Originally from Lexington, Kentucky, Elena, has lived and worked in North Carolina since 2002. As a graduate of the University of Kentucky College of Nursing and the Wake Forest Nurse Anesthesia Program (’09), she is now enrolled in the Doctor of Nursing Practice program and is set to graduate in August 2020. Elena will be the first person to graduate from both programs in the Department of Academic Nursing.
As a nurse, she has worked exclusively in Level I Trauma centers primarily in the neurosurgical and trauma intensive care units, with brief stints in the inpatient post-anesthesia care unit and emergency department as well. She learned about becoming a nurse anesthetist from a family friend, who encouraged her to pursue the career path wholeheartedly. She describes her years in anesthesia school as some of the worst and most amazing years of her life. Elena says, "the rigorous training brought on a lot of stress, but she met some amazing friends, life-long friends and received a stellar education. "
She began her career as a CRNA at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center as a staff CRNA and Clinical Instructor in the inpatient OR. She taught trauma management and anesthesia for neurological procedures in the classroom (at the Nurse Anesthesia Program), and also in the clinical setting. She later took a job working with neurosurgeons at an ambulatory facility, focusing on lumbar- microsurgery and ACDFs in healthy patient cases. In 2016 her husband received a job offer in Wilmington, and she took a job at New Hanover Regional Medical Center. She currently works at Atrium Heath's Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, NC.
During her years at Wake Forest Anesthesia Program, Elena developed an interest in professional advocacy, which is still very important to her. Her leadership activities include six years on the Alumni Association Board of Directors and completion of the 2018 NCANA Leadership Academy. In the fall of 2018, she volunteered on the Health Policy Committee for a U.S. Congressional candidate in order to learn about how the policies that determine health care are constructed.
Why did you choose to get your DNP at Wake Forest?
As a previous graduate from the Department of Academic Nursing, she was familiar with the stellar educational opportunities, commitment to professional advocacy, and lifelong learning that remains a cornerstone of nursing education at Wake Forest. She says, “Dr. Mileto was incredibly responsive and supportive, and it felt like I was being called home." Her experience at Wake Forest has been well aligned with her academic and career goals, as the department has a thorough understanding of the needs of the professional CRNA as a doctoral student. “Whether my professional endeavors lead me to education, administrative, or political leadership, I feel I will emerge from this program extremely well-prepared to lead nurses and nurse anesthetists in the future”, Elena says.
As a nurse, she has worked exclusively in Level I Trauma centers primarily in the neurosurgical and trauma intensive care units, with brief stints in the inpatient post-anesthesia care unit and emergency department as well. She learned about becoming a nurse anesthetist from a family friend, who encouraged her to pursue the career path wholeheartedly. She describes her years in anesthesia school as some of the worst and most amazing years of her life. Elena says, "the rigorous training brought on a lot of stress, but she met some amazing friends, life-long friends and received a stellar education. "
She began her career as a CRNA at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center as a staff CRNA and Clinical Instructor in the inpatient OR. She taught trauma management and anesthesia for neurological procedures in the classroom (at the Nurse Anesthesia Program), and also in the clinical setting. She later took a job working with neurosurgeons at an ambulatory facility, focusing on lumbar- microsurgery and ACDFs in healthy patient cases. In 2016 her husband received a job offer in Wilmington, and she took a job at New Hanover Regional Medical Center. She currently works at Atrium Heath's Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, NC.
During her years at Wake Forest Anesthesia Program, Elena developed an interest in professional advocacy, which is still very important to her. Her leadership activities include six years on the Alumni Association Board of Directors and completion of the 2018 NCANA Leadership Academy. In the fall of 2018, she volunteered on the Health Policy Committee for a U.S. Congressional candidate in order to learn about how the policies that determine health care are constructed.
Why did you choose to get your DNP at Wake Forest?
As a previous graduate from the Department of Academic Nursing, she was familiar with the stellar educational opportunities, commitment to professional advocacy, and lifelong learning that remains a cornerstone of nursing education at Wake Forest. She says, “Dr. Mileto was incredibly responsive and supportive, and it felt like I was being called home." Her experience at Wake Forest has been well aligned with her academic and career goals, as the department has a thorough understanding of the needs of the professional CRNA as a doctoral student. “Whether my professional endeavors lead me to education, administrative, or political leadership, I feel I will emerge from this program extremely well-prepared to lead nurses and nurse anesthetists in the future”, Elena says.
"Whether my professional endeavors lead me to education, administrative, or political leadership, I feel I will emerge from this program extremely well-prepared to lead nurses and nurse anesthetists in the future." -Elena Meadows, MSN, CRNA, DNP Class of 2020