National Nurses Week is celebrated May 6th-12th and is a time to acknowledge the dedication and effort put forth by those in the nursing profession. Supported by the American Nurses Association (ANA), the nursing profession is an essential component of the healthcare system and here at DiaMedical our mission is to improve the quality of healthcare by providing educators the tools they need to help shape the future generation of healthcare professionals. As we use this week to recognize the unwavering commitment made by nurses all over and their dedication to making positive impacts to the healthcare field, we want to honor our very own on-staff Nurse Educator Sally O’Meara, MSN, RN. With over 30 years of experience as a registered nurse and 15 years of teaching experience, Sally brings expertise and passion to healthcare education and provides both students and instructors with all the tools to run innovative and cost-effective healthcare simulations! Continue reading below to learn more and enjoy our latest video featuring a sit down with Sally discussing her journey through nursing practice and career at DiaMedical! 

Meet Sally O’ Meara 

Sally graduated with her BSN in 1991 and worked as a staff nurse at several Michigan hospitals before finishing her Masters of Nursing Education in 2006. She then moved to Illinois where she taught several different programs including LPN, ADN and BSN. Sally moved back to Michigan in 2014 where she continued her teaching career at Oakland University. Out of all the different courses Sally has taught, Nursing Fundamentals has stood out as a favorite as it allowed her to help students master their first hands-on patient care skills. 

Career at DiaMedical 

As our on-staff Nurse Educator, Sally has been given the opportunity to connect with educators and students all over the country at all levels of the nursing profession. When speaking with Sally she explained, “It’s extremely fulfilling and rewarding being able to provide instructors the equipment and supplies they need to not only meet budget needs but to meet the learning needs of their students.” By doing so, Sally helps shape the future generation of nursing professionals every day. 

Tuesday Teachings 

One of the biggest challenges for educators is figuring out how to integrate new equipment and technology into their curricula in a way that best prepares students for real-life settings. Our Tuesday Teachings series are a great resource for instructors to bridge this gap between products and education, as they serve as an aid in creating more well-rounded and prepared future health professionals. Instructors are able to adopt new and innovative teaching strategies that combine medical simulation training with advancing knowledge of products. 

Improving the Quality of Healthcare

Our mission at DiaMedical is to improve the quality of healthcare. Over the last 4 years, Sally has been a key contributor in assessing the current climate of the healthcare education industry and identifying needs which will enhance and elevate the future of healthcare. She works closely with our sales and product development teams to create new products that address industry needs and aim to target the learning gap that exists within current training programs. Sally is extremely proud of the SimLabSolutions Loaded Postpartum Hemorrhage Cart which helps instructors overcome the challenges they face when educating students on the importance of maternal health and simplifies the sourcing of simulated products for birthing simulations.

Favorite Simulations 

With the many simulation scenarios featured in our Tuesday Teachings, we asked Sally if she had a favorite. Sally discussed her time at Oakland University where she ran mock code simulations with students during their med-surg clinical rotations. Many students experienced situations like this throughout their clinicals and felt much more confident if needed to step in during the code blue, this can largely in part be attributed to the mock code simulations run by Sally.You can even watch Sally’s complete mock code simulation on our Youtube channel!

Advice to Future Nurses 

We concluded our sit down with Sally by asking what advice she would give to future nurses. Sally went on to discuss that nursing is a large part of her identity, just like being a parent. It’s not something you take off when you leave work for the day, as it’s an integral part of what makes her who she is. “Being prepared for situations in your day-to-day life where you may have to step in to provide expertise or treatment is the reality for someone in the nursing profession.” 

Final Thoughts 

Sally continues to bring passion and expertise to DiaMedical and the educators we collaborate with on a daily basis. In conjunction with the American Nurses Foundation, we hope to serve as a catalyst for change and make impactful contributions to help evolve nursing and healthcare practice. You can catch more of Sally as the face of our Tuesday Teachings videos which can be found on our Virtual Learning Center as well as our Youtube channel at DiaMedical USA. For more information on products that help meet the learning needs of students, reach out to a DiaMedical expert at 877-593-6011 or info@diamedicalusa.com.

MEET SALLY O’ MEARA: WATCH HERE!