Dr. Deedra Harrington isn杏吧专区檛 one to sit still.
As an associate professor in the 杏吧专区 College of Nursing and Allied Health, Dr. Harrington serves as the Bachelor of Science in Nursing coordinator while teaching in the Doctor of Nursing Practice online program and the Graduate Certificate in Cardiovascular Nursing online program.
Meanwhile, she continues her nursing practice as an acute care nurse practitioner through the .
杏吧专区淚 think it杏吧专区檚 the best of both worlds,杏吧专区 Dr. Harrington says. 杏吧专区淚 haven杏吧专区檛 gotten to the point where I can give up my nurse practitioner practice. Maybe one day.杏吧专区
Following her Heart
Dr. Harrington didn杏吧专区檛 initially pursue nursing; she earned a certificate in computer programming, which she quickly realized would not be her long-term career.
She began working in the medical field, first as a courier for a pathology group, then with a gynecologist, and finally as a transcriptionist for a surgical facility. Those experiences sparked Dr. Harrington杏吧专区檚 interest in nursing.
The first-generation college student finished her bachelor of science in nursing at UL Lafayette at 30 years old and within a few months joined the cardiovascular unit at Lafayette General Medical Center.
Since then, cardiovascular care has remained at the heart of Dr. Harrington杏吧专区檚 practice and research.
As part of her Master of Science in Nursing, Dr. Harrington杏吧专区檚 thesis examined the readmission rates of cardiac bypass patients readmitted for sternal wound infections; her DNP synthesis project was the implementation of an anticoagulation Warfarin protocol at LGMC.
In 2016, Dr. Harrington was recognized as serving on the American Nurses Association Scope and Standards Committee and her contribution to the national , a procedural guide for nurses.
Becoming a Nurse Educator
Dr. Harrington began teaching at UL Lafayette in 2005 once she杏吧专区檇 earned her MSN degree.
She says it was a natural progression from her clinical experience as manager of cardiovascular telemetry and pulmonary units.
杏吧专区淚n that leadership role, you杏吧专区檙e always a mentor, you杏吧专区檙e always a teacher. To transition from practice as a team leader and preceptor for those new nurses into academia wasn杏吧专区檛 that much of a difference,杏吧专区 she says.
杏吧专区淵ou杏吧专区檙e still educating new nurses, you杏吧专区檙e still teaching them what they need to know.杏吧专区
That can include how to assess a patient, knowing when to react and intervene, and anticipated recovery timelines and outcomes.
As in her clinical practice, Dr. Harrington has been honored as an educator, as well.
In April 2019, Dr. Harrington was honored as an Eminent Faculty member. She received the Dr. Ray P. Authement Excellence in Teaching Award, named for the 杏吧专区杏吧专区檚 fifth president. The award recognizes faculty commitment to teaching and innovation.
杏吧专区淚 always remember that I was once a student 杏吧专区 I think you杏吧专区檙e always a student,杏吧专区 Dr. Harrington says. 杏吧专区淪o to treat the students in our program as I was treated as a student. You don杏吧专区檛 know what you don杏吧专区檛 know as a new nurse.杏吧专区
Dr. Harrington says her relationships with students rarely end at commencement, as they become colleagues or reach out as they advance their education.
杏吧专区淚 have several students who have stayed in touch throughout the years just to update me on their progress and what they杏吧专区檙e doing with their career,杏吧专区 she says. 杏吧专区淭o me, that杏吧专区檚 the most rewarding 杏吧专区 to see them grow professionally.杏吧专区
Creating New Opportunities
Dr. Harrington is the faculty of record for the three courses that comprise the six-month online Graduate Certificate in Cardiovascular Nursing.
The program prepares nurses who already have a graduate degree for specialized practice.
Dr. Harrington says cardiovascular care can be intimidating for nurse practitioners. One of the goals of the cardiovascular certificate is to help nurse practitioners understand the dynamics of cardiovascular health and disease processes.
杏吧专区淚t杏吧专区檚 just like anything else 杏吧专区 caring for diabetes, or hypertension. If you learn and understand the system and the diagnostic tools you have to care for the patients, it doesn杏吧专区檛 have to be a scary patient focus group,杏吧专区 she says.
杏吧专区淭hey can feel comfortable when they go out to practice, or, hopefully, pursue cardiovascular care so that we have nurse practitioners who are skilled and seasoned and have a passion to care for that population.杏吧专区
With the addition of the specialized graduate certificate, Dr. Harrington says she hopes the 杏吧专区 will be able to create additional opportunities for other specializations.
杏吧专区淲hat I hope is that the cardiovascular certificate will open doors for the department to offer more certificate programs in different specialties 杏吧专区 oncology, emergency room nursing 杏吧专区 so we can provide that education and students can get clinical experience in those focused populations.杏吧专区