Newsworthy

Recently, Thaina Dos Santos-Jensen, BSN, RN was selected as a participant in two committees with the American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses, a national leader in nursing education, research, clinical practice expertise, and standards.

“I’m looking forward to bringing the concepts I’ve learned back to my practice and sharing it with both leadership and our Surgical Services team,” Thaina said.

Thaina joined Stormont Vail Health in 2021 as an RN in the PACU department after obtaining her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Washburn University in 2020. Now, she is pursuing a Dual Master’s Degree in Nursing Administration and Business Administration through Baker University.

“Knowledge can be a powerful and rewarding tool. I am always curious to learn more about the world! I strive to be a person of wisdom and knowledge in all aspects of life because I want the younger generation of nurses to feel they can approach me for anything. I want them to be comfortable in my presence and be a supportive resource for their success.”

Thaina has undertaken several leadership and collaborative roles at Stormont Vail. She was also a graduate of the first cohort of the Emerging Leaders Program at Stormont Vail Health in 2022. She also recently obtained her preceptor certification. As a preceptor, Thaina supervises nursing students and new nurses during clinical practices.

Additionally, Thaina has trained as a core charge nurse in PACU, cross-trained as an RN in Pre-Post, and worked on multiple department improvement projects. She also completed an A3 class, a 16-hour, two-day workshop designed to develop professionals’ problem solving skills and understanding of lean concepts.  

During Stormont Vail’s latest Magnet visit, Thaina volunteered as a Magnet Department Host and Champion for the PACU department. Currently, Thaina serves on the Research and Evidence-Based Professional Governance Council, representing surgical services.

But that’s not all – most recently, Thaina and fellow Stormont Vail team member, Jenny James, BSN, RN, CPAN, conducted collaborative research on emergence agitation in the PACU. They will present their findings on emergence agitation quality improvement in this year’s Magnetizing KC Symposium.

Thaina on ASAPN

Thaina will serve on two special Strategic Work Teams for the 2023-2024 ASPAN Committees: the Advancing/Emerging Leaders SWT and Collaborative Advocacy SWT. To Thaina, the most exciting part of joining these committees is building new connections with other nurses who work in perianesthesia nursing.

“I get to meet people throughout the country who do the same work that I do. I am super excited to meet them and learn their stories. It’ll give me a better insight on how to be a better nurse and improve my skillset.”

Advancing/Emerging Leaders Strategic Work Team

The ASPAN Emerging Leaders SWT focuses on enhancing members’ skills and abilities by offering a framework for professional growth and development. As a committee member, Thaina will have many opportunities to create relationships between current and previous ASPAN leaders and nurses who provide guidance and support.

“I’ve always thought of myself as a leader and would like to be in leadership at some point in my nursing career,” Thaina said. “I’ve learned that once you get into a leadership role in nursing, it’s important to know the business side, too. By getting both degrees, I feel that I can show the world that I can do both.” 

Collaborative Advocacy Strategic Work Team

The Collaborative Advocacy Strategic Work Team promotes proactive activities to enhance frontline care and healthy workplace settings through internal and external organizational collaboration, nursing advocacy education, clinical inquiry programs, and improving community outcomes.

Thaina hopes this experience will provide opportunities to explore and observe other institutions and their practices. “Part of being a responsible healthcare worker is looking beyond our individual daily practice and learning about other care models. Networking with other organizations ensures we reach our highest potential.”

Stormont Vail Health Applauds Thaina Dos Santos-Jensen

For anyone interested in nursing or paranesthesia in particular, Thaina says the best way to start in this field is to get involved. “Just take the leap. Ask as many questions as you can. We are a specialized nursing field, and the knowledge and skills we learn are amazing.”

“We have a wide range of people who work in our department with different nursing backgrounds. We’re pretty open about sharing our experiences and how much we enjoy our work. I always tell people if you want to do something different, come to the PACU!”

Thaina, your dedication and hard work to our organization and community is noticed, impressive, admirable, and just one reason we’re thankful and proud to have you on our team. We wish you the best of luck in your continued endeavors to be your best!