Becoming a Leader in the Field of Nursing – Tiera Dimitria Brown (RN)

“I chose a career in healthcare because it combines my love of science with my passion for patient advocacy and education. I studied biology at Meredith and earned my bachelor’s in nursing from UNC Wilmington. 

I work full-time as a clinical nurse at UNC Health’s Children’s Post-Anesthesia Care Unit providing care including patient monitoring, airway management, pain and sedation medication administration, and discharge preparation. I’m also a charge nurse and lead a team of nurses, facilitate the flow of patients, communicate patient needs to providers, and coordinate in-patient bed flow. Additionally, I work part-time as an infusion nurse with a private company providing IV hydration to clients seeking to improve their wellness. 

Meredith was my first choice because I wanted to attend a college that would prepare me academically while giving me opportunities and tools to grow into my own person. I was in a leadership position every year of my undergraduate studies, which prepared me to successfully perform leadership roles in my career. Some of these roles include being charge nurse, unit committee co-chair/champion, and preceptor.

I had the opportunity to work for the Meredith Autism Program (MAP). I had an interest in working in pediatric healthcare but wanted exposure to different disciplines. MAP piqued my interest in behavioral health, and I have applied this experience in my career by implementing proper care protocols for pediatric patients on the spectrum.

In my senior year, a group of students who were interested in healthcare organized an international medical service trip. We traveled with a team of students, nurses, doctors, and dentists. For one week, we provided medical and dental care to an underserved community in Nicaragua. Seeing how the nurses interacted with patients helped me understand the role of a nurse and this trip solidified my decision to pursue nursing. 

The interdisciplinary approach at Meredith allowed me to gain an appreciation for subjects outside of the sciences. It helped me understand that you cannot master a subject without exposure to and knowledge of other subjects. As a nurse, I am never just a nurse. I often use psychology, mathematics, and technology when taking care of patients.

One of my biggest takeaways from my Meredith education is the importance of effective communication. The professors in the biology department taught us how to network by asking questions and preparing elevator speeches. This alone has opened opportunities for me throughout my career that I never could have imagined.”