Nursing Opportunities "Boundless" Educator Says

From where she sits, Dr. Geri Wood can see the future just fine. And that future, for nurses, is unlimited.

Dr. Wood, a registered nurse and Ph.D., has been in nursing for 30 years. She is a professor at The University of Texas School of Nursing at Houston, and has a joint appointment as research specialist for the Center for Professional Excellence at The Methodist Hospital.

Society has opened new avenues of exploration for nurses, and programs for nursing such as those at Methodist throw open the threshold for possibilities even wider, she says.

"Methodist is a leader in offering programs that support the advancement of nurses, and that makes it a model for the rest of the nation," says Dr. Wood. "Through these programs, we can really see the possibilities for nurses in the years to come."

Dr. Wood’s task at Methodist is to develop clinical research projects for nurses. This research has the potential to improve patient outcomes and make a positive impact on the way the hospital cares for its patients.

"Research is a way for nursing to expand its boundaries, to look closely at the way patients are cared for in a hospital setting," she explains.

For example, Dr. Wood has been involved in a research program studying the long-term impact of solid organ transplants on all facets of a patient’s life.

"We studied how the transplant affects a patient’s quality of life, the problems a patient has once they go home after the transplant, and how it affects the patient’s family, among other things. From the information we obtained, we were able to find real insights in the long-term care of these types of patients," Dr. Wood says.

Research is just one facet of the focus on continuing education of nurses at Methodist. A number of programs – all available through the Center for Professional Excellence – allow nurses to continue their education and earn further accreditation or advanced degrees.

"I never stopped learning once I got out of nursing school ... things are changing so fast that nurses need to continue to educate themselves just to keep up with the latest advances," says Dr. Wood. "Nursing is an art and a science, and the people who endeavor to come into this field will find that the knowledge available to them is constantly growing."

Education is the key to having a good supply of qualified, skilled nurses to provide care in the years to come. Dr. Wood says she constantly talks to young people, measuring their interest in the nursing profession.

"They say that nurses don’t make enough money, or they are intimidated by caring for the sick, but I counter with the immense gratification that comes with making someone’s life more comfortable," Dr. Wood says. "But the possibilities go way beyond mere clinical duties."

She rattles off a list of avenues that nurses can pursue – administration, research, legislation, formation of health care policies, among others – and offers this advice to nurses:

"Just jump in ... join a professional organization, check out the continuing education opportunities available at Methodist," she says. "The opportunities are boundless and the future is open to whatever you can imagine yourself doing."

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©2006 Texas Medical Center

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