Nguyet “Nga” Nguyen, public health nurse supervisor in the Arlington County Public Health Division, received this year’s Virginia Department of Health Public Health Nurse of the Year award. State Health Commissioner Marissa J. Levine, MD, MPH, FAAFP recognized Nguyen during National Nurses Week.
Nguyen’s nearly 35 years of service underscore her dedication to public health. She began her public health career as a field nurse and went on to serve as a refugee public health nurse and coordinator, chest clinic coordinator, tuberculosis (TB) program coordinator and most recently as the nurse supervisor for the Community Health Protection Bureau in the Department of Human Services for the Arlington County Public Health Division. Nguyen makes giving back to the community a priority. She routinely shares her skills as a trained Vietnamese and French interpreter and has served as a part-time health educator for the Indochinese Community Center, Southeast Asian Health Program in Washington, D.C.
In addition to being service-focused, Nguyen is a leader and a mentor among her peers and direct reports, as demonstrated during two recent outbreak investigations. First, Nga managed a large-scale TB contact investigation at Arlington’s detention facility with skill and with sensitivity. She collaborated with the local sheriff, the facility operators and the contractor for the medical unit as her team tested 50 inmates and more than 200 employees and volunteers. Her excellent customer and community service established trust and confidence among stakeholders, allaying fears in this the potentially politically charged situation.
Secondly, Nguyen demonstrated the value of thinking quickly and outside of the box to protect public health. When she learned of the possibility that a non-compliant client with active TB may board a transatlantic flight, she obtained a seldom-used state court order for isolation. Nguyen educated the client about TB and the importance of taking medication, and explained the laws in Virginia that require isolation for infectious TB patients. She even went the extra mile to make sure this visitor from another country was near family during the required isolation period.
“Public health nurses’ demonstrate their commitment every day through the compassion and care they deliver to clients around the state,” said Dr. Levine. “Nga exemplifies this through her dedication to providing quality care to her clients while protecting the community from infectious disease. Drawing upon her empathy and exceptional nursing skills, she cares for her clients well beyond disease treatment, striving to make Virginia the healthiest state in the nation.”
The Health Commissioner and staff also recognized two other public health nurses today for their outstanding contributions within their health regions. Karla Davila of the Chesterfield Health District and Joyce Sample of the Norfolk Health District were honored as Central Region and Eastern Region Public Health Nurses of the year, respectively.
Since she was 15, Karla Davila knew public health was her calling. She interned at the Chesterfield Health Department, where she discovered she could use her bilingual skills to help clients fully understand processes and procedures and make informed decisions about their health care. After receiving her nursing degree, she continued to use those skills as part of the Women’s Health Team. She even took on the added responsibility of leading the grant-funded March of Dimes Baby Basic Moms Club, designed for moms who are unable to attend more traditional childbirth classes. Karla managed the details of the grant and even provided English/Spanish interpretation of the bi-weekly presentations. Her fellow workers describe her as a tireless advocate for her clients and say that she always has a smile on her face.
“Karla’s ability to clearly convey health information to the Latino community meets a vital need and empowers her clients,” said Levine. “She serves as a wonderful example of public health nursing at its best.”
Joyce Sample is also passionate about delivering quality care to her community. As the vaccination coordinator for the Norfolk Health District, she administers the Virginia Vaccines for Children Program. She has implemented several special immunization projects, including vaccinating expectant parents after maternity ward tours, conducting various community flu clinics and 6th grade orientation Tdap clinics, providing vaccinations at local residential treatment facilities for children with emotional and behavioral problems and training school nurses in proper immunization techniques and immunization scheduling.
“Wherever Joyce sees a need or opportunity she works with clients, families and community partners to improve immunization rates and the overall health of Norfolk residents,” said Levine. “It is that kind of combination of caring and innovative thinking that makes Joyce such a remarkable public health nurse.”
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