EXCELLENCE IN NURSING AWARDS 2024
CERTIFIED REGISTERED NURSE ANESTHETIST
JERRY FELIX , MS , CRNA
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist , Northeast Anesthesia Partners and University Gastroenterology
What drew you to the nursing field ? Coming from a blue-collar family from the Azores , my parents always taught me the importance of hard work , dedication and job security . It wasn ’ t until my health careers vocational class at Cranston West High School that I was exposed to the nursing profession , which requires hard work , dedication and has a track record of job security . As I learned more about the profession , the idea of caring for individuals and safely getting them through vulnerable times turned into an honorable calling . I can say without hesitation that I made the right choice . The essential qualities needed to become a successful nurse include being compassionate , adaptive , attentive to detail , and having patience , critical thinking skills and a sense of humor — qualities that have taken me nearly twenty years to polish .
REGISTERED NURSE
CRYSTAL LOVETT , RN
Labor and Delivery Nurse , Women & Infants Hospital
What is unique about your job ? I work in a high-risk and very specialized department . In our labor room , we try our best to have single assignments with our labor and delivery nurses to ensure optimal care is provided to each patient . When looking at each patient , we need to assess both the mother as well as the baby / babies at all times , providing focused , continuous care . My department is fast-paced and filled with action , something I was looking for as a nurse . Working as a labor and delivery nurse for two years now , I ’ m always learning because every pregnancy and birth is different in its own way .
What is the most rewarding part of the job ? As a labor and delivery nurse , it ’ s a privilege to share those extremely special moments with my patients . It ’ s incredibly rewarding to welcome new babies into this world . Every shift I work , I coach my patients through labor , provide adequate pain management for laboring women , and see couples become first-time parents . When my patient is able to have the experience they were hoping for in the labor room , I ’ m able to go home knowing I contributed positively to their care . Working twelve-hour shifts can quickly burn you out as a bedside nurse , but experiencing these happy and incredibly personal moments with my patients makes it worth it .
What makes a successful nursing team ? A successful nursing team makes a world of
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Tell us about your specialty and why you chose it .
The profession of nurse anesthesiology is extremely unique and challenging , but very rewarding . What drew me to the profession were encounters where I saw CRNAs in action . They were always professional , poised and skilled . As I learned more about the profession , I was drawn to the idea of both advancing my career and having an opportunity to make a bigger | | CONTINUED ON PAGE 88
PHOTOGRAPHY ( THIS PAGE ) COURTESY OF CRYSTAL LOVETT AND JERRY FELIX .
86 RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l SEPTEMBER 2024