Since 1977, International Women’s Day has been a day of recognition and remembrance of the accomplishments and activities of women without regard to divisions across the globe. Fast forward to 2022, the growing movement has continued to champion women’s rights and participation around the world.
At DispatchHealth, we humbly work alongside fearless women across all areas of the organization continuing to trailblaze in the healthcare space. Today, we are highlighting a few of the many women who make up our company but want to thank each one for the numerous contributions to encourage further equality across DispatchHealth, the healthcare industry, and the country.
We have asked a handful of the women at DispatchHealth to share what International Women’s Day means to them, and how they encourage growth for the equality of women.
Caren Misky, MSN, APRN, FNP-BC, Chief Professional Practice and Development Throughout my 25+ year career in Emergency Medicine, as a nurse and Nurse Practitioner, I have looked towards female trailblazers in the healthcare space. Today, for International Women’s Day, I would like to honor Loretta C. Ford, BS, MS, EdD, FAAN, FAANP, an internationally recognized nursing leader and the founder of the nurse practitioner movement. She co-founded the first nurse practitioner program at the University of Colorado in 1965, my NP program alma mater. Her focus of the training program combined clinical care and research to teach nurses to factor in the social, psychological, environmental, and economic situations of patients when developing plans of care. Little did I know that this approach would transform into The DispatchWay and guide our practice today.
Stephanie Januszki, Advanced Practice Provider Lead, Cincinnati
I came from a family of strong women to help to empower and embolden me. My mother obtained advanced degrees in an era when women and their education was an afterthought. I watched her stand up against the world and obtain her dreams. My mother taught me I could do anything I desired. I became a PA 24 years ago and entered into the Emergency Department, where I was the only female provider. A few years later, I was running the entire APP team in my ED. This is a day to enjoy our culture and qualifications, whatever those are for each individual woman. I hope to continue to empower my daughter to reach her dreams and leave nothing behind
Ebony De La Torre, Care Technology Platform Manager
International Women’s Day serves as a moment of reflection for where we as women have come both personally and professionally. We have advanced in many ways, across multiple scopes and ranges of topics (such as securing the right to vote, pushing back against gender inequalities in both the home and professional setting) but there is still so much more work to do. I look at the role that I have as a leader at DispatchHealth and the impact that being able to say that as not only a woman but an African American woman operating in a technical field never escapes me.
There have been many times that I and many women, in various fields have found themselves in situations where they are trying to lead the charge while finding their way in male-dominated fields/professions. We continue to have to strike a balance between harnessing our drive and pursuing excellence at the highest standard with being perceived as too harsh or difficult – which isn’t usually the case for men in the workplace.
Having a daughter, it is important for me to ensure that I lead personally and professionally in a capacity where I can be pleased when I look at myself in the mirror and be able to tell her to relentlessly pursue all things that she desires. It’s the importance of being authentically and unapologetically yourself. This day is a celebration of the acknowledgment of all that we as women have already, continue to, and will accomplish in the future.
Jaclyn Henkhaus, VP of Clinical Implementation encourages us to remember on all days including International Women’s Day to: “Always lead with confidence, strength, integrity, and honesty. Making it to the top of your climb can only be accomplished with hard work and commitment. You never know who is watching and learning from you.”
To learn more about influential women in the history of medicine, we invite you to watch the following video from ProClinical ‘The 10 most influential women in the history of medicine.’
