Healthlinks July/August 2018

96 | www.CharlestonPhysicians.com | www.HealthLinksCharleston.com SARAH MILLER, PHD, RN Associate professor with the MUSC College of Nursing As a child, Dr. Sarah Miller struggled with life-threatening asthma and was hospital- ized several times due to the condition. She grew up in Florida and attended the Univer- sity of Florida Health Shands Hospital for her treatments. Nursing became an interest of hers when a nurse during one of her child- hood hospital visits encouraged her to participate in a research study under Dr. Paul Davenport, who later became Dr. Miller’s PhD mentor. “When I arrived at his research lab, I was fascinated by all of the strange scientific tools he had. He showed so much joy and exuber- ance for science and his job. I remember having a rolling office chair race up and down the hallway with him and some of his PhD students. I marveled that anyone could have so much fun while they worked. I told him I wanted to be a scientist one day, and he invited me to work in his lab when I went to college. I’m sure he was quite surprised when I came knocking on his door seven years later as a freshman in college,” she said. Dr. Miller worked with Dr. Davenport throughout her college career. He truly inspired her to love science and to find joy in figuring out difficult problems. She currently teaches in the MUSC College of Nursing and focuses her research on the self-management and symptoms of chronic respiratory disease. SHANNON PHILLIPS, PHD, RN Assistant professor with the MUSC College of Nursing Dr. Shannon Phillips is an educator and re- searcher with the College of Nursing at MUSC and thoroughly enjoys working with students and participants in her research studies. In particular, she finds reward in researching ways to help children with sickle cell disease and their families obtain the care they need. However, she admitted that she sometimes misses the days when she worked in the PICU caring for critically ill children. “I enjoyed having a low patient-to-nurse ratio with patients who required me to be intensely aware of their health status. I also enjoyed the family-centered approach that was required of a PICU nurse; the care of the critically ill child always required consideration of the par- ents’ needs. I frequently reminded myself that no matter how tired or stressed I was, and no matter how much I might want to be doing something else besides working that day, the child and family I was taking care of were having a much worse day than I was, and they needed me to be kind and compassionate,” Dr. Phillips said. She said her decision to seek her PhD and work on the faculty at the MUSC College of Nursing has been a decision she certainly does not regret. “As a researcher and educator, I could make a much broader impact on people’s lives through research and through educating aspiring nurses,” she pointed out. PATRICIA HART, DNP, RN, CPN, NE-BC Associate Chief Nursing Officer at MUSC Health Dr. Patti Hart, associate chief nursing officer at the Medical University of South Carolina, always knew she wanted to work with children. “I actually considered a career as a teach- er,” she said. “But my parents steered me toward health care.” She was hooked after just one day shadowing in a newborn nursery and in pediatrics. “Most of my career has been in pediatrics and women’s health,” she explained. In fact, for 25 of the 29 years she practiced in Hershey, Pennsyl- vania, before moving to the Charleston area in 2016, she worked in pediatrics. “I worked as the executive sponsor when we were building a new children’s hospital, and I was the director of nursing for women’s and children’s services at the Penn State Hershey Medical Center,” she pointed out. “Nursing is one of the best professions you could ever choose. You are there to comfort people during their worst times and cele- brate wonderful news. We are honored to be given the responsibility to care for very complex conditions while supporting the emotional and spiritual aspects of their care as well. Having a license in nursing opens up so many opportunities and allows you to work in a career that tailors to your life,” she concluded. T H E P U L S E O N CHARLESTON NURSES We have partnered with the MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA COLLEGE OF NURSING to highlight some of the Lowcountry’s top nurses. HealthLinks Charleston wants to recognize nurses as the backbone of our medical community and thank them for all their efforts! AMANDA WHITE, MSN, RN Clinical instructor with the MUSC College of Nursing Amanda White has always sought out education and truly believes in lifelong learning. Her values in nursing come specifically from her mother, who is a nurse herself and who White looked up to as a child. “My mom has been a nurse since I was in elementary school. She was and remains a true inspiration and my greatest influence. When I was younger, I did not quite understand her profession. As I got older and frequently visited her job, I realized what it was that she truly did. I saw bedside nursing firsthand. I was intrigued by the human body and how the disease process affected it,” said White. White is currently enrolled in the doctoral program in nursing education at Capella University. Her favorite part about being an educator is getting to know her students as individuals. “I enjoy building closer relationships with my learners. It makes me smile when I see them experience that ‘aha’ moment and understanding takes place. I enjoy having those small conversations after class when you get to know the learner as a person and not just a name on an Excel spreadsheet,” she said.