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“I think it’s the best of both worlds,” Dr. Harrington says. “I haven’t gotten to the point where I can give up my nurse practitioner practice. Maybe one day.”

Following her Heart

Dr. Harrington didn’t initially pursue nursing; she earned a certificate in computer programming, which she quickly realized would not be her long-term career.

She began working in the medical field, first as a courier for a pathology group, then with a gynecologist, and finally as a transcriptionist for a surgical facility. Those experiences sparked Dr. Harrington’s interest in nursing.

The first-generation college student finished her bachelor of science in nursing at UL Lafayette at 30 years old and within a few months joined the cardiovascular unit at Lafayette General Medical Center.

Since then, cardiovascular care has remained at the heart of Dr. Harrington’s practice and research. 

As part of her Master of Science in Nursing, Dr. Harrington’s thesis examined the readmission rates of cardiac bypass patients readmitted for sternal wound infections; her DNP synthesis project was the implementation of an anticoagulation Warfarin protocol at LGMC.

In 2016, Dr. Harrington was recognized as serving on the American Nurses Association Scope and Standards Committee and her contribution to the national , a procedural guide for nurses.

Becoming a Nurse Educator

Dr. Harrington began teaching at UL Lafayette in 2005 once she’d earned her MSN degree.

She says it was a natural progression from her clinical experience as manager of cardiovascular telemetry and pulmonary units.

“In that leadership role, you’re always a mentor, you’re always a teacher. To transition from practice as a team leader and preceptor for those new nurses into academia wasn’t that much of a difference,” she says.

“You’re still educating new nurses, you’re still teaching them what they need to know.”

That can include how to assess a patient, knowing when to react and intervene, and anticipated recovery timelines and outcomes.

As in her clinical practice, Dr. Harrington has been honored as an educator, as well.

In April 2019, Dr. Harrington was honored as an Eminent Faculty member. She received the Dr. Ray P. Authement Excellence in Teaching Award, named for the University’s fifth president. The award recognizes faculty commitment to teaching and innovation.

“I always remember that I was once a student — I think you’re always a student,” Dr. Harrington says. “So to treat the students in our program as I was treated as a student. You don’t know what you don’t know as a new nurse.”

Dr. Harrington says her relationships with students rarely end at commencement, as they become colleagues or reach out as they advance their education.

“I have several students who have stayed in touch throughout the years just to update me on their progress and what they’re doing with their career,” she says. “To me, that’s the most rewarding — to see them grow professionally.”

Creating New Opportunities

Dr. Harrington is the faculty of record for the three courses that comprise the six-month online Graduate Certificate in Cardiovascular Nursing.

The program prepares nurses who already have a graduate degree for specialized practice.

Dr. Harrington says cardiovascular care can be intimidating for nurse practitioners. One of the goals of the cardiovascular certificate is to help nurse practitioners understand the dynamics of cardiovascular health and disease processes.

“It’s just like anything else — caring for diabetes, or hypertension. If you learn and understand the system and the diagnostic tools you have to care for the patients, it doesn’t have to be a scary patient focus group,” she says.

“They can feel comfortable when they go out to practice, or, hopefully, pursue cardiovascular care so that we have nurse practitioners who are skilled and seasoned and have a passion to care for that population.”

With the addition of the specialized graduate certificate, Dr. Harrington says she hopes the University will be able to create additional opportunities for other specializations.

“What I hope is that the cardiovascular certificate will open doors for the department to offer more certificate programs in different specialties — oncology, emergency room nursing — so we can provide that education and students can get clinical experience in those focused populations.”