Mobile Courant

As maternal child nurse manager at Springhill Medical Center, I manage the Labor and Delivery, Mother-Baby and Nursery along with post-op GYN patient care. On a typical day, I help to lead what I consider the best group of nurses in Mobile in caring for mothers and babies. 

On the best days, I get to be at the bedside with moms and their partners, personally helping them start or expand their family. On what others may think of as the “bad” days, I get to love them through their grief during a loss.

Q. What inspired you to become a nurse?

A. Going into health care started with my high school health occupations teacher, Debbie Galloway.  Mrs. Galloway gave us all a basic understanding of health care, along with great life lessons. My focus on nursing came from the many nurses in my life – my grandmother, my aunt and my mother-in-law. I was fortunate to work as a student nursing assistant in a post-partum unit, which led to my passion for women’s health care.  

I love everything about women’s health care. My passion is Labor and Delivery, helping parents through the process of childbirth and what to do with their new family. I strive to help bring quality health care to women during childbirth and for GYN care through continuous education of staff, staying up-to-date on all new evidence-based practices, and always having a willingness to learn.

Q. How would you say your time at the University of Mobile School of Nursing helped prepare you?

A. My time at the University of Mobile helped me become the leader I am today.  UM’s School of Nursing program instilled not only the skills I needed for nursing, but also the faith-based leadership skills needed to lead – not just manage. I also learned the importance of continued learning – gaining the knowledge that learning never stops and research is always changing. The instructors are always pushing you to look at the most up-to-date research.

Q. How do you put those lessons learned into practice in your career?

A. I have continued to work at Springhill Medical Center since graduation. We remodeled our Labor and Delivery and Nursery and grew our unit. I have been certified in Electronic Fetal Monitoring and teach fetal monitoring to other labor and delivery nurses. I am on the Infant Mortality Committee and am always trying to improve our women’s health care, specifically in labor and delivery through continuing education with staff.

Q. What do you like most about the UM School of Nursing?

A. I love the size of UM. It’s personal; the instructors know you – they are there for you and love you all the way through school.

Q. What advice do you have for students in the School of Nursing?

A. My advice to new students would be to soak it all in and learn everything you can, but enjoy your experience. For adult learners like I was, I would say – you’re going to make it, you will figure out work, life and school balance.

Original source can be found here.