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Critical care nurse Vanessa Leigh McMakin, MSN, RN, CCRN, works at Sentara CarePlex Hospital as a clinical nurse manager. She became interested in healthcare through her own experience as a patient.
“The birth of my first child was my first exposure to nurses and the healthcare field,” Vanessa says. “The nurses and the amazing care I received in that moment shaped my entire pathway towards becoming a nurse. The compassion, authenticity and integrity I experienced by these nurses who cared for me, were instrumental in shaping my career path.”
While Vanessa was studying to become a nurse, she developed a special interest the intensive care unit.
“Working with most critically ill patients and being part of the recovery process, while supporting their families brings me great peace and serenity,” she adds.
Vanessa, who lives in the Hampton Roads area, joined the Sentara family in 2014. She began her career in the intensive care unit at Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital. She transferred to Sentara CarePlex in 2021 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic to share her experience with a new team. This transition was a new leadership role.
“I love working with an amazing team of enthusiastic nurses who provide excellent patient care to critically ill patients while comforting their families,” Vanessa notes. “In keeping with Sentara’s mission, our team works diligently to uphold the standards of ‘improving health everyday’ for our community.”
Vanessa and her peers meet daily to have lunch and bond. Whether it be a potluck or quick jaunt to the cafe, this time together is instrumental in deepening ties amid the daily challenges.
Tuition assistance from Sentara helped Vanessa complete her BSN and MSN. She also received a voucher for her CCRN certification. As a result, she has had the opportunity to grow from an ICU staff nurse to a charge nurse, unit coordinator to ICU and intermediate care unit (IMCU) clinical education educator, and her current job as an ICU clinical manager.
Her career has also inspired her daughter, Chase Marie McMakin, RN. Chase, who recently started her career at Sentara Obici Hospital in the ICU, is starting her BSN with support from Sentara’s tuition assistance program.
Long before her nursing career, Vanessa worked alongside her family. They operated a horse boarding, training, and instructing facility in Chesapeake for 25 years. These days, when she’s not at work, she enjoys spending time with family and relishes watching the boats at the marina.
Critical care nurse Vanessa Leigh McMakin, MSN, RN, CCRN, works at Sentara CarePlex Hospital as a clinical nurse manager. She became interested in healthcare through her own experience as a patient.
“The birth of my first child was my first exposure to nurses and the healthcare field,” Vanessa says. “The nurses and the amazing care I received in that moment shaped my entire pathway towards becoming a nurse. The compassion, authenticity and integrity I experienced by these nurses who cared for me, were instrumental in shaping my career path.”
While Vanessa was studying to become a nurse, she developed a special interest the intensive care unit.
“Working with most critically ill patients and being part of the recovery process, while supporting their families brings me great peace and serenity,” she adds.
Vanessa, who lives in the Hampton Roads area, joined the Sentara family in 2014. She began her career in the intensive care unit at Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital. She transferred to Sentara CarePlex in 2021 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic to share her experience with a new team. This transition was a new leadership role.
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