Beverly Clayton I have been a nurse all of my life (or so it seems), and I cannot imagine doing anything else. When I graduated in 1987, I never dreamed of the endless possibilities nursing would afford me. I have worked in the MICU/SICU, PACU and finally cardiology for 20 years.
With a strong desire to teach, I returned to school to earn my master’s in nursing in 2004. I taught orthopedics, oncology, cardiology step-down and general med/surg. I also became adjunct faculty for the university, all very rewarding.
I subsequently returned to the ICU environment so that I could complete my studies in the nurse practitioner program. I completed my studies this past June with a post-master’s certificate in acute care.
After returning from the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners 2009 conference in Nashville, I was highly inspired to possibly return to school for my DNP, but first I am putting all of my energy into studying for certification and finding my dream position.
Bridget Steiner is a May 2009 graduate of Montana State University-Bozeman, completing the MSU College of Nursing's Family Nurse Practitioner program. She began her nursing career in 2003 and has experience in inpatient cardiology, inpatient geropsychiatry and outpatient primary care. As an RN in family practice, she discovered her passion for primary care. She enjoys its breadth and variety, as well as working through the lifespan and with families. Although currently in Montana, her job search may take her and her family to another state or region of the United States.
Tina Goodpasture has been a nurse for 30 years, working in the ER, adult ICU and NICU, before finding her niche in neurology. She began with an ADN in 1978 and then received her BSN in 1983. She wanted to pursue a master’s degree then, but as the saying goes, “life got in the way.” Finally in 2005, she took one class to see what going to school would be like at her age. Her first course was pathophysiology, and she was hooked! She worked at a private neurology practice and, with some effort, was able to work her schedule around a full-time course load — even mundane things like “ironing” were written into a time slot on her calendar! With the support of her wonderful husband, she finally obtained her MSN in May, 2008, from Duke University. She is now a family nurse practitioner, working in a neurology physician practice. In her new role, she is eager to work toward improved quality of life for patients with congenital and acquired neurologic disorders.
Melody Davis is a May, 2008, University of Alabama in Birmingham family nurse practitioner graduate. Her nursing background and passion is women’s health. She has 5 years’ experience in women’s health, including 2 years as a family planning staff nurse and 3 years as a regional coordinator of the Tennessee Breast and Cervical Screening Program. Her first 3 years after undergraduate nursing school were spent obtaining hands-on experience on a medical-surgical pulmonary floor. She recently relocated to Montgomery, Ala., from Wisconsin and is settling into her new city before taking the national certification exam and looking for a job as an NP.
Vanessa is no longer contributing to this blog. Vanessa Battista is a recent graduate of the pediatric nurse practitioner program at Columbia University. She is a board certified PNP with a subspecialty in behavioral pediatrics and is currently completing a subspecialty in palliative care with a focus on family-centered care for children with neuromuscular diseases. She is also a certified clinical research coordinator at the Pediatric Neuromuscular MDA/SMA Clinical Research Center at the Columbia University Medical Center, where she works to provide the best possible care for people with neuromuscular diseases and their families. Her focus is on comprehensive, patient-centered care, as well as the coordination of ongoing clinical trials.
Elaine is no longer contributing to this blog. Elaine Neidert has completed two semesters of Seton Hall University's adult nurse practitioner program and now attends Drexel University's psychiatric NP program. A psychiatric clinical nurse specialist, Elaine has worked as a private therapist, and she was a faculty member before assuming her current position as coordinator for health and counseling at Lancaster General College. Elaine is passionate about mental health care and teaching nursing students about the connection between emotional health and physical wellness.