SU professor receives Nurse of the Year award

As a child growing up in Lafayette, Sandra Brown did not necessarily dream of becoming a nurse. She cannot particularly pinpoint a defining moment that caused her to pursue nursing as a profession. Brown simply liked the job security associated with the field.
Now, after 26 years of service, the profession recently recognized Brown for her outstanding work by naming her recipient of the Advanced Practitioner Nurse of the Year Nightingale Award.
Brown appeared to have an effortless ability to put people at ease; and in her profession, this is an undeniably indispensable trait to possess. Her colleague, Wanda Spurlock, who nominated Brown for the Nightingale Award, agreed with the sentiment.
“I have come to highly respect Dr. Brown over the many years that I have known and worked with her. Over these years, I have experienced firsthand, the respect that her fellow colleagues have for her as well as the admiration and respect that is shared among her students and the many clients whose lives she has positively impacted,” wrote Spurlock in her nomination statement about Brown.
Brown is endearing and outgoing even over the telephone as she confirmed the meeting time to discuss her recent award and the profession she has greatly impacted.
“Alright I will see you when you get here girl,” said Brown.
The pretty, petite wife and mother of two children appeared at the door of the university health center, smiling and energetic.
If she was annoyed by the university’s abrupt decision to disrupt the electricity for a few hours in order to repair a problem with one of the electrical distribution lines on campus, she did not show it.
What does show as Brown talked, however, was her passion for her work. While it can be challenging juggling her role as a nurse practitioner and educator, she said she gets fulfillment from both responsibilities.
“I am able to teach and practice-I love both aspects equally. It is most rewarding for me to educate nurses to become nurse practitioners,” said Brown.
Brown developed a passion for mentoring novice nurses when she was given the opportunity to do so while working as a floor nurse in a critical care unit at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Lafayette.
Brown said it is important to her to engage nursing students in-patient care and help them become competent and compassionate.
“I want to get them to treat patients with the dignity they deserve,” said Brown.
As an employee at Southern University for the last 13 years, Brown uses this same dignity when helping students at the health center. She said it is important to her work with students and teach them about preventive health measures to ensure that they remain healthy during their studies.
Brown is especially interested in women’s health, which is why students can find her at the health center on Wednesday’s-a day that is dedicated to meeting the special needs of female students.
The nurse practitioner said the highlight of her career came when she was able to provide assistance to over 500 people who were displaced by Hurricane Katrina. Brown assisted the families, who were living in FEMA trailers in Baker through a mobile health screening unit.
“You’d leave from there thinking why do I complain-I have a family and a home to go to,” said Brown. Even with the evidence of the impact she has had on people as a nurse, Brown was shocked that she won the Nightingale Award and said the experience was humbling and surreal.
“I was totally surprised. I was honored to be among the list of nurses who were nominated. It was an out-of-body experience. It was most rewarding because I was nominated by my peers,” said Brown as she seemed to relive the moment she heard her name announced as the winner. “The award was icing on the cake. I didn’t think anyone noticed. I do this every day.”
Speaking to a co-worker who was standing at the front desk looking through paper, Brown said, “Ms. Diggs, let’s go girl.”
Then she smiled and walked towards her car on her way to meet with another patient.