One of Us: Rachel Price, R.N.

What is your job title, and what does it entail?

I am a surgical trauma ICU registered nurse. In this role, I provide direct patient care to patients who have faced a recent trauma or major surgery. In the ICU setting, our patients are critically ill and require frequent intervention. The acuity and diversity of the patients we care for means that we are always learning something new. It is challenging and exciting.

What is your favorite or most rewarding part of your position?

The relationships I have been able to build with my coworkers and my patients. Seeing someone progress from being on the ventilator to walking around the unit and talking is a rewarding part of my job, and building relationships with their family members and becoming their support system are really amazing.

I also have a previous degree in education. One thing that I love about being at a teaching hospital is having the opportunity to work so closely with local nursing programs. This role has allowed me to combine my love for education with my love for nursing.

What originally made you want to join USA Health?

I ultimately landed at USA Health because of the ability to be a part of an academic health system. That is the reason I came, and the community and my coworkers are the reason I keep coming back. I love these people.

How long have you been with USA Health?

I just celebrated my one-year anniversary!

What has working at USA Health taught you?

Sometimes the smallest things we do are the biggest. For someone who has been stuck in an ICU bed for a few weeks, just washing and brushing their hair make them feel a little bit more human again. At the end of the day, we are all human beings with the same basic needs, and sometimes meeting the most basic needs is a huge step on the road to restoring morale and regaining health.

Do you have any goals that you want to achieve in the health system?

I want to be a part of developing a generation of nurses who advocate for their own health as well as the health of their patients in a way that can be heard. This year has been an easy time to complain and feel disheartened about nursing. We don't do a good job of advocating for ourselves in a way that contributes to the conversation constructively. I hope that as an employee and a coworker, I advocate for myself, my patients and my fellow nurses in a way that is constructive and productive. I hope to be a part of creating a group of bedside nurses who address the constantly evolving challenges of healthcare with evidence-based practice and eloquence of delivery. When nursing can be heard clearly -- with a voice of conviction that is backed by evidence-based research -- from the bedside to the top of administration, we will have the best environment for our patients and our employees.

What is your favorite hobby or pastime outside of work?

Anyone who works with me for five minutes knows the answer to this; scuba diving! It's a huge reason I took a job on the Gulf Coast! I love living somewhere where I can dive on my days off! Did you know Alabama has the largest artificial reef system of any state. The largest intentionally sunk artificial reef in the world is just off the coast of Pensacola (the USS Oriskany, which John McCain took off from the day he became a POW). Diving is a great hobby, and it's a major stress reliever for me.

Do you have any advice for people who want to work in the health system?

Do it! Give yourself time and grace when you start. This is a challenging and evolving environment, and there is always something to learn, but there is also always someone willing to teach. If you show up every day with a teachable attitude and a sincere spirit, you will thrive. I have faced challenges I never dreamed of this year, but every step of the way I had an incredible trauma team with attending physicians, nurse practitioners and residents who were always willing to help, explain rationale for care, and answer my questions. I have a community of nurses standing shoulder to shoulder with me who I love more than life itself, and despite the challenges and frustrations that this year has thrown at us, mid-pandemic and learning about a new disease on the fly, I am so thankful for my coworkers and to be a part of USA Health.