As a child who was hospitalized a few times, he recalls the impact that nurses had during his hospital stay. Ivan was born and hospitalized at the Historical Whittaker Memorial Hospital in Newport News where he saw many black physicians and nurses practicing, including one of his aunts who was a Registered Nurse there.
Ivan shares that many of those physicians and nurses were health care pioneers who paved the way for a today’s generation of minority health care professionals. Intrigued by the hospital nurse’s role, Ivan knew he wanted to work in health care. However, as a youngster in the 70s/80s who lived in a rural community, he had never seen professional male nurses. Because of this, he started considering a career as a physician.
When Ivan started college at Old Dominion University while working on his first 4-year degree in psychology, he realized that men could be nurses.
“I was given the opportunity to work part time in a federally funded work study program for college students which allowed me the opportunity to work in two medical facilities with nurses who were female and male. I began to have a greater appreciation for the role of the nurse and soon realized that my passion was to make a difference at the bedside as a professional nurse,” he shares. Ivan completed his first 4-year degree in psychology and went back to nursing school to become a professional nurse.
In March 2022, Ivan accepted the role of CNO at Riverside Walter Reed Hospital. The CNO is the hospital’s chief nurse executive who is responsible for ensuring safe and quality nursing care throughout the hospital. This is accomplished by establishing a nursing vision and driving a professional practice model, updating nursing policies, implementing best practices, ensuring adequate nursing resources, adequately managing financial and human resources, and ultimately establishing a culture of nursing excellence, according to Ivan.
“I have been a registered nurse for 25 years. I started my career as a bedside nurse in medical/surgical/telemetry and trauma inpatient services at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital. After 7 years at the bedside and 3 years as a clinical coordinator, I was offered my first position as a nurse manager of a medical/surgical unit. The first nurse manager role started my official journey in nurse leadership,” he says.
After working a few years in his first nurse manager role, Ivan had an opportunity to relocate to Dallas, Texas where he worked in nurse manager and nurse director roles at acute care hospitals in the Dallas-Fort Worth area for several years. It was during this time that he achieved his Master of Science in Nursing degree and later obtained his NE-BC (Nurse Executive Board Certification). To enhance his leadership in academia, he also served as adjunct faculty for two nursing programs while in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Ivan’s next leadership opportunity came as an Associate Chief Nurse Executive for the Little Rock VA Hospital in Little Rock, Arkansas. In this role, Ivan was responsible for overall leadership of approximately 160 beds within the medical surgical/inpatient division. He served in the Associate Chief Nurse Executive role for 4 and a half years. He received acceptance and started in the Doctor of Nursing Practice program at Old Dominion University (ODU).
Ivan’s next leadership role brought him to Virginia, where he accepted the role of Administrative Director of acute care for Bon Secours Mercy St. Mary’s Hospital in Richmond. Here, he managed the nursing operations of 120 inpatient acute care beds (med/surg/telemetry, oncology, stepdown, general surgery, and ICU). During this time, he completed his Doctor of Nursing Practice degree (Nurse Executive track) for ODU and obtained his Nurse Executive, Advanced-Board Certification (NEA-BC).
On a typical day, Ivan finds himself working on a variety of tasks, including several meetings. No day is the same, according to Ivan.
“I like being visible; I want our staff to know who I am. As CNO, I round on all our units. I enjoy asking people how their day is and if they need support. Occasionally, I visit patients to see how their care is going. I want to know what we are doing well, and what we can do better.”
Ivan says the most rewarding part of being a CNO is collaborating with other leaders and stakeholders, resulting in decision-making that can drive positive change in the hospital and community. “The CNO establishes a vision and sets the tone and culture for nursing in the facility,” he says.
As the first male CNO at Riverside, Ivan brings a vast amount of experience with him. Throughout his nursing career, he worked in a large, Level 1 trauma teaching hospital, two large Veteran Affairs teaching hospitals, three magnet designated hospitals, a faith-based hospital, and a for-profit community hospital.
“These experiences are invaluable for a nurse and nurse leader. As a male, I understand and appreciate the value men bring to the bedside as well as the boardroom. Men have a special place in nursing and our community can benefit from more men in nursing. However, male nurses have unique challenges,” he says.
As a minority male, Ivan says that he understands and supports the need for improving diversity and inclusion in nursing and the effect it has on patient outcomes, which decreases health care disparities. “I’m the CNO for the hospital and community; I want all staff to feel a sense of wellbeing, support, and inclusion.”
Ivan recognizes and underscores the importance of Nurses Week. He believes that every week should be “Nurses Week” due to the talent that professional nurses bring to the table every day, he says.
“Society has truly seen the value of the nurse amidst the COVID pandemic. This year, as the new CNO, Nurses Week will be even more special because I’m leading this new team of nurses in the hospital. My nurse leadership team and I have a special week planned for the nurses here. This year, I want all nurses to feel a sense of value and support from the CNO and leadership team.”
