Kelly D. Skinner, DNP, APRN, NP-C, GNP-BC, CRRN, WCC, CFCN

VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston MA

NOVA Chapter 226

NOVA Chapter 226 Member Spotlight  

NOVA Chapter 226 members are constantly going above and beyond related to professional achievements. Their successes include pursuing certifications, higher degrees, job promotions, and accredited educational training programs. Our members are invested in pursuing professional development opportunities to ensure continued growth in their nursing practice. I would like to take this opportunity to recognize the following NOVA nurses: Vanessa Coronel, Melinda Shackelford, Jennifer Carolan, Peter Russo, Katie Potenzone, Nadege Jean, and Kelly Resendes for their recent accomplishments.

Training and Certification Recognition

Vanessa Coronel is the Nurse Manager of the Outpatient Specialty Clinics, West Roxbury/Jamaica Plain. She met the qualifications of a VA Certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and received a corticate from Air Academy Associates in August 2020. Being Lean Six Sigma certified entails that the individual has been trained in Lean Six Sigma principles of increasing efficiency, streamlining processes and reducing wastes in organizations. Blackbelts have a thorough understanding of the define, measure, analyze, improve and control model leading to successful process improvement initiatives. Ms. Coronel’s Six Sigma project was entitled: Offering Veteran Flu Shots As a new service in the VA Boston’s Outpatient Specialty Clinics, this project has led to a return on investment of $1.2 million in terms of preventing diseases by promoting immunizations among 50,000 Veterans.

Melinda (Mindy) Shackelford serves as a Nurse Manager of the Outpatient Specialty Clinics, Lowell/Bedford. On August 12th, 2020, Mindy passed the Certified Nurse Manager and Leader (CNML) examination. This VA-approved certification is sponsored by the American Organization for Nursing Leadership. The certification exam is based on the core competencies needed to be a successful nurse manager and leader: exemplary clinical expertise in managing and leading people, managing business, and personal leadership development. Melinda has already demonstrated excellent leadership skills during her stint as nurse manager for the outpatient clinics. However, the knowledge acquired while preparing for this professional certification will enhance her leadership skills into her managerial role in the specialty clinics.

Kudos to Vanessa and Melinda!       

Job Promotion Recognition

Jennifer Carolan was selected for the Assistant Nurse Manager position on 7-2-C, the Hospice and Palliative Care Unit at the Brockton Campus. She became a registered nurse in 2010. Jennifer worked in the acute care inpatient hospital setting until transferring to Hospice in 2012. She has experience in Home Hospice and Inpatient Hospice. Jennifer became certified in Hospice and Palliative Care in September 2015. She shared, “My Dad, a Vietnam Veteran, received all of his care at the VA since approximately 2008, until he passed away in 2014. I was very familiar with the VA Boston before starting my career here as a staff nurse on 2N, the Cardiac Unit at the West Roxbury Campus which became a COVID Unit in May 2019. On July 6, 2020, I was very pleased to become the Assistant Nurse Manager of 7-2-C. I’m hoping with my many years of Hospice/Palliative experience, I will be a great asset to an already well-established unit where the staff undoubtedly shares my passion for caring for our Veterans at End of Life.”                                            

Peter Russo was selected as the new Nurse Manager for the outpatient Operating Room at the Jamaica Plain Campus on August 17, 2020. He is currently serving as the Assistant Nurse Manager for the Operating Room at the Jamaica Plain Campus and will officially assume the Nurse Manager role in October 2020. Peter is an Army Veteran who served his country in Iraq from 2006-2007 with the 399th Combat Support Hospital. He received a master’s degree in Nursing Leadership from Framingham State University. Peter functioned as the Nursing Clinical Lead on the Incident Management Team (IMT) during the COVID-19 Pandemic and worked extensively on N-95 fit testing at each campus. He is a member of the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN).

