Nursing

  Chairs:

  Jill S. Sanko

  MS, ARNP is an acute care nurse practitioner. This year marks her 8th year in medical simulation.
  Currently she is the simulation and education specialist at the University of Miami/Jackson
  Memorial Hospital Center for Patient Safety. In her past life she spent just under 10 years
  working at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in a variety of research and clinical positions
  as well as the associate director of their simulation program. She has NIH and the Center for
  Medical Simulation to thank for her positive introduction to the magic of medical simulation.
  She is the mother of 3 wonderful children all under the age of 6. Needless to say between
  work and family she finds plenty of time to pursue her loves for reading, working out, cooking,
  craft making and bon-bon eating ( I am partial to the Dove ice cream bites (dark chocolate)).

  Danyel L. Helgeson MS, RN is the nursing program director at Riverland Community College
  in Austin, MN; the home of SPAM (the meat, not the email kind!) She is also full-time faculty and
  spends her time watching movies and eating bon-bons. She has a master of science degree
  from Winona State University with a major in nursing education. Her nursing background
  includes stopping bleeding and starting hearts as an emergency department RN, most recently
  at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. Her passion for simulation stems from her desire to be
  a soap opera actress, and her love of technology comes from who knows where. In her other life,
  Danyel spends time with her family, garden (if it every warms up in Minnesota) and her horses.

  Secretary:

  Kirsty Freeman RN/RM, BNur, PGradDipMid, GradDipEd),
  is the Secretary for the Nursing SIG. We believe that she is the only member of the leadership
  group that does not like chocolate! Kirsty is currently working as the Facilitator of Simulation
  and Practice Development for the School of Nursing, Midwifery & Post Graduate Medicine at
  Edith Cowan University, Australia. Kirsty has scripted, directed and produced a variety of DVD
  resources for undergraduate and postgraduate courses, as well as for the university’s industry
  partners. Her key areas of interests in nursing education include: simulation based learning and
  scenario based learning to support clinical skill development. She is currently researching the
  use of Observational Simulation in teaching non clinical skills to nurses and midwives. If Kirsty
  were to have spare time it would be spent with a glass of red, cheeseboard and a good book!

  Website:

  Nathan E. Brent RN, MSN/NEd, is the website liason for the Nursing SIG.
  He has worked extensively throughout the society and their ventures including the Nursing SIG,
  the immersive tracks at the IMSH, the membership and bylaws committee, and the committee
  on resource poor environments. He is employed by St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center
  as well as adjunct faculty for Grand Canyon University. He started the clinical simulation
  programs at St. Joes, and is currently working on expanding his current digs into a simulated
  patient care unit. He enjoys spending time with his wife, two boys, and has another one on
  the way. Nate is a HUGE Ohio State University Buckeyes fan, and becomes possessed by
  college football in the fall. He also enjoys woodworking when he gets free time.