Vital Views

Dr. Jacqueline Killian interviews Sofia Aragon, Executive Director of the Washington Center for Nursing, about her journey. Sofia discusses her mother's influence, her multidisciplinary education in economics, nursing, and law, and her focus on health policy. She emphasizes the importance of advocacy in nursing leadership and the need to address social determinants of health in nursing education. Sofia also highlights the need for better data-informed policies and concerns about potential policy reversals under new federal leadership.

This episode features:
Dr. Jacqueline Killian, Associate Professor of the UNLV School of Nursing

Sofia Aragon, Executive Director of the Washington Center for Nursing

Dr. Emily Boyce and Justin LeMay, a UNLV School of Nursing double-alumnus, discuss the importance of data metrics and guidelines in patient care. They highlight the need for optimizing workflows without disrupting them. LeMay notes the impact of technology, such as Epic, on nursing workflows and the adaptability of younger nurses to new technologies. Finally, he advises nurses interested in process improvement to identify quality improvement departments and analyze their own workflows for potential improvements.

Dr. Henna Lee and Dr. Lissi Hansen, the 2025 Yucha Lecture Speaker, discuss palliative and end-of-life care in nursing. Dr. shares her career journey from Denmark to the U.S., her transition to palliative and end-of-life care research, and her focus on caregiver burden and treatment decision-making. She emphasizes the need for early palliative care integration, advocating for nurses to be trained in basic palliative care elements like pain management and spiritual support.

Carissa Hernandez, a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) student at UNLV, shares her journey from a professional flamenco dancer to a nurse. Her DNP project focuses on using virtual reality (VR) to enhance med-surg nurses' confidence and skills in responding to cardiac arrests. Based on her findings, the training was practical for both first-time and experienced users, and it aims to expand to other specialties and rural clinics.

For American Heart Health Month, Dr. Dieu-My Tran, an associate professor at UNLV School of Nursing, discusses cardiovascular health, particularly heart disease. She highlights that heart disease is the leading cause of death in women, especially post-menopausal, due to the loss of estrogen's protective effects. Dr. Tran emphasizes the importance of early education on heart health, especially for young adults and college students, as lifestyle choices formed during these years can impact long-term heart health. 

In honor of Cervical Health Month, Dr. Janice Enriquez talks with Dr. Marguerite Brathwaite about cervical cancer screening and women's health. She explains that cervical cancer screening involves Pap smears to detect abnormal cervical cells and Human Papillomavirus (HPV). Dr. Brathwaite emphasizes the importance of regular screenings and safe sex practices to prioritize cervical health.

Dr. Nirmala Lekhak, a UNLV School of Nursing assistant professor, shares how meditation can enhance cognitive function, memory, and psychological health in older adults, addressing issues like loneliness, depression, and anxiety. She emphasizes the importance of spirituality in improving mental well-being and has researched meditation's effects during COVID-19. Dr. Lekhak highlights the benefits of compassion, kindness, and self-awareness in daily life.

Minnie Wood, senior lecturer, is joined by Rebecca Colbert and Theron Nissen of the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District. They delve into the library's health kits, which include a touchless thermometer, wrist blood pressure cuff, and pulse oximeter. These kits, available in all library branches, aim to provide accessible health monitoring tools for the public. The Library District focuses on meeting the community where they’re at, including offering medical models and a ZSpace application for anatomy education that caters to high school nursing students, and digital resources for medical information. 

Cassandra Taloma, Director of Marketing and Communications, sits with Michele Josue, an Emmy Award-winning Filipino filmmaker. Josue discusses her film "Nurse Unseen," which highlights the experiences of Filipino American nurses during the pandemic. Josue shares her journey into filmmaking and her passion for documenting personal and community stories, leading to her current work on "Nurse Unseen." 

This episode features: 

Cassandra Taloma, Director of Marketing and Communications at UNLV School of Nursing 

Michele Josue, Filmmaker and Director

Recorded in July 2024, Dr. Imelda Reyes, Associate Dean of Advanced Education, interviews Carolyn Jones, a documentary filmmaker, who shares her journey through filmmaking and capturing global issues through storytelling. Her film "American Birth" explores the maternal mortality crisis in the U.S., highlighting midwifery as a solution. Jones was selected as the guest speaker for UNLV School of Nursing’s and Dr. Linda Silvestri’s annual Sylvestri Lecture. Jones emphasizes the importance of nurses being vocal and advocating for change. 

This episode features: 

Dr. Imelda Reyes, Associate Dean of Advanced Education at UNLV School of Nursing 

Carolyn Jones, Filmmaker and Director