Jessica Byrne, BNRN
(She/Her)
Hello everyone! This portfolio is to share my professional work, passion for health care, and resources related to health. I am a registered nurse in St. John's, Newfoundland and I graduated from Brock University in 2011. I have a partner and am a mother to a beautiful little girl and a dog, and I have two awesome bonus children. I work full-time and am currently a student in the Masters of Health Studies Program at Athabasca University. Please view my page to see more about my education and professional experience.
Education
I moved to Ontario in 2006 to complete the Pre-Health Science Diploma from Loyalist College. From there I was accepted into the collaborative nursing program between Loyalist College and Brock University. When I graduated in 2011 I moved home and started working. Completing my master's has always been on my radar but between jobs and building a family, it has taken me a while to get there. I am currently enrolled in my sixth course in the Masters of Health Studies Program at Athabasca University.
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Goals
My goal is to be a leader in quality patient/client/resident care while ensuring the best patient outcomes. I want to be a leader that my team members can look up to and rely on. The Masters program will help me reach my goals through resource curation, creating connections, and learning about credible health information.
Professional Experience
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June 2011-February 2013: Dialysis unit at the Health Sciences Centre here in St. John's, Newfoundland.
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February 2013-May 2015: General Surgery (including burns, plastic surgery, and bariatrics) also at the Health Sciences Center.
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May 2015-December 2018: Medical-Surgical Intensive Care Unit (tertiary center for the province that provides care to various post-operative patients, patients with different medical issues, traumas, organ donation facilitation, and many other types of care; also at the Health Sciences Centre.
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January 2019-August 2019: Resident Care Manager in a local long-term care facility.
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August 2020-current (maternity leave from August 2019-2020): Regional Program Manager for Cardiac and Critical Care with my local health authority.
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January 2024-current: Interim Division Manager of a tertiary medical-surgical ICU, RRTs, and hyperbaric medicine program.
My Role as a BNRN
I am a registered nurse working as an Interim division manager within the Critical Care Program with Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services (NLHS). My work is within a tertiary hospital managing frontline staff and working with the director of the program, the clinical chief, the divisional managers of other programs, and the clinical educators, as well as collaborating with the rural hospitals within the region. Some of the things I am responsible for within my role include: being part of multiple committees on program and quality improvements, policy and form creation and review, maintaining strategic planning, working with various teams and stakeholders on accreditation, completing data collection and reviews for various stakeholders, managing frontline staff, and working with the clinical chiefs on quality and patient care improvements.
Professional Identity
I feel as though all my roles have shaped me into the nurse I am today, and will help me reach my goals as a leader. I have also had the honor to go on a medical mission to Haiti with Team Broken Earth Newfoundland in 2018 which really opened my eyes to the level of care that can be provided even in the most despairing of situations. I strive to always provide the level of care that I can be proud of: safe, patient-centered, ethical, efficient, equitable, and high quality care. It may sound cliché, but I try to provide the level of care that I would want provided to me or my loved ones. Health care professionals should always remember that those you are caring for are human beings and are someone’s loved one. I believe every person is equal no matter of culture, background, or orientation. I strive to treat everyone the same and promote that everyone deserves the same quality health care wherever they live. My goals to succeed in my leadership role will only strengthen my resolve to ensure the care of our patients is the best. Because as a leader you are a model for those working on your team and you have more at your fingertips to influence change.
Affiliations
· Canadian Nurses Association (CNA)
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· College of Registered Nurses of Newfoundland and Labrador (CRNNL)
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· Registered Nurses Union of Newfoundland and Labrador (RNUNL)​
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As a registered nurse in Newfoundland and Labrador, I must be registered and in good standing with the College of Nurses of Newfoundland and Labrador. I also must adhere to the CRNNL Standards of Practice for Registered Nurses and work within the CNA’s Code of Ethics. Not only does the CRNNL and CNA protect nurses, they also protect the patients, clients, residents, and general public by ensuring that we only work within our scope of practice in a safe and ethical manner. “The registered nurse and nurse practitioner are responsible for practicing safely, competently, compassionately, and ethically and is accountable to the client, public, employer, and the profession”. (CRNNL, 2019). “The code provides guidance for ethical relationships, behaviors and decision-making and is used in conjunction with professional standards, best practice, research, laws and regulations that guide practice. (CNA, 2017)
