Aundrea McNeil
Power Words
Where were you born?
Baltimore, Maryland
What school did you attend?
BSN from Coppin State University, MSN from Towson University, DNP from Carlow University
What gained you interest in the NIH?
I learned about the NIH while attending nursing school. My public health nursing professor discussed the mission and vision of the NIH, and the NIH contributions to public health changes through clinical research. The role of the clinical research nurse appealed to my interest in working with patients who have rare and/or undiagnosed disease processes. I wanted to contribute to the innovations in clinical research established at the NIH.
What kind of work do you do at the NIH?
As the Clinical Manager, I provide guidance and leadership to the clinical research nurse who delivers primary care nursing to newly diagnosed, acute and chronically ill, and end of life patients participating in current clinical research studies. The clinical research nurse ensures that the guidelines identified by the Nursing Department Model of Care are integrated within nursing practice, and patient care. My passion and experience in quality improvement and nursing education has led me to inspire and mentor other clinical research nurses to be innovative leaders in nursing practice.
What message would you like to send to young Blacks who are considering going to college?
The experience of a college education provides knowledge that continues to grow throughout life. As your knowledge increases so does your ability to innovate, lead, educate, and grow professionally. The knowledge you acquire becomes your staircase to success.