Biographical Sketch
Laura Real recently completed her first year as an SRNA. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing
from Mount Marty College in Yankton, SD in 2007 and entered the United States Air Force as a 2nd
Lieutenant serving for 3 years as a Registered Nurse on a busy cardiology unit at Wilford Hall Medical
Center, Lackland AFB, TX. After her honorable discharge, she continued her nursing career as a critical
care nurse at Baptist Medical Center in San Antonio, TX. She is currently an Associate member in good
standing of the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists, and a member of the American Association
of Critical Care Nurses, and Sigma Theta Tau International Upsilon Iota Chapter. Laura has been an active
member of numerous committees including the Program Advisory Committee for Mount Marty College
Nurse Anesthesia program as a student representative, the Student Nurse Association at Mount Marty
College as Vice President, the South Dakota Student Nurse Association as Treasurer, and the New Nurse
Welcome Committee at Baptist Medical Center. She is currently enrolled at Mount Marty College Nurse
Anesthesia Program in Sioux Falls, SD.
CURRICULUM VITAE – LAURA REAL
LICENSURE
South Dakota RN License #R034022
Current
2013 -
EDUCATION
Mount Marty College, Sioux Falls, SD
Candidate for Master of Science in Nurse Anesthesia
Expected Completion Date Feb. 2016
Mount Marty College, Yankton, SD
B.S. In Nursing, Magna Cum Laude
2007
AWARDS
Safety Star Award, Baptist Medical Center
National Defense Service Medal, United States Air Force
Air Force Training Ribbon, United States Air Force
Hoyt S. Vandenberg Award for Academic Excellence, COT Class 07-06
Scholastica Scholarship, Mount Marty College
January 2007
2012
2008
January 2007
January 2007
January 2003 –
WORK EXPERIENCE
Staff RN, Baptist Medical Center, San Antonio, TX
Served as Charge Nurse and Preceptor
2011-2013
Staff Nurse, 1st Lt., United States Air Force, Wilford Hall Medical Center, Lackland Air Force Base, TX 20072010
Honorable Discharge in Sept 2010. Current member of Individual Ready
Reserve.
Served as Charge Nurse, Heart Catheterization Recovery Nurse, and Unit
Scheduler
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Program Advisory Committee, Mount Marty College, School of Nurse Anesthesia
Student Representative, Class of 2016
present
Provided feedback on program needs, and excellence to Program Director
and other committee members. Disseminate new information and feedback
responses to students.
January 2013 –
New Nurse Welcome Committee, Intensive Care Unit, Baptist Medical Center
Member
January 2012
Created new nurse welcome packet including hospital map, food delivery
services, places of interest near hospital, important phone numbers, and
tour of unit.
January 2011 –
Inpatient Cardiology Flight, Wilford Hall Medical Center
Training Folder Compliance Officer
2008-2010
Ensured timely and complete documentation of all in-hospital training for nursing personnel on busy
cardiac unit. Documented training included BLS, ACLS, TNCC, and in-hospital policies and procedures.
South Dakota Student Nurse Association
Treasurer
Balanced budgets, wrote annual budgetary report, attended quarterly
meetings to help ensure SDSNA goals were being achieved
Student Nurse Association, Mount Marty College
Vice President
Presided over monthly meetings, hosted volunteer opportunities for
student nurses, and coordinated annual fundraising campaigns for the
association
2006-2007
2006-2007
Certifications
Advanced Cardiac Life Support
Pediatric Advance Life Support
Basic Life Support
Critical Care Registered Nurse
2014
2014
2014
2012
MEMBERSHIPS
American Association of Nurse Anesthetists
2013-2014
American Association of Critical Care Nurses
Sigma Theta Tau International, Upsilon Iota Chapter
American Association of Nurses
South Dakota Student Nurses Association
2012-2014
2007-2014
2006-2011
2005-2007
Position Statement
Student Representative to Education Committee
As nurses we are conscious of the value of quality education as a tool for maximizing growth in
our profession. As SRNAs, we are acutely aware of the costs of this quality education. Finances, personal
relationships, even health take a backseat to learning throughout our formal education. With these
costs in mind, I believe that the most effective use of the role of student representative to the Education
Committee is to foster an effective partnership between the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists
and Student Registered Nurse Anesthetist across the nation. My goal is to serve as the liaison allowing
students to take an active role in the shaping of nurse anesthesia education.
As individuals, we each bear the responsibility for our own education. It falls to us to ensure that
we are meeting case number requirements to demonstrate proficiency and that we understand the
procedures we manage, the medications we use, and equipment we operate. To accomplish this, we
must be willing to work hard, possibly harder than we ever have, and evaluate our own work with a
critical and honest eye. The Education Committee demonstrates the American Association of Nurse
Anesthetists’ commitment to our education just as our own sacrifices demonstrate our commitment. An
effective working relationship between this committee and students promises to ensure that the AANA
understands the needs of students as well as the needs of the profession and our patients. If you will
trust me to alert the Education Committee to our needs and recommendations, I promise to pursue
answers and solutions to ensure that our education is the best it can be.
This position would allow me to work with wonderful people on the AANA board to help provide
students with the best possible experience at the various AANA meetings throughout the year. Events
like the Student Luncheon and the Student Session at the Annual Congress can be designed to provide a
fun and welcoming atmosphere and allow for an opportunity for networking while also informing you
about the important topics facing our Association. As your Student Representative, I promise to utilize
our resources to help create events that generate excitement about the world of nurse anesthesia and
give you the information you need to make informed decisions.
My final goal for my time as Student Representative is creating a free flow of information not
only from the Education Committee, but other committees within the AANA as well. To do this, I hope to
share the Student News Column with other student representatives, allowing them to opportunity to
share their insight into the world of nurse anesthesia and our future in this wonderful profession.
I look forward to getting to know each of you better over this coming year and am excited for
the opportunities I will have to represent our viewpoint. It will be my privilege to serve each of you as
you grow in your professional development and help lead nurse anesthesia education to a bright future.