The nursing profession took a hit during the pandemic. Yet many nurses, like Dr. Mandy Bounds, remain faithful to the calling and inspire others to do the same.   

When the Wilmington University alumna and adjunct was named chief nursing officer and vice president of patient care services at Atlantic General Hospital and Health System in Delmar, she was grateful for the opportunity to influence patient care delivery in a community hospital system. The position, she says, allows her to “bring healing and comfort to individuals and families during difficult times in their lives.”

She also brings comfort to her nursing students, which, three years into a pandemic, is most welcomed. 

Dr. Bounds brought 16 years of experience in health care — not to mention knowledge, passion and expertise — to Atlantic General. Her background in nursing administra-tion, hospital quality, safety and patient experience, and nursing education prepared her for the role. She has supervised numerous areas like infection prevention and critical care services. At University of Maryland Shore Regional Health, she was a bedside critical care registered nurse.

Dr. Bounds started as a licensed practical nurse in long-term care after completing a certificate program at Wor-Wic Community College, where she also earned an associate degree in Nursing. While gaining progressive management experience, she chose WilmU to complete three more degrees: a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, a Master of Science in Nursing, and a Doctor of Nursing Practice. 

“As a doctoral student, Dr. Bounds acquired new competencies to augment her expertise as a nurse leader,” says Dean and Associate Professor Dr. Aaron Sebach, of the College of Health Professions and Natural Sciences. “Coupled with her passion for nursing excellence and commitment to continuous quality improvement, Dr. Bounds led the development and evaluation of a reengineered discharge process for patients admitted to a medical surgical unit. In addition, her work leading an interdisciplinary team improved patient satisfaction and reduced the overall length of stay.”

When you’re as busy as Dr. Bounds is, you need flexibility. That’s why she selected WilmU. She has been married to Joshua Bounds for 15 years, and the couple has two daughters: Brianne (10) and Emily (6). The B.S.N., M.S.N. and D.N.P. programs were designed with working nurses in mind, and convenient course schedules allowed Dr. Bounds to juggle family, work and school — no easy feat for a health care professional. Plus, she says, “the curriculum exposes students to core competencies and skills required for leadership advancement, fosters inquiry, and prepares them for the next step.” 

The curriculum exposes students to core competencies and skills required for leadership advancement, fosters inquiry, and prepares them for the next step.” -Dr. Bounds

Faith and family come first for Dr. Bounds, so balance is critical to achieving personal and professional success and maintaining joy and passion. “I juggle my different commitments with organization, strong work ethic, balance, and the support of my husband and family,” she says. “My husband and my mom,  Brenda Fletcher, have given rock-solid support throughout my career.”

Only Human

Nursing is about human connection and healing, but we sometimes forget that nurses are themselves human. Even during a pandemic, they’re supposed to remain somewhat stoic while delivering care to multiple patients. Yet, hospital and care center scenarios have been acutely stressful over the past three years, and the strain on the profession is palpable. According to a 2022 McKinsey & Company report, “Health care workers and their organizations continue to face unparalleled demands stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. Thirty-two percent of registered nurses surveyed in the United States in November said they may leave their current direct-patient-care role.” That was an increase of 10 percentage points in under 10 months.  

There seems to be a dichotomy between how nurses are perceived and how they perceive themselves. When they stood on the front lines of the pandemic, safeguarding patients and families, they garnered long-overdue respect from the masses. “In fact, for the 20th year in a row,” says Dr. Sebach, “nursing was named the most trusted profession in the United States, according to a Gallup poll.”

Yet, when nurses participated in Nurse.org’s State of Nursing Survey 2021, most said they were burnt out, underpaid, overworked and underappreciated. Such harsh realities prompt one to wonder what it takes to survive and thrive in the field.

“Nursing is a calling, and health care workers truly have a gift in a rewarding career,” says Dr. Bounds. “It’s impactful work, but it’s hard work. Whether on a difficult shift, helping a team through a challenging experience, or dealing with nursing shortages, I believe that nurses need passion, purpose, and grit. We can overcome the challenges by working collaboratively during difficult times, whether at the local, national, or international level.”

Dr. Sebach agrees. “Despite the challenges nurses faced during the pandemic, we persevered,” he says. “We always put patients first.” 

Nursing is a calling, and health care workers truly have a gift in a rewarding career,”

-Dr. Bounds

Life After COVID

As a visiting professor for Chamberlain University’s D.N.P. program and a nursing adjunct at WilmU, Dr. Bounds inspires and empowers future nurses and administrators to influence and improve health care delivery.

“The reward is working with students to understand the pro-fessional role of nursing practice and the impact they can make on their areas of practice,” she says. “I have the opportunity to plant seeds and challenge the thinking of current and future health care leaders to promote the professional nursing practice. The reward is making a difference by planting those seeds and witnessing students apply concepts in their daily practice at the local, national and international level.”

It’s not so easy to plant anything during a pandemic; every nursing educator must battle its uncertainty. No one knows when or if the pandemic will end, nor can they predict the hardships nurses will sustain. But as a mentor and advocate, Dr. Bounds can inspire future nurses. Her combined experience in hospitals and classrooms informs her worldview and she grasps the importance of addressing widespread staffing shortages, developing health care leaders, and creating strategies focused on supporting the workforce. 

“Nurses have the opportunity to help or impact a person or their family daily,” she says. “I still believe every day offers this chance to make a difference in someone’s life.”

Nursing also involves advocacy, and Dr. Bounds promotes positive patient outcomes. She is well-versed in Magnet recognition programs, which designate organizations worldwide where nursing leaders align strategic goals to improve patient outcomes. Her expertise extends to Leapfrog Safety Grades, which use published hospital data on safety and quality to push the industry forward, and Joint Commission accreditation, which focuses on quality improvement efforts and patient care for ambulatory surgery centers nationwide. 

“The COVID pandemic and post-COVID era are the most challenging of recent times,” says Dr. Bounds. “But being open to doing things differently, leaning on each other, and staying focused on the purpose and the course has always helped me and my teams overcome challenges.”

But being open to doing things differently, leaning on each other, and staying focused on the purpose and the course has always helped me and my teams overcome challenges.”

-Dr Bounds

She believes the pandemic elevated the need to support the workforce. But, she adds, “we must stay focused on the patient and the caregivers to continue to meet the needs of providing patient care. As we work through workforce shortages, we must be willing to change how we think about health care delivery and  how it could look in the future.”

—Maria Hess