Steven Powell, MSN, RN, RN-BC, CRRN
NOVA Director
Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX
NOVA Chapter 388

Steven Powell

Hello NOVA Colleagues! I am happy for the opportunity to introduce myself. My name is Steven and I serve as a Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Registered Nurse & People With Disabilities Program Manager at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center (MEDVAMC) in Houston, TX. I have been working at MEDVAMC since 2013, where I started  with the Veterans Affairs Learning Opportunity Residency (VALOR) Program in SCI. After graduation I accepted a position on a medical-surgical telemetry floor until 2017 when I returned to SCI. I have served in numerous auxiliary roles for my facility, with notable current roles including Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and high yield Explosives (CBRNE) Decontamination Instructor and Disaster Emergency Medical Personnel System (DEMPS) Volunteer. Through DEMPS, I was deployed January 2020 to Puerto Rico in response to their 6.4 earthquake, one of my most rewarding experiences as a nurse.

My path to nursing was rather atypical. Nursing was not the first career that I chose, nor was anyone in my family in the healthcare industry. Originally, I worked in the music industry of New Orleans, and I wore many different hats from show production to DJing. The most notable position I had was with Sony Music as a College Marketing Representative. I was quite effective in this role, earning a gold record through Columbia Records for my efforts on the debut album of MGMT titled "Oracular Spectacular". While the work was fun, there was something missing. Thus, I left music as a career to do some soul searching in Houston. In the process, I began volunteering at a hospital and knew I wanted to be a nurse. I attended the Kramer School of Nursing at Oklahoma City University. I fully credit my graduation to my grandparents, who I lived with during the course of the program. My grandfather is a Marine Corps Veteran, and he has been my inspiration in serving as a nurse with the Department of Veterans Affairs. The love I have for the VA is what led me to choose Duke University in pursuing a Master of Science in Nursing. 

As I grew in my career as a nurse, I began to understand the value of professional organizations and became a member of NOVA. One of my favorite things about NOVA has been the opportunity to serve on the Legislative Committee. I'm looking forward to co-chair this committee with Ceci McVey alongside Teresa Morris, Director of Advocacy & Government Relations. For those who have not interacted with Teresa, she is one of the best on the Hill. I encourage everyone to read her updates on what is happening in Congress, or even take that next step and join the Legislative Committee. If you have never worked in the world of legislation, now is a perfect time to become involved as the 117th Congress begins. It is my hope that NOVA continues to grow in membership, and that the valuable voice we have to offer continues having a seat at the table on VA legislation.