Ivan shares that many of those physicians and nurses were health care pioneers who paved the way for a today’s generation of minority health care professionals. Intrigued by the hospital nurse’s role, Ivan knew he wanted to work in health care. However, as a youngster in the 70s/80s who lived in a rural community, he had never seen professional male nurses. Because of this, he started considering a career as a physician.
When Ivan started college at Old Dominion University while working on his first 4-year degree in psychology, he realized that men could be nurses.
“I was given the opportunity to work part time in a federally funded work study program for college students which allowed me the opportunity to work in two medical facilities with nurses who were female and male. I began to have a greater appreciation for the role of the nurse and soon realized that my passion was to make a difference at the bedside as a professional nurse,” he shares. Ivan completed his first 4-year degree in psychology and went back to nursing school to become a professional nurse.
In March 2022, Ivan accepted the role of CNO at Riverside Walter Reed Hospital. The CNO is the hospital’s chief nurse executive who is responsible for ensuring safe and quality nursing care throughout the hospital. This is accomplished by establishing a nursing vision and driving a professional practice model, updating nursing policies, implementing best practices, ensuring adequate nursing resources, adequately managing financial and human resources, and ultimately establishing a culture of nursing excellence, according to Ivan.
“I have been a registered nurse for 25 years. I started my career as a bedside nurse in medical/surgical/telemetry and trauma inpatient services at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital. After 7 years at the bedside and 3 years as a clinical coordinator, I was offered my first position as a nurse manager of a medical/surgical unit. The first nurse manager role started my official journey in nurse leadership,” he says.
After working a few years in his first nurse manager role, Ivan had an opportunity to relocate to Dallas, Texas where he worked in nurse manager and nurse director roles at acute care hospitals in the Dallas-Fort Worth area for several years. It was during this time that he achieved his Master of Science in Nursing degree and later obtained his NE-BC (Nurse Executive Board Certification). To enhance his leadership in academia, he also served as adjunct faculty for two nursing programs while in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Ivan’s next leadership opportunity came as an Associate Chief Nurse Executive for the Little Rock VA Hospital in Little Rock, Arkansas. In this role, Ivan was responsible for overall leadership of approximately 160 beds within the medical surgical/inpatient division. He served in the Associate Chief Nurse Executive role for 4 and a half years. He received acceptance and started in the Doctor of Nursing Practice program at Old Dominion University (ODU).
Ivan’s next leadership role brought him to Virginia, where he accepted the role of Administrative Director of acute care for Bon Secours Mercy St. Mary’s Hospital in Richmond. Here, he managed the nursing operations of 120 inpatient acute care beds (med/surg/telemetry, oncology, stepdown, general surgery, and ICU). During this time, he completed his Doctor of Nursing Practice degree (Nurse Executive track) for ODU and obtained his Nurse Executive, Advanced-Board Certification (NEA-BC).
On a typical day, Ivan finds himself working on a variety of tasks, including several meetings. No day is the same, according to Ivan.
“I like being visible; I want our staff to know who I am. As CNO, I round on all our units. I enjoy asking people how their day is and if they need support. Occasionally, I visit patients to see how their care is going. I want to know what we are doing well, and what we can do better.”
Ivan says the most rewarding part of being a CNO is collaborating with other leaders and stakeholders, resulting in decision-making that can drive positive change in the hospital and community. “The CNO establishes a vision and sets the tone and culture for nursing in the facility,” he says.
As the first male CNO at Riverside, Ivan brings a vast amount of experience with him. Throughout his nursing career, he worked in a large, Level 1 trauma teaching hospital, two large Veteran Affairs teaching hospitals, three magnet designated hospitals, a faith-based hospital, and a for-profit community hospital.
“These experiences are invaluable for a nurse and nurse leader. As a male, I understand and appreciate the value men bring to the bedside as well as the boardroom. Men have a special place in nursing and our community can benefit from more men in nursing. However, male nurses have unique challenges,” he says.
As a minority male, Ivan says that he understands and supports the need for improving diversity and inclusion in nursing and the effect it has on patient outcomes, which decreases health care disparities. “I’m the CNO for the hospital and community; I want all staff to feel a sense of wellbeing, support, and inclusion.”
Ivan recognizes and underscores the importance of Nurses Week. He believes that every week should be “Nurses Week” due to the talent that professional nurses bring to the table every day, he says.
“Society has truly seen the value of the nurse amidst the COVID pandemic. This year, as the new CNO, Nurses Week will be even more special because I’m leading this new team of nurses in the hospital. My nurse leadership team and I have a special week planned for the nurses here. This year, I want all nurses to feel a sense of value and support from the CNO and leadership team.”
