By Jessica Stevens
Staff Writer
EL DORADO — “We need to find that balance of building relationships and loving people while focusing less on processes and stress,” said Amanda White, advanced practice registered nurse, said while addressing the Civitan Club Thursday at Immanuel Baptist Church’s Family Life Center on Thursday.
White, originally of Norphlet, is a nurse practitioner at the Veteran’s Hospital in Little Rock. She was named the 2016 Woman of the Year for the Arkansas division of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and also serves on their board. White is a member of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. She graduated from the University of Arkansas for Medical Science Center in May with her Doctor of Nursing degree.
Following graduation from Harding University with her bachelors degree in nursing, White returned home to South Arkansas to work at the Medical Center of South Arkansas for a year.
“I learned pretty much everything I needed to know about nursing there. I worked nights on a floor that was understaffed,” she said with a laugh. She settled in Little Rock in 2009 and began working for the University of Arkansas for Medical Science Center. White then went into private practice with a neurosurgeon for a period of time before leaving to work for the Veteran’s Hospital, where she has been for the past three years. “It was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made,” she said.
White’s nursing philosophy is simple — focus on people and not the process in both healthcare and everyday life.
“We tend to worry about being more efficient and making more money,” she said. During her mission trips to the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua and Guana, White had the eye-opening opportunity to see healthcare from a different viewpoint. “They don’t focus on efficiency as much there,” said White.
She shows a passion for giving back to the community in anyway she can from doing part-time clinical work with nursing students to raising money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. According to White, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society recently raised over $200,000 during a 10-week campaign. The money will be used for research and medical cost assistance. She will begin work with the Junior League women’s service organization in July. White is also a member of the River City Ministry which offers a free medical clinic to those in need in North Little Rock.
White offered what she believes to be some of the most important aspects needed when caring for someone. She believes in treating others like family.
“That is someone’s mother, father, daughter, brother,” she said. “You’re dealing with people when they are at their worst and the nicest person can be the rudest person. You’ll get a much better relationship with them if you do that and be able to help them better with their needs.” White also said it is important to remember that you can learn something from everyone you meet. “Illness does not discriminate on who it effects,” she said.
“I’ve taken care of prisoners, rapists, CEO’s, politicians, heroes, and everyday people. It’s important to know that you can learn from any of them and take care of them all the same, with love and respect,” she added.
She advocates listening to people. She tells fellow nurses and students to attempt to spend at least five minutes a day just visiting with each of their patients in their room to improve their relationship with them. The last piece of advice that White offered was to always follow through on your word.
“Do what you say you are going to do,” she said. “You can damage your relationship with that patient when you don’t. Your word is important.”
White offered one of her favorite quotes by Maya Angelou to reinforce these points. “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
“I think that’s really true,” said White. “It’s important to make people feel special. You can really accomplish a lot by doing that.”
Jessica Stevens may be contacted at 870-862-6611 or by email at [email protected].