December 6, 2021
Nurse educator leads Vacaville hospital to excellence
Meet Evan Edminster, winner of the 2021 Excellence in Professional Development Award.
Evan Edminster, a nurse leader in the Trauma Department at the Kaiser Permanente Vacaville Medical Center, is committed to educating the community about the prevention of injury and trauma.
As a dedicated and innovative leader of trauma education in the communities Kaiser Permanente serves, Evan Edminster is a natural choice for the 2021 Excellence in Professional Development award.
The award, one of the Kaiser Permanente annual national nursing excellence awards, recognizes a registered nurse who contributes to the professional development of other nurses.
A passion for trauma care training
Edminster is a nurse leader in the Trauma Department at the Kaiser Permanente Vacaville Medical Center.
He created the hospital’s first Trauma Ambassador Academy to develop the hospital nurses' expertise in trauma care and elevate clinical practice standards. Edminster is also highly committed to educating the community about hemorrhage control techniques as well as the prevention of injury and trauma.
“Evan’s numerous educational efforts have directly contributed to our Vacaville Medical Center receiving an exceptional ranking among same-sized trauma centers by the American College of Surgeons,” said Amy Brammer, trauma program director of the Vacaville Medical Center.
We spoke with Edminster about what drives him.
Where do you find your inspiration and energy for ongoing nurse education?
I feel like after 26 years, I’ve seen enough good and bad that I’m in a good position to mentor younger clinicians. I can share with them the mistakes I’ve made and the tips and tricks I’ve learned. That “giving back” mentality — making things better than they were yesterday and trying to be a good mentor — that’s honestly the source.
How have you kept up your resilience during the pandemic?
When I was in the military, I nearly lost my life several times. So, when the pandemic happened, it was really all about perspective for me. I kept reminding myself: I’m not getting shot at. It’s all right. It’s going to get sorted out.
What type of self-care do you prioritize for yourself now?
My family has always been a major part of my self-care. We go out and spend quality time with each other away from electronics. I try to remember tomorrow is not promised, and home is where the heart is.
Watch Edminster and all our 2021 nurse excellence award winners discuss nursing and their award recognition.
