Amy M. Reed

My Greatest Accomplishment

It’s two-fold. First was being named the Pennsylvania Nurse Anesthetist Association (PANA) Didactic Instructor of the Year in 2021. In the state with the most nurse anesthesia programs, to be nominated by my students and selected by the PANA committee was an honor and gave me validation that the effort and preparation that I put into every lecture does impact student success. Second was when I received the honor of speaking at the American Association of Nurse Anesthetist (AANA) National Congress on my doctoral project, “The Utility of Point-of-Care Gastric Ultrasound in the Prevention of Pulmonary Aspiration” in 2023. To speak in front of my colleagues and students on a national stage was a true privilege that I hope encourages other nurses in any field to pursue original research to change patient care for the better and highlight the power of the nursing profession.

How Drexel Helped Me

I graduated from the Accelerated Career Entry Nursing Program, which taught me how to manage time very well. More importantly, the program exposed me to so many incredible fields of nursing. My community rotation in Camden, New Jersey, and my psychiatric rotation at the Belmont Behavioral Health System in Philadelphia continue to impact me to this day. These rotations led me to the realization that community needs stretch far beyond the basic nursing “ABCs” of airway, breathing, and circulation. There is a whole nursing world that cares for those suffering with mental health challenges, addiction and the struggles of meeting basic daily needs such as shelter, warm clothes and food. This type of nursing is far less black and white than hospital nursing. I am thankful that Drexel provided me with these experiences and perspectives because it helps me to provide knowledge, vigilance and perhaps most importantly, compassion and empathy to all my patients and students.

Where I Hope to Be in Five Years

Although I hope to still be the assistant program director of the York College of Pennsylvania/WellSpan Health Nurse Anesthetist Program five years from now, I hope that my impact is greater than it is today. I plan to add to the nursing anesthesia body of knowledge by providing more original research to the profession, improve on the effectiveness and productivity of classroom and clinical teaching, and seek new and unique clinical opportunities for our students. Additionally, I will continue to promote student mental health and wellness as three years of full-time nurse anesthesia education is no easy feat.

How I Pay It Forward

When I look back on my education at Drexel University and beyond, it is clear I have been blessed to have been surrounded by supportive professors and giants in the field of nursing. I pay it forward by working every day to emulate the characteristics of my professors. Students are one of the most vulnerable populations, therefore, my passion and calling is to see that every student I teach is supported, realizes their immense value to the nursing profession, and is successful in their endeavors and aspirations.