Why UCSD?
UCSD has a special place in my heart. My family has a personal connection to UCSD Health; without care and treatment team members who were willing to listen, my family structure would be much different.
My desire to join the team of nurses at UCSD Health comes from a deeper connection I share with this hospital system, though. UCSD Health serves a diverse patient population, which exposes its employees to new sets of norms, cultures, and ways of thinking that enrich their lives and reinforces the importance of approaching every interaction with an open mind and full heart. The employees at UCSD Health are much more connected to the San Diego community than those at other institutions, which allows them to research, analyze, and meet the needs of the community. UCSD’s commitment to diversity further supports the mission to support the community and optimize the health care delivery system to best meet immediate and future needs. Serving my community is important to my overall wellbeing and sense of self; I look forward to being able to do that by joining the nursing team at UC San Diego Health.
UC San Diego Medical Center has an exciting future on the horizon, and I can’t wait to be part of it. As the only academic medical center in the region, I anticipate the nursing research conducted at UCSD will serve to improve nursing practice now and well into the future. My areas of research interest include optimizing communication (within the hospital and hospital-to-prehospital communication) and optimizing utilization/ improving efficiency of the county’s trauma system.
Commitment to nursing research is only one reason UC San Diego is my first choice; UC San Diego also earned Magnet designation again in October 2021. I was on site before and during the on-site visit; the nurse managers showed confidence in their nursing teams on every unit I have had the privilege to visit. The Magnet designation emphasizes shared governance and structural empowerment. In my post entitled “Why Nursing?” I explore the importance of nurses working in a system that emphasizes nurses at every management level/tier, and ensuring that nurses are involved in decision-making processes.
The nursing quality council is one that I’ve seen represented and that has garnered my interest as a student. They focus on realistic practices that can directly impact patient outcomes. On almost every shift, I worked with someone who was involved in a committee or was a “champion” of a nursing sensitive indicator on their unit. One of the most memorable of these was Jess on PCU, 7W. Jess was passionate about conducting rounds with patient education specifically for the purpose of preventing falls on the unit and ensuring proper patient education is completed with those patients. These nursing initiatives are unique, and allow the nurses to engage in fulfilling projects. Additionally, they empower nurses to actively impact outcomes.
I look forward to a career at UC San Diego Health. The nurses are part of a team that connects with patients and families, serves diverse populations, demonstrates commitment to advancing nursing practice through research, and encourages nurse involvement and leadership in organization planning through shared governance and structural empowerment. There’s an exciting future coming to UC San Diego health; let’s grow together!
Author: Brittney Ahern
Brittney graduates from Southwestern college in May 2022, and anticipates earning a BSN from Grand Canyon University in August 2022. She is excited to bring her experience in EMS, heart for people, and love of learning to her first RN role.
