Clinical Nurse Specialist Perioperative and Procedural Services
ECU Health
I started my career in nursing in 2012 after spending 13 years as a Mechanical Engineer. I went into nursing knowing I wanted to be in the Operating Room to use my engineering mind to heal patients. Already having a bachelor’s degree, I went to community college to achieve my Associates and immediately went into a BSN to MSN program. I gained my Clinical Nurse Specialist degree in December 2017. During my BSN to MSN education, I continued to work at a Level 1 trauma center quickly moving from a staff nurse to service lead of neurosurgery and then on to the role of nurse educator. I did have the opportunity to work abroad for a year in New Zealand which gave me an invaluable opportunity to gain an international perspective on healthcare.
Upon achieving my Clinical Nurse Specialist board certification, my career took me into a formal leadership role as a Clinical Director overseeing an Operating Room of 24 suites. My leadership role continued to grow where I ended up in a rural community setting in Virginia overseeing all perioperative services for two hospitals, 11 departments in total.
I currently am a Clinical Nurse Specialist for Perioperative and Procedural Services for a Level 1 trauma center in Eastern North Carolina. I have the privilege of shaping perioperative practice through research and evidence-based practice. I serve as a change agent for nursing, patients, and the system I work for. In my spare time I enjoy hiking, scuba diving, going to the beach and spending as much time as possible with my husband and two Labrador Retrievers.