Chicago Dean Advocates Degrees From Hospitals To Government Work
Nurses provide the first impression of a hospital, nursing home or other health care facilities. But they are also active in the political scene, specifically in legislation of policy.
Of course family and friends can share their opinions on the health care industry, but nurses are in these locations daily and offer a unique, expert perspective on topics like the Veterans Health Administration and Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs), the Affordable Care Act, home health care, safe patient handling, safe staffing and Title VIII (Nurse Workforce Development) Funding.
"In nursing you can go from all levels of education," said Dr. Vicki Keough, Dean of the Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing at Loyola University Chicago. "Find your passion in nursing because there's such a wide array, whether it be women's health, pediatrics, legislation of policy [or] working for the government."
Keough used her education to become a leader in the nursing field. After attaining a diploma from the Augustana School of Nursing in Lincoln Park — now a condominium location — she went on to earn her bachelor's degree from St. Xavier University, and a master's and Ph.D. degree from Loyola University.
"When I first went to college I was interested in special education as a teacher," said Keough. "But by the time I finished my freshman year I knew that nursing was the right profession for me."
Starting her nursing career in critical care, she spent five years there and in ER before moving on to emergency nursing and trauma centers.
"I loved being at the forefront of health care with my patients. We're the first ones the patients see. You set the tone and give them the confidence that they need, the support they need, the reassurance that we're going to help them to deal with whatever illness they're bringing to the plate."
Her loyalty to patients is one of many reasons she enjoys finding other nurses with the same amount of passion for patients.
"I play a big role in making sure that nurses are high quality and understand the importance that the nursing profession brings to the health care system. At Loyola University, it's not just about the pathophysiology at the medical model of nursing care. We're very focused on the holistic approach to health care: ethics, making moral decisions, looking at spirituality and health care."
Shamontiel L. Vaughn is a professional journalist who has work featured in AXS, Yahoo!, Chicago Defender and Chicago Tribune. She's been an Examiner since 2009 and currently writes about 10 categories on Examiner.com.
