| Member Spotlight |
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Member spotlight
The Society for Vascular Nursing (SVN) aims to highlight our members who are making a positive impact in their careers as vascular nurses. SVN members work hard every day advancing the care of individuals living with vascular disease and supporting the mission of the Society. Interested in being part of the member spotlight or nominating a peer? Email Moe at mmalek@vascularsociety.org or complete our survey for inclusion! 
Lauren Bilali, FNP, DNP
SVN Member since February 2024
What is your personal background in vascular nursing (how long have you worked in the vascular field, did you practice something before, etc.)?I have worked with the Vascular Surgery team at Tampa General Hospital for over 3 years. I worked for 3 years in the Cardiovascular Transplant Operating Room as both a circulating nurse and charge nurse with the vascular surgery specialty. I was involved with both open and endovascular surgical cases. In 2023, I enrolled in a full-time FNP – DNP program, and recently left the operating room to work in the Vascular Surgery outpatient clinic as one of the RNs. I will be graduating in Spring 2026 and plan to work as a Vascular Surgery APRN. I am excited to have become a member of the Society for Vascular Nursing.
What is your favorite aspect of vascular nursing?My favorite aspect of vascular nursing is the patients I get to communicate with. Vascular patients are often returning for frequent follow-ups, wound checks, and receiving long-term care. Building strong patient bonds allows me to cultivate meaningful, trusting and long term relationships with patients and their families. I enjoy being able to have a visible impact on their healing and finding ways to treat their ailments.
What is the most challenging part of your job as a vascular nurse?The most challenging part of my job as a vascular nurse is coordinating multidisciplinary care for an incredibly sick patient population. In the outpatient setting, I often work closely with surgeons, cardiologists, wound care teams, home healthcare teams, long term / rehab facilities, and primary care providers. This requires strong communication skills and a high level of organization. Helping patients navigate the discharge and post surgical recovery process often involves a lot of time with limited resources. Have there been changes in your work force? How so?There have been significant changes in the vascular surgery workforce, especially around patient flow and the discharge process. These changes, while influenced by a number of things, are ultimately driven by growing patient volumes, shorter hospital stays, and the push for more efficient, value-based care. What are your personal goals within the vascular field (implement protocols, increase patient volume, research, societal involvement, etc.)?Since working in the outpatient clinic, I have learned the importance of discharge education and its positive effects on patient care in the recovery period. The aim of my DNP project is to determine if the implementation of a patient-centered discharge education plan has an impact on hospital readmissions for patients specifically with regard to wound healing/complications. I am creating educational forms to provide to patients along with a folder of resources that are specific to each procedure(s) the patient has. I am very fortunate that I have the support of the senior leadership of the department who are not only invested but also eager to implement this project as it unfolds. I anticipate there will be less wound care concerns from patients who have access to these discharge resources and I am excited to see how this affects our readmission metrics and patient care. What is a “fun fact” about yourself that you would like others to know?A fun fact about me is that I attended both my Undergraduate BSN and Postgraduate DNP programs through Florida State University. I am a proud Nole Nurse, and am lucky to surround myself with great life-long friends and coworkers that I have met through the FSU College of Nursing.
Connect with Lauren here! |