Voices of UVA & UVA Health: Alexa Pennick

Learn more about Alexa Pennick's decision to transition from a travel nurse at UVA Health to a permanent leadership role.
Video Transcript:
Speaker: Alexa Pennick, Nurse Manager , UVA Augusta Dialysis
Alexa Pennick: Hi, my name is Alexa Pennick and I am the nurse manager for UVA Augusta Dialysis. Before taking this role, I was a travel nurse picking up contracts around the country. I've been with UVA for a little less than a year now and I am so happy with my decision to take a permanent position. In my experience, great nurses who find success as a traveler often have foundational skills that are very translatable to a leadership role. For example, positive attitudes, very adaptable, high competency in their specialty, strong communication, highly motivated, great team players, and really well-developed interpersonal skills. So to me, it was very logical to go from a travel role to a leadership position. I had the benefit of knowing leadership was the next step in my career. I was finishing a master's program while working as a travel nurse, and this really gave me an opportunity to look at different health care organizations and what they had to offer. Specifically for me, I was looking for a supportive culture, quality improvement efforts and emphasis on diversity, transformational leadership and innovation, and opportunities for my own career growth. UVA gave me the opportunity to provide for my family with competitive pay rates and benefits. But I also have the opportunity to cultivate my own passions and skills in healthcare. The reality is that UVA sets the bar high for delivering quality care and also for investing in team members. And ultimately, that's what helped my decision in switching to a permanent position. I feel incredibly blessed to have found a home with UVA and with this community, and I can't wait to see what the future holds.