CLINICAL NURSE EDUCATOR
Dawn packer , BSN , RN , CV-BC
Clinical Development Specialist , The Miriam Hospital
Was nursing always your career path ? Yes . When I was five years old , my grandmother had a major stroke that left her comatose , and after witnessing the care she received , I decided that I wanted to be a nurse . When I was in Girl Scouts , I learned how to perform blood pressure measurements , volunteered at local health fairs and then volunteered in a hospital as a teenager . I worked as a nursing assistant while I was in nursing school and received my associate degree in nursing in 1999 . I ’ ve worked as a staff nurse since then , and I recently went back for my bachelor ’ s degree and now work as a clinical development specialist .
What is the best part of your role ? One of the best parts of the role of education is experiencing that “ aha ” moment when I have explained a concept in terms that are relatable to the learner . This has happened with my cardiac patients and the clinical nurses whom I currently teach . I have a lot of fun in this role , and I believe learning should be just that — fun , engaging and meaningful .
In what ways have you contributed most to your profession ? I contribute to the nursing profession by continuing my education . I have been board-certified in cardiac-vascular nursing since 2011 , and I am enrolled in a master ’ s degree program for nursing education to learn more ways to empower clinical nurses with education and tools so they can provide confident , safe , high-quality care to their patients .
66 RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l SEPTEMBER 2023