Katie Potenzone just became the Nurse Manager for A2, a 24-bed acute care spinal cord injury unit at the West Roxbury Campus. Prior to this, she was the Assistant Nurse Manager for the unit. Katie completed her senior practicum in nursing school on A2 where she found her passion for caring for the spinal cord injury population. 

Katie began her career at the VA at the Adult Day Health Program housed within the Chelsea Soldiers Home. Wanting to pursue her passion for spinal cord injury, she took a staff nurse position on 81B, the long-term spinal cord injury unit at the Brockton Campus. Ms. Potenzone graduated from Boston College in 2019 with a master’s degree in nursing and obtained the Adult Gerontology Nurse Practitioner certification from the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP). 

Jennifer, Peter, and Katie, best of luck to you in your new management positions!

Academic Degree Recognition

Nadege Jean graduated in 2008 from Harmony Institute in New Hampshire, and received a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Barry University in Florida. In June 2020, Nadege passed the boards and possesses a RN license. Nadege was hired at the VA Boston Healthcare System as an LPN in July 2020 on Unit 81B, the long-term care spinal cord injury unit, but is in the process of converting to a RN position on the this unit. She brings her experience in adult medicine, urgent care, and OB/GYN to this position. Although Nadege didn’t have experience in spinal cord injury, she demonstrated a positive attitude and was more than willing to learn the fundamentals related to spinal cord injury nursing. During orientation, she reported, “I feel very lucky that I was hired by the VA and am able to care for the Veterans.”

Kelly Resendes started at the VA Boston Healthcare System in September 2016 as an LPN in the Community Liv ing Center (CLC). She was an LPN for 8 years before becoming an associate degree prepared RN in 2018. Ms. Resendes transferred to Unit 81B, the long-term care spinal cord injury unit in 2019, and still works there.

Kelly has 10 years of nursing experience in geriatric psychology and acute rehabilitation. She worked in Visiting Nursing and Community Care for 3 years. In addition, she currently works per-diem in a hospital in the community. Kelly admits, “I have learned and seen a lot during my nursing career. I feel I have acquired the necessary skills so I am not fearful in any medical situation.” In May of 2020, Ms. Resendes graduated with a BSN (GPA of 3.8) from Bay State College while working full time.

Congratulations, Nadege and Kelly!

National Leadership Day

National Leadership Day is observed every year on September 4th . Happy National Nurses Day to some of the NOVA members who are Nurse Leaders at the VA Boston Healthcare System! 

NOVA Chapter 226 Raffle

The NOVA Chapter 226 Board is excited about NOVA’s virtual 40th Annual Meeting. The chapter conducted a raffle to add some fun, generate attention, build interest and promote this event. Nurses can enter to win a free conference registration ($150 value) by purchasing 1 ticket for $5 or 3 tickets for $10. Since fundraisers are prohibited at VA facilities, communication and participation is being done electronically using our members’ personal emails on non-VA devices. The deadline date of September 16, 2020 is quickly approaching. The winner will be announced in NOVA News next month. Stay tuned!

Nephrology Nurses Week

Tina Stafford has been a dialysis nurse for over 30 years and a NOVA Member for 15 years. Tina shared, “I love working with, educating and forming bonds with dialysis patients and their families.”

Katie Judd has been a dialysis nurse for 7 years, certified for the last 4 year. She has worked at the VA for 5.5 years and a NOVA Member for 2 years. Her membership lapsed and she rejoined in 2019. According to Katie, “Dialysis patients attend treatment three time per week, often we see our patients more often than our own families. The bonds we make are incredible. Dialysis is a unique field. It is one of those areas of nursing where you either love it or hate it. I am blessed to be able to say I love it!”

Hector Rivera has worked at the VA for 33 years. He has been a NOVA member for as long as he can recall. Hector commented, “I like to be a dialysis nurse because it gives me the opportunity to make a difference in someone's life every day.”

National Rehabilitation Week
NOVA Chapter 226 would like to recognize the NOVA nurses at the VA Boston Healthcare System who are certified in rehabilitation. Thank you for your dedication to providing rehabilitation services to our Veterans.