Beyond the Bedside: A Look at Spartans in Nursing | Page 7

Level One Trauma Care—
for Patients, Families, and
the Nursing Staff
It is always a crisis, often a tragedy, that brings
patients to Rachel Catinella’s level one trauma
unit. Whether the trigger is an accident or
sudden illness, the person is often changed
forever and in need of a lot of nursing care
and family support. Catinella reports that,
“The patients are often sedated and ventilated,
unable to speak for themselves, and may

encountered the CNS role, she knew it was for
her. In it, she could impact more lives and have
greater influence on the health outcomes of
this fragile population by providing education
and skills for nurses, working with patients and
families in an educational role, and integrating
the latest in evidence-based practice and
the translation of nursing research into the
healthcare team.

Going back for her MSN was no easy decision.
It meant dedication to an intense schedule,
juggling full-time work with full-time school.
The College of Nursing’s online
coursework, strong faculty
support, flexibility, clear
IMPACTING TRAUMA CARE AT A NEW LEVEL
expectations, and local clinicals,
Finding the Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) role brought
preceptor, and study group
together all areas of interest and expertise for Rachel Catinella:
helped make it happen.
patient care and education, the translation of nursing research,
nurse education, critical care experience, and her own
She powered through two clinicals
continuing specialization in neuroscience.
and her scholarly project in her
last semester to finish on time.

AWARD

Graduate Scholarly Project Award,
Michigan State University Federal Credit Union, 2014

Building Team
Expertise

not live. I work closely with the families, listen
and support them in these life