Meet a Champion of Nursing Diversity: Dr. Robin Geiger
Robin Geiger, DNP, MSN, APRN, NP-C, FNP-BC, NEA-BC, is an accomplished, results-driven, board-certified nurse executive with over 20 years of hands-on clinical leadership experience. Dr. Geiger’s professional focus is on health equity and clinician advocacy. Through the ACT (Advocacy, Career, Tools) program for all clinicians within the Ingenovis Health brands, Dr. Geiger aims to increase resilience for healthcare providers, improve quality care, and create solid support systems.
With a long-standing history of assembling impactful and forward-thinking teams emphasizing improving healthcare quality and increasing patient safety, Dr. Geiger’s vast experience includes accreditation and developing policies to support foundational programs through assessment and data analysis.
She previously served as associate dean of academic affairs for the National University School of Health Professions and focused on strategic planning, clinical program development, and academic operations.
Dr. Geiger is an important nursing leader, and Minority Nurse is pleased to profile her as part of the Champions of Nursing Diversity Series. The series highlights healthcare leaders who are prominent figures in their organizations and are making transformational impacts in nursing.
Meet Dr. Robin Geiger, senior vice president of clinician advocacy of Ingenovis Health.
Talk about your role in nursing.
As senior vice president of clinician advocacy for Ingenovis Health, I’m pleased to lead our ACT program, which is focused on clinician well-being, resilience, and support. I hold board certification as a nurse executive advanced (NEA-BC) and chair our Chief Nurse Advisory Board, an interdisciplinary advisory group focused on creating solutions for current frontline clinician challenges.
I support the nursing community as much as possible. I serve as an editor-in-chief for a medical publishing company, focusing on nurse practitioner certification and nursing ethics. I also remain current in clinical experience as a board-certified family nurse practitioner (FNP) and cofounder of an NP-owned concierge practice in North Florida.
How long have you worked in the nursing field?
I’m surprised to say that I have been working in this field for more than 23 years!
Why did you become a nurse?
My interest in nursing peaked at an early age. I would hear stories about my grandmother, who was a nurse midwife, stories of how she helped others heal, and stories of the need that would always exist for people to receive healthcare. I would stare at her nursing picture, in which she wore a white dress and cap. She was my earliest influence in nursing; she looked like me and was someone I could relate to.
I started with the goal of becoming a certified nursing assistant (CNA). I wanted to handle the humble and respectful connection of bedside care. I immediately loved it! It was important to me to be there for some nursing home patients with little to no family and support them in accomplishing daily tasks. I knew I could grow in nursing and pushed myself to do more.
What are the most important attributes of today’s nursing leaders?
Today’s critical attributes for nurse leaders should incorporate an empathetic, resourceful, and advocacy approach. Considering the social climate when engaging new and existing nurses is essential. External factors to keep in the forefront include mental health and bandwidth, which stem from work-life balance, something I like to refer to as a “work-life blend” when assigning and delivering care and being supportive means including flexible options for staffing that align with a nurse’s history and respect for years of service, as well as physical, social, and emotional support.
What does being a nursing leader mean to you, and what are you most proud of?
Being a nurse leader means factoring in previous personal experiences of my own and those around me. An excellent example would be the formation of Ingenovis Health’s interdisciplinary Chief Nurse Advisory Board (CNAB). Solid decisions involve a multidisciplinary approach to healthcare strategy and design. Multidisciplinary teams provide a more global lens of how decisions impact all, from the social worker to the clinician and all the people who serve the patient.
I am proud to give back to the community by cofounding a concierge health clinic for the under-served population, creating MSN and DNP programs that consider the working nurse, and developing a clinician well-being program to encourage improved work-life blend and foster resilience – the ACT program.
Tell us about your career path and how you ascended to that role.
I’ve touched almost every area of nursing through lived experience, either as faculty, clinician, or leader. My life in nursing began first as an intensive care unit (ICU) nurse, followed by staffing various ICUs, ER, and OR at a level-one trauma hospital. I became a family nurse practitioner in multiple areas, including as an RN, first assisting in plastics, orthopedics, and general surgery. I have always mentored nurses along the way, and opportunities to serve as lead faculty, director, and associate dean in academia provided me ample opportunity to do so. I received my most impactful leadership training at the Veterans Health Administration. My career has included national leadership roles as VP of clinical care at a non-profit organization and later as co-owner/ CEO of a concierge clinic. My current role as senior vice president of clinician advocacy for Ingenovis Health allows me to combine my previous experience to support all clinicians – I enjoy what I do!
What is the most significant challenge facing nursing today?
Recognizing the importance of self-care is always challenging for nurses. I’m also guilty of this from time to time. Nurses are natural givers, and we often neglect the importance of reflecting on challenges, trauma, and the losses we experience. We provide our best care when we reflect on our experiences and learn from them. Covid was challenging, but we didn’t experience initial trauma and burnout with the pandemic. Nurses are strong – we have constantly been challenged. I’m glad we are now focusing on better health for the nurse, something we have needed for quite some time.
As a nursing leader, how are you working to overcome this challenge?
I’m working daily to be an example of incorporating self-care and eliminating stress. Ingenovis Health supports the ability to grow support and enhance the lives of frontline clinicians through the ACT program. I’m proud to lead this program, which is focused on providing a voice of advocacy, career pathing/ support, and tools to foster better mental and physical health. I think of the program as an ongoing conditioning and strengthening program to ensure our clinicians are prepared to lend their best selves to caring in various areas within healthcare.
What nursing leader inspires you the most and why?
Dr. Hollier is one of the many nursing leaders that inspires me. I found her certification guidelines and manuals amazingly insightful and well-written from a practical point of view. She inspires my entrepreneurial spirit to create better ways of accomplishing milestones and mentoring others to greatness.
What inspirational message would you like to share with the next generation of nurses?
We are all capable of more. You’ll receive a new challenge when you think you’re comfortable and have it figured out. Grow from each challenge by adding it to your toolbox. You’ll soon have a nice box of tools/experiences to reach for and share with other nurses.
Allowing yourself to grow through mentorship will open ideas and create lifelong connections you didn’t know you needed. Participate in shared governance and nursing associations to strengthen the profession and lend your voice and support.
Finally, consider that one day, we will all become patients. You are influencing the future care for your family and yourself. Thinking this way is powerful; this forward-thinking always leads to positive and motivating actions.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
There’s a personal quote I often use, “Everything revolves around the need to receive and deliver education.” This doesn’t apply to academia as it might seem but to life in general. Nurses are lifelong learners. We don’t teach emotional and social learning in every education program, but to continue shaping this profession, we must learn how and when to share our stories to inspire others.
Editors Note: This month, Minority Nurse proudly shines a spotlight on the significance of DEI in nursing and honors the remarkable Champions of Nursing Diversity. These individuals are not just leaders but beacons of inspiration, guiding us toward a more diverse and inclusive future in healthcare. In 2023, we introduced the Champion of Diversity series, showcasing healthcare leaders driving positive change within their organizations and the nursing profession. In this edition, we applaud the top three profiles from this series. Nursing Diversity Champions embody a steadfast dedication to diversity and inclusion within accredited nursing programs and healthcare facilities throughout the United States. We commend their tireless efforts and unwavering commitment to these vital initiatives. Moving forward, we must not just prioritize, but champion DEI in nursing. This is not merely a call to action but a shared responsibility, a commitment to shape a more equitable and compassionate healthcare system for all. Let us not become complacent, but rather, let us be the catalysts for change.
