Melissa Fitzpatrick is a seasoned healthcare and nursing
professional with decades of experience. She became an RN (Registered
Nurse) in 1977 and, since then, she has built a strong reputation as a
leader. Her roles have included Senior Associate Chief Operating Officer
and Chief Nurse Executive at Duke University Medical Center, Vice
President of Critical Care and Cardiac Services for the
Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center and Editor-in-Chief for the Nursing
Management Journal in addition to key leadership roles in national
nursing associations and industry.
Those who follow in the
footsteps of nursing leaders such as Melissa Fitzpatrick will be
rewarded for their dedication to their career with many intangible but
meaningful elements such as:
- Flexibility – Nursing offers myriad scheduling options, workplace environments and teams to join. Nursing allows one to work in a way that balances work and life demands and that at the same time provides unending opportunities to make a difference. The flexibility of nursing spans the entire continuum of care and enables nurses to serve at all levels of the profession.
- Meaningful Work – Nursing benefits extend beyond personal schedule and preferences into the opportunity to make a difference for patients and families at all points in their lives. Nurses are privileged to help people in times of emotional, physical and spiritual distress. These moments can be among the most intimate and vulnerable in life and nurses are there every step of the way.
- Compassionate Competence – Nurses remain the only members of the healthcare team who are with patients and families 24/7/365. Nurses provide competent compassion and care in the middle of the night, on weekends and holidays and at great personal sacrifice to those that they serve. Nursing is a calling and a privilege and we’ve never needed nurses more than we do today. Nurses understand how precious life is, and how much each moment of it should be valued. Nursing creates grateful people that learn love, peace and compassion through their daily duties.
Nursing has many intangible
rewards, with none being greater than knowing that you made a difference
in the life of someone else. If you are considering nursing as a
profession, speak with a professional such as Melissa Fitzpatrick for a
real-life look at what the profession offers. This will help you judge
whether or not nursing is right for you.
