CNO Roundtable 2024
Question 1: Your Career Journey
What have you learned about nursing that you didn’t know at the start of your career?
Wendy Cortez / Kaiser Permanente Irvine Medical Center
That organizations with a strong mission and vision are more rewarding. Partnering across disciplines in pursuit of a common goal inspires true collaboration.
Danielle Gabele / VCMC and Santa Paula Hospital
That nurses practice in many different settings and many different ways. When I became a nurse, I had no real understanding of what nurses did other than attend to patients at the bedside.
Anna Gonzales / Regal Medical Group
That nursing advocacy extends beyond hospital walls, which was illuminated by an experience assisting a disabled couple that sparked my transition from bedside care to case management.
Katie Hughes / Casa Colina Hospital and Centers for Healthcare
That I am part of something bigger: a village of people from different disciplines who collaborate to provide care. The longer I’m in leadership, the bigger that village becomes.
Leila Ibushi-Thompson / Adventist Health White Memorial
That nursing extends far beyond merely addressing medical conditions to include patients’ physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing.
Maria Kariuki / California Rehabilitation Institute
That being an empathetic listener and building rapport with patients and families goes hand-in-hand with efficiency. Little things make a difference.
Dalarie Manda / St. John’s Regional Medical Center
That nurses can accomplish incredible things. My favorite example occurred early in the pandemic, when one of our nurses used a 3D printer to create protective face shields for the staff.
David Marshall / Cedars-Sinai
The value of professional organizations and building relationships with peers from other organizations. Talking with colleagues about how they’re addressing challenges is awesome.
Mark Mitchelson / Adventist Health Simi Valley
That many nurses only understand their specialty, and not how their actions affect other nurses downstream. It’s helpful to rotate through multiple areas to broaden your exposure.
Theresa Murphy / USC Verdugo Hills Hospital
The important role of the RN in determining patients’ care plans. At the start of my career, I was good at carrying out orders, but I had to learn which care decisions I had autonomy to make.
Cindy Naveira / USC Care & Ambulatory Services
The value of relationships. One cannot know it all, do it all, or be it all; it’s collaboration that achieves results. Also, healthcare is a small world, so don’t burn bridges.
Jinhee Nguyen / Adventist Health Glendale
How deeply nurses are woven into the fabric of healthcare, from the bedside to the boardroom. We promote community health, advocate for patients, and work to affect policy change.
Darlene Scafiddi / Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center
The importance and influence of the nurse’s role as patient advocate, beyond just helping patients recover from illness.
Michelle Sterling / Rancho Los Amigos
The profound impact of the professional rehabilitation team, particularly nurses, on patients’ quality of life, and the significant role nurses have played in the evolution of rehabilitation care.
Armenui Telliyan / Ambulatory Care Network, LAC DHS
That the possibilities are endless for us nurses. I was shocked to learn there was a whole other world beyond the hospital walls.
Joyce Volsch / Redlands Community Hospital
Opportunities proliferate in nursing; it’s about seizing them and stepping up when they arise. Creating your own career path involves raising your hand and being the one that excels your own professional career.
Vicki White / Henry Mayo
That the essence of nursing is bringing about positive change in the lives of patients and families. Although our interactions may be brief, the impact is substantial.
Colleen Wilcoxen / USC Arcadia Hospital
That the opportunities are endless. As a leader, I’ve also found that the more I empower caregivers, the more successful we become as a team.
Cheryl Witt / Wheelock Northridge Hospital Medical Center
That my critical care experience and the ability to assess, analyze, and quickly implement plans would be so instrumental in my development as a nurse leader.
In this Article: Leadership and Management
