NAzNA Member Spotlight My name is Gemma O’Donnell and I would like to share a little bit about why I became a nurse and why I joined the ANA. I have been an ANA and AZNA member for the past 3 years. I currently serve as Secretary for the Northern Arizona AZNA chapter. I have been a nurse for over 40 years. I chose nursing as a career because I loved my work as a nurse’s aide in long-term care and I was impressed by the caring and compassionate nurses I worked with. After graduation, I worked in the hospital setting in various venues-med surg, telemetry, Post-Partum, neurology, orthopedics, and as a float nurse. But I was eventually drawn back to the nursing home environment. I believe I am pulled toward gerontology because while I was growing up, my elderly grandfather lived with us. He was a diabetic and invalid. I was only 13 years old when I was charged with emptying his urinal, helping him get dressed, and setting him up at the kitchen table with his washbasin, razor, shaving cream, and towels. After I cleaned up the table once he was washed and shaved, I then made his breakfast for him. All before I went to school in the morning. I learned a lot about elderly care while helping him with his needs. I believe that he is the reason I feel so comfortable being around older adults. I love being a nurse. I have gotten to do so much over the years, have met so many wonderful people, and have learned a great deal from them. I especially enjoyed working as an MDS (Minimum Data Set) Coordinator in skilled nursing homes. This is when I worked with an interdisciplinary team as a care manager. In this role, I assessed the resident clinically and then interviewed the family, the occupational therapist, speech therapist, physical therapist, dietitian, social worker, the nurse’s aides caring for the resident, and even housekeeping. Once I obtained the entire picture of the resident, I inputted the data into our electronic database and submitted it to CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services). This is how our facility was paid by CMS. It was very rewarding work. I currently teach at NAU in the school of nursing. I work with so many amazing and talented people there. My greatest joy is serving my nursing students and guiding them to be successful in their coursework. My personal philosophy is that if my student is successful, then their patients will be successful. I truly enjoy my membership with the ANA. One of the greatest gifts I get from being a member of the ANA is the ability to receive notifications of the current legislation that is happening and the ease at which I can send a letter to my congressperson about my stance through the support of the ANA. I also appreciate the AZNA text messages (RNConnect) I receive for my own mental self-care. I have enjoyed networking with outstanding people within AZNA, including Selina Bliss, Dawna Cato, Leanne Prenovost, Wendy Knefelkamp, and Madi Moyer. I get to be on the AZNA committee for Fallen Nurses and support this worthwhile effort which pays tribute to our AZ nurses who have died. Nursing is my world and I get to do what I love within the ANA.