Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Amanda Reyes.
Hi Dr. Reyes, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Since I was a little girl, I have wanted to be a nurse. My mother was a critical care nurse for over twenty years. So naturally, I wanted to follow in her footsteps. Caring for and helping other people spark joy in my life. After high school, I attended Mount St. Mary’s University, where I learned the fundamentals needed to become a registered nurse. I made lifelong friendships and received a well-rounded education. I completed my clinical rotations at some of the best hospitals in Los Angeles. One of my professors asked if I would like to volunteer in the Nursing Research Department at my current clinical site, the Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System. Little did I know that this hospital would become my home. I enjoyed my time volunteering. Since I was going above and beyond my expectations, the institution hired me as a Student Nurse Technician, similar to a nursing assistant for the critical care unit. I started from the bottom. My role required stocking supplies, and linens, turning/repositioning patients, and giving bed baths. After graduating with my Bachelor of Science in Nursing, I was fortunate to get a job as a new graduate nurse in the critical care unit. I stayed as a clinical bedside nurse for six years. During my time, I learned how to be a competent registered nurse. I learned how to think critically and manage my patients’ clinical conditions. I was there to admit critical patients to my unit, complete the interventions to heal them or hold their hand til their last breath. While working the night shift, I returned to school and received my Master of Science in Nursing Administration from California State University Dominguez Hills. I transitioned into the role of the medical-surgical nurse educator for my hospital.
I performed several roles as a nurse educator. I found a love for teaching. I enjoyed learning new methods of adult learning to engage my audience. I was happy whenever I could genuinely touch and make a difference in the people I taught. I went back to educate the nurses within my critical care unit before becoming involved in our first new graduate program, Transition to Practice. I enjoyed recruiting, nurturing, and retaining our future nurses. I saw myself in every new graduate nurse. I wanted to give other nurses the support they needed to succeed. After three years as an educator, I was promoted to Manager of Nursing Education. I will never forget when I was hired. My supervisor told me – she didn’t need someone to manage the education staff; she needed someone to teach the others how to be an educator. Teaching isn’t just about reading a PowerPoint. It is about genuinely engaging. To ensure staff remembers the content and to leave a lasting impression. My goal was to make a positive difference in my hospital.
I have been the Manager of Nursing Education for five years now within the Department of Research, Innovation, and Development. I have built my dream team of educators and program coordinators. To prove my seriousness to my nursing profession and be an example to my team, I pursued my Doctorate in Nursing Practice – Executive Leadership. I aim to be a nurse executive and provide guidance and care to the nurses working tirelessly on the floors, healing our loved ones. I not only teach the nurses, but I now teach other disciplines. I meet every new employee that walks into our hospital. My goal to ensure patient safety is always at the front of everyone’s mind.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Becoming a leader does not come without struggle. I am a glass-is-half-full type of person. There will always be people who do not believe in change. Who are negative and complacent. Who brings only criticism to the table, not solutions. When I was a new graduate nurse, someone told me, “You must be new. You are always smiling”. I have been a nurse for fifteen years, and I am still smiling. Unfortunately, I will never be able to change people’s perceptions of me. What I can do is keep working. Keep working hard. Keep fighting to be good. Influence the newer nurses by setting a professional, positive example and helping others with their personal development. I can only do what is right. My secret to success is staying resilient. Every decision I have made has either been the right path or a learning opportunity. I bounce back from mistakes and continue to strive for excellence.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Of nurses, I have grown and nurtured. I handpicked the smartest, more talented individuals in the nursing field. They make me proud every day. They are mini extensions of myself that preach patient safety and quality care daily. I never considered myself a leader until I noticed that my educators, who most started off as excellent staff nurses, have become leaders unto themselves. As a result, I oversee the beautiful product of hardworking individuals I have created. People that I know have impacted the world of nursing. Some have left my supervision and gone on to further pursue their legacy into the nursing world. I feel blessed and lucky every day that I am fortunate enough to manage the best department in our hospital. What sets me apart from other managers is that I care and genuinely care. I believe for us to all work hard and attain our goals, we must recognize and appreciate ourselves as individuals. I have used the Enneagram personality test to understand my team better. If you haven’t taken the test, I suggest you try it. My team speaks Enneagram. We recognize the driving force that each of us has. We respect it and use that knowledge to work well with one another. We celebrate the Enneagram’s ability to narrow all of us into one of nine numbers. Since my team started taking this test, I have noticed that they work together more harmoniously. We can quickly recognize our strengths and weaknesses. I also incorporate various team-building exercises to keep the group engaged. Constantly talking about work can lead to burnout. So, I keep my door open. I always have fancy chocolate truffles and Haribo gummy bears to entice them to visit me. I think of a new activity, such as naming your top five television shows or sharing a hidden talent on a post-it. Sharing these interests leads the team to discuss why Games of Thrones is still better than House of Dragon. Being able to step away mentally for a few minutes and engage in a different dialogue has strengthened my team. It has always built trust between me as a supervisor and employee. Leadership commitment to me is keeping an open-door policy, genuinely listening, and, most importantly, always asking first what happened, not who did it.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
I am a leader who preaches High-Reliability Organization principles. One of the characteristics I have adopted is always to ask what happened, not who did it. I have learned that people make mistakes. Expecting everyone to be perfect is unrealistic and can cause much staff stress. Fingering pointing creates a hostile work environment. More significant systems issues are at play; one of my strongest characteristics is seeing that. While others are arguing about whose fault it is, I am contemplating what is the more extensive system issues at play. I want to learn how we can improve the system for the people who work it. That should be the job of all leaders. To create the policies and procedures so that the system works. To ensure not only are our patients safe but our employees feel safe.
