This month we had the privilege of following up with Gladys N. Jusino Leon, MSN, CMSRN Clinician, Emory University Hospital, Clinical Instructor, Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing and a Celebrating Nurses honoree from last year.
Pulse: What have you been up to since you were featured in Celebrating Nurses?
Leon: After being featured in AJC Celebrating Nurses my life has continued as usual. I was able to visit my parents in Puerto Rico for New Year’s and see my son before he started a new job. My youngest daughter graduated from nursing school recently and will be leaving home soon also. So, it was great to spend time with all of them. I was fortunate enough to spend time with friends that made the time there beautiful. And of course the sun, the beach and the sand are always the best medicine. I was able to spend Thanksgiving with my oldest daughter who works also in healthcare but in California. There, I enjoyed cooking, which is also my passion.
Pulse: Have you done any professional development? Continuing education? Any changes in career or new developments in the field since we featured you last year?
Leon: I have continued my work at Emory University Hospital in the oncology/hematology unit and Emory University School of Nursing where I work as Clinical Instructor. Being a Clinical Instructor is very special to me. I work alongside a wonderful faculty group that expects nothing but excellence, and from whom I am learning every day. The way I see it, being at Emory’s School of Nursing has given me the opportunity to transform the future of nursing now, as I train the next generation of nurses. I love spending time with the students. The before and after moments are the best moments. The first day of clinical, they are so scared but the last day they are confident, happy with that look that says: “I can really do this”.
Last Semester I had the great opportunity to become part of the Veteran Administration Nursing Academic Partnership (VANAP) where I continue to work as Clinical Instructor for Emory School of Nursing in association with the VA Hospital. Through this new initiative, I am privileged to work with another wonderful group of students that have been selected specifically to be trained to care for the unique needs of our veteran population. My father is a veteran himself, so being part of the VANAP program is a great privilege for me.
I am part of the Georgia Nursing Leadership Coalition (GNLC) and through the leadership of Dr. Rebecca Wheeler, GNLC’s Diversity Action Team is working on identifying initiatives to increase the number of culturally diverse nurses who pursue their education into doctoral nursing programs in Georgia.
Pulse: How is your career going? Any promotions or changes in your department? Are you still working in the same department or have you pursued another aspect of nursing?
Leon: The work in my unit is very challenging. Caring for oncology patients will always be emotionally, psychologically and physically demanding. But being able to make their stay with us more comfortable and seeing them improve is very rewarding. At EUH I am also in the process of advancing into a new role in my unit, one that will help me develop my leadership skills more as I help improve quality of care.
I am considering the possibility to resume my studies to complete my DNP (Doctor of Nursing Practice). You are never too old to make your dreams come true and this is one I’ve had for a long time.
Pulse: What suggestions would you have for new nurses just coming into the field?
Leon: Be open to all the learning opportunities you come across. Be humble enough to accept positive criticism and learn from your mistakes and other people’s mistakes. You are not perfect and you do not know it all. Be ethical and transparent in all your interactions. Be genuine and kind. Put yourself in the patient’s shoes and think the person you are caring for could be your father or sister or an advocate for their behalf. There will always be difficult people, but there is always a reason why you come across certain people and every encounter will help you grow as a person and as a professional. There will be rough days, but it is not the end of the world. And finally, do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, for we are only unworthy servants and we are only doing what is our duty.
