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Salute to Nursing... Salute to Nursing... Salute to Nursing... Salute to Nursing... Salute to

SOUTH MIAMI HOSPITAL MIAMI VA HEALTHCARE SYSTEM

Kirsten A. Toft-Nielsen, BSN, RN
Elaine Matias, RN, MSN, RNC-NIC
From the occasional day spent tagging along with my mom at work as a child, to vol-
unteering in the PACU during high school for community service hours, to starting my
When Elaine Matias
was 14, she realized she nursing career as a VA nurse, I have a level of comfort with the Bruce W. Carter VA
would become a nurse Medical Center and the Veterans it serves that is second only to home. Additionally, hav-
after witnessing the pro- ing military service members in my family motivated me to seek employment at the VA
fessional and genuine as an opportunity to give back in some way to those who served our country. In my opin-
care her sister received in ion, the Veteran population is a specialty demographic that deserves to be cherished and
a hospital cancer ward. treated with the utmost care and dedication, both of which I strive to bring to my every-
For the last 10 years day practice as an RN.
Elaine has lived her I graduated from the University of Miami in May of 2013 with a Baccalaureate degree
career dream, rising to in Nursing. While I searched for a job, I volunteered in Patient Safety at the VA where I
assistant nurse manager was ultimately hired in the Outpatient Care setting for the Homestead CBOC. Knowing
in the Neonatal Intensive I needed to sharpen my nursing care skills and admiring the acute care setting, I applied and was selected for my cur-
Care Unit at South rent position as a Medical/Surgical Telemetry nurse. Since transferring, I have been fortunate enough to be presented
Miami Hospital. with invaluable opportunities such as chairing the Professional Practice Council for our unit and becoming a preceptor
Elaine, a registered to Post Baccalaureate Residents as they begin their careers as Registered Nurses.
nurse with NICU certification, is the recipient of the
National Magnet Nurse of the Year Award and was Tasia Porter, MSN, RN
runner-up for the March of Dimes Nurse of the Year
Award in recognition of her outstanding work. She I knew after experiencing my first encounter with a United States Active Duty Soldier
holds a bachelor of science in nursing from the after her return from a 12-month deployment to Afghanistan I wanted to be a VA Nurse.
University of Miami School of Nursing and Health The servitude, honor, respect, pride, and price paid for freedom she displayed inspires
Studies. me to this day. My career has been mainly centered in the specialties of Mental Health
“Within our profession we have so many moments and Primary care with our U.S active duty service members, Veterans, and their support-
that reconfirm, ‘Why did I do this?’ Having the role of ing families.
advocate for such fragile patients and their families I am privileged to partake in the mission of this organization as it has provided a dis-
and giving support at that level makes me want to do tinct opportunity of service to those deserving of the most compassionate, quality-dri-
this every day,” Elaine says. ven, culturally-sensitive, highly-specialized care.
As a Nurse Manager at the Miami VA Healthcare System, it is my passion and honor
to ensure that our wounded Veterans receive quality, evidence-based, cutting-edge
Mental Health recovery and care as they have relentlessly served our country, protected
our freedoms, and deserve nothing less than the very best.

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24 May 2018 southfloridahospitalnews.com South Florida Hospital News