5
TAKE
by LYNDA VAN KUREN photo by TERAH HOOBLER
LOLITA BRYANT, who is a patient safety coordinator at Novant Health NHRMC, also teaches nursing at the University of North Carolina Wilmington and Cape Fear Community College. In addition, she is the postpartum support international coordinator for New Hanover and Brunswick counties and is establishing a postpartum support group for area mothers. Bryant’s commitment to service also extends to UNCW. She has filled volunteer leadership positions for numerous university associations and committees, and she created a scholarship for diverse students in UNCW’s nursing school. In recognition of her many contributions, Bryant recently received the university’s Distinguished Alumni Citizen of the Year Award. WHY IS SERVING AS A NURSE LEADER IMPORTANT TO YOU? “Being a nurse leader, whether as a nurse supervisor, an educator, or a mentor, gives me the ability to give back and make a difference in the lives of other people. I have a lot to offer those coming behind me, and I want to assist others on their journey so they can be the best they can be.” WHAT CHANGES HAVE YOU SEEN IN HEALTH CARE? “The way we provide health care is evolving. For example, telehealth is not only making health care accessible to patients who can’t get to an office, it also makes it more personal. When physicians talk to patients in their homes, they learn what type of family support the patient has, see the patient’s living conditions, and meet the patient’s family members and pets. With this knowledge, physicians ask more personal questions, and that can lead to better care. Doctors also become better communicators. We are also making medical care more accessible by building new clinics in areas of need and using mobile units to take doctors and nurses to patients.” WHY DID YOU FORM THE DR. LOLITA B. BRYANT, ABRAM BISHOP, AND FAMILY ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP FOR DIVERSITY IN NURSING? “My reasons for creating the scholarship are threefold. One, I wanted to honor my family’s legacy to UNCW. Large sections of the UNCW campus, including Trask Coliseum, are located on my great-great-grandfather Abram Bishop’s former homestead. More than forty acres of my family’s land are now part of UNCW. I also wanted to provide some type of funding to support people of color and encourage them to enter the nursing profession. Currently, the diversity numbers in UNCW’s nursing school are low. Finally, the scholarship is a way for me to pay forward the financial assistance I received for my education. My baccalaureate degree in nursing was paid for by NHRMC’s tuition reimbursement program, and my entire Master’s of Science in Nursing Education degree was paid for by NHRMC’s Duke Endowment Scholarship.” TELL US ABOUT YOUR WORK IN POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION AND MOOD DISORDERS. “As the postpartum support international coordinator for New Hanover and Brunswick counties, I provide support, resources, and encouragement to mothers and families who are dealing with perinatal mood disorders. I also help connect the mothers and their families with local providers who are trained to treat these disorders. In addition, because we have a large number of mothers in the community who have perinatal mood disorders, I am working to form a postpartum support group for them. These mothers need resources and to know they are not alone, and with help, they will be better.” WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR NURSES TO PURSUE ADVANCED DEGREES? “Nursing is a lifelong learning process, and the more education nurses have, the better quality of care they can provide.” W LOLITA BRYANT’s full profile will appear in an upcoming WILMA Roundup email. To sign up for daily WILMA emails, go to WILMAmag.com.
WILMAmag.com
MAY 2022
WILMA
47
