Director Candidate
Heidi Gilbert
MSN, RN, CEN, SANE, TCRN
Oklahoma
hgilbert@stillwater-medical.org
Why do you seek a position on the ENA Board of Directors?
I'm seeking a position on the ENA Board of Directors to bring a unique perspective and representation. As a forensic nurse, I'd love to see ENA delve further into a relationship with adjacent forensic nursing organizations and offer our members expanded forensic nursing education. The majority of emergency departments do not employ forensic nurses, yet every ED nurse will care for patients who are victims of violence or trauma needing services typically provided by this specialty. I would also be honored to represent ED nurses from smaller, rural facilities who face unique concerns and challenges that have historically been a blind spot in our organization. Lack of resources, lack of education, and, frankly, lack of budgets for these things are very real concerns for the rural ED nurse. I'd like to see our Board and organization address these issues in a meaningful way
How does your academic, professional background and experience within ENA make you a qualified Board candidate?
Throughout my 25 year career as a nurse, I have worked in a vast array of positions and department sizes. My nursing career began as an LPN and progressed through ADN, BSN, culminating to my terminal degree as an MSN. I have worked stretcher-side in a level 4, 8-bed department to level 1 university trauma center and all levels between. I also worked pre-hospital as a flight nurse for 5 years, so I've had the unique opportunity to view ED nursing issues from a myriad of perspectives. I currently continue my role part-time stretcher-side in a rural level 3 facility, and would love to share the stretcher-side perspective in my representation on the Board. Within the ENA, I have served as member and chairs of the Trauma and Conference Education Planning Committees and have served in leadership roles at the state level, serving as Oklahoma State Secretary and Government Affairs and Media Chairs. I feel competent with interpersonal communication both within our nursing profession as well as within inter-professional teams, having served on community sexual assault and domestic violence teams for several years.
Outline the specific skills you bring, or contributions you hope to make to the ENA Board of Directors.
As a forensic nurse (SANE) for nearly 15 years, I have developed relationships within the forensic nursing community and am a member of both the Academy of Forensic Nurses and International Association of Forensic Nurses. I'd like to use these connections to facilitate relationships between our organizations for the betterment of our membership. Networking and building lasting relationships and friendships has been the greatest gift I've received as an ENA member and I want to encourage and mentor the next generation of nurses to develop similar networks of support. As an educator, I have helped author several ENA Topic Briefs and an enduring CE course and as a Board member, I'd explore innovative and affordable educational opportunities for our members.
Provide a narrative that exemplifies how you demonstrate the Board competencies.
In my roles as Oklahoma ENA Board member, Trauma and Conference Education Planning Committees member and chairs, and in serving on community SART (sexual assault) and CCRT (domestic violence) teams, I have developed skills in collaboration, decision making, strategic thinking, and professionalism. I've collaborated on teams of nurses as well as on inter-professional teams including prosecutors, law enforcement, university leadership, and advocacy groups. Each team has posed its own unique challenges in their diversity and goals. I've learned to prepare for meetings, listen, prioritize, persuade others, compromise, and synthesize multiple viewpoints to reach a common goal. In my role as secretary and Board Member of the Oklahoma State ENA, I've developed business acumen and leadership planning skills. During strategic board meetings, we must take into consideration budgetary issues as we plan annual goals in education, membership events, and philanthropy. In recent years, as I've I've become more active in mentoring and encouraging new (and older) members to branch out within in the organization at the state and national levels and seek committee assignments, elected offices, and other leadership roles. It's been exciting to see several OK members serving on the NEC, ENA committees, and speaking at national conference.
Conflict of Interest Disclosure
No current conflicts disclosed.
