities.
Stacey Garnett, MSN, RN, PMH-BC, NEA-BC, FACHE, is the vice president and chief nursing officer at Sheppard Pratt, the nation’s largest private, nonprofit provider of mental health services. In the fast-paced and ever-evolving behavioral healthcare field, nursing leaders are crucial in ensuring efficient operations, a supportive work environment for nurses, and providing quality patient care.
Among these dedicated professionals, Garnett stands out as an exceptional leader whose unwavering commitment to serving people in crisis has made a significant impact on the nursing community. As the demand for behavioral healthcare services increases and burnout and staffing shortages weigh on nurses, she serves as a staunch advocate for patients and nurses alike—she recently received the Maryland Hospital Association’s Advocacy Champion Award for her role in helping to pass SB 960/HB 611, a bill that ensures adequate hospital staffing in Maryland.
As a minority leader with more than 30 years of experience in nursing and nursing administration, Garnett continues to lead and inspire future generations of gifted nurses. Her commitments to nurturing talent and diversifying her industry have not only enhanced the capabilities of individual nurses but have also contributed to the overall strength and competence of behavioral health nurse practitioners throughout the state of Maryland and beyond.
The series highlights healthcare leaders who are prominent figures in their organizations and are making transformational impacts in nursing.
Meet Stacey Garnett, vice president and chief nursing officer at Sheppard Pratt.
Empowering Growth
Garnett recognizes the importance of continuous professional growth and exhibits this in her commitment to teaching and mentoring the next generation of skilled nurses. In addition to leading Sheppard Pratt’s nursing team, she also serves as an educator and mentor. Garnett consistently enables her staff, students, and mentees to use educational and professional development opportunities to foster their growth and advancement.
As a leader who has overcome challenges, Garnett recalls being the only African-American student in her undergraduate nursing program. She now serves as a fierce proponent for diversity in the nursing field, creating opportunities for Sheppard Pratt to partner with historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). She hopes that others will see representation in the field and continue to seek advancement opportunities.
Garnett’s success and dedication to excellence inspire her staff, students, and mentees. She understands that high-quality care begins with a personal commitment to perseverance in adversity. In 2019, she mentored a student struggling to pass her exam to become an LPN. After working with Garnett to master the material and conquer her testing anxiety, she passed the test and currently works as an LPN in hospice. Garnett’s tenacity and zeal energize her followers to achieve incredible feats.
Championing Patient-Centered Care
At the core of Garnett’s success throughout her 30-year career is a deeply rooted dedication to patient-centered care. As a motivated and passionate leader, she challenges and inspires her staff to prioritize each patient’s care, dignity, and progress during some of the most vulnerable times in their lives. She emphasizes the importance of building meaningful connections with patients, their families, and their communities. By actively listening to feedback, encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration, and prioritizing patient satisfaction initiatives, she establishes and maintains a patient-first mindset within Sheppard Pratt’s nursing staff. This holistic approach to patient care makes Sheppard Pratt a distinguished leader in behavioral healthcare and a place where patients can expect to be treated with the utmost care and respect.
Driving Excellence
As a transformational leader with a proven track record of generating and building relationships, managing nursing hospital operations, engaging and collaborating with physicians, and maintaining successful regulatory reviews, Garnett maintains a strong focus on delivering exceptional care. By setting these high standards, she has cultivated an environment encouraging continuous improvement and professional development among Sheppard Pratt’s nursing staff.
Garnett played a fundamental role in the launch of Sheppard Pratt’s new Baltimore/Washington Campus hospital in June 2021. Her colleagues have heralded her ability to think strategically as she responded to issues immediately and directly to open the new hospital to the public in June 2021. Her tenacity and innovation during the inception of the new campus, which offers five inpatient units, day hospital programs, and a Psychiatric Urgent Care, both set and maintained a precedent for a high standard of care across the hospital’s operations.
Collaboration and Communication
Effective communication and collaboration are vital in any healthcare setting, but these factors are critical in behavioral healthcare. Garnett truly has a heart for the patient, frequently interacting with them directly on units. She understands and appreciates that everyone has a journey and a story—by actively listening to the people she serves, she gains insight and perspective into the lives of others to help them overcome life’s most difficult challenges. When patients feel their voices are heard, they feel empowered to share their stories—these stories can reveal crucial information about a patient’s diagnosis, treatment, and recovery.
Garnett fosters a culture of open dialogue and teamwork, where patients, their families, and staff value her as someone with whom they can discuss difficult issues openly, honestly, and without judgment. She actively encourages nurses to voice their ideas, concerns, and suggestions, ensuring that all perspectives are valued and considered. By promoting transparency and maintaining strong lines of communication, Garnett has facilitated a collaborative environment that empowers nurses to work together, resulting in streamlined processes and improved patient care.
Garnett is a beacon of hope for a nation desperately needing passionate and skilled behavioral health nurse practitioners. Her leadership inspires current and future nurses to provide patients with the high-quality care they need and deserve.
