Verónica López
Nursing
Current Position: VP of Health Strategies for the YMCA of Greater Brandywine
Story Posted: Summer 2024
A graduate of Cardinal O’Hara High School, Verónica López was introduced to GMercyU through an alumni nurse practitioner while working as a full-time social worker in Philadelphia. She shared information about GMercyU’s Weekend Nursing program and grant money available to minority students.
The Weekend program was, hands down, the reason I chose to attend. I discovered there were so many more benefits to choosing GMercyU once I started, but I wouldn’t have been able to get an RN without the availability of the weekend program.
Verónica wasn’t sure what to expect on her first campus visit, but she soon discovered GMercyU’s beauty. Campus was much different than the large urban campuses she was used to.
“It was smaller and manageable, lots of trees, clean and modern. I was the first class in the new Nursing sim lab. Everything was brand new, with the latest technology,” Verónica said.
GMercyU Experience
“I had a great cohort. We bonded and supported each other. I was well prepared to be a nurse, and I passed the NCLEX on the first attempt. The professors were caring and thorough, tough but kind. They taught us to be excellent nurses,” Verónica shared.
When recalling her GMercyU experience, Verónica shared two professors who made an impact: Dr. Barbara Jones and Dr. Patricia Brown O’Hara.
“Dr. Barbara Jones was wonderful, both as a professor and as an advisor. Years later, I reached out to her to talk about graduate school, and she remembered me!” Verónica said. “Dr. Patricia Brown O’Hara, who was calm and patient when teaching us, always wanted us to think independently, to develop the foundation of knowledge needed to think critically as a nurse.”
Clinical Experience
Verónica’s clinical rotations varied from nursing homes, to hospitals in affluent areas and one of the most under-resourced hospitals in Philadelphia. One of her greatest lessons learned was the impact resources have on the ability to care for a patient.
“From my clinical experiences, along with my social work role, my passion for health equity was born,” Verónica said.
Within the limitation of being a student nurse, Verónica did it all. Alongside her peers, Verónica created nursing care plans before clinicals, attended pre-clinical conferences, and hit the floor to care for patients. She described her clinical instructor as “a mother hen,” always there to make sure Verónica and her peers were learning and safely caring for patients. At the conclusion of clinical, she attended post-clinical conferences to discuss challenges, triumphs, and lessons learned.
What was Verónica’s biggest takeaway?
It’s okay to be human in nursing. You will see people at their worst and at their best. Sometimes it is very sad. Hold their hand. Let your eyes tear up when it happens. Hug those who want to be hugged. Hold on to the great experiences to carry you through the tough times. I use my most difficult experiences as my ‘why.’ I keep pushing for better systems in honor of those patients.
Post-Graduation
Verónica’s first leadership role after GMercyU was as a Health Center Administrator, with 35 direct reports, for a federally qualified health center in Philadelphia. She used her nursing degree and experience to become an administrator for a telemedicine startup, Director of Health Equity for an HRSA grant, then Director of Nursing for CVIM, a volunteer-based free health clinic in Chester County.
Most recently, Verónica has stepped into the role of VP of Health Strategies for the YMCA of Greater Brandywine. Her newest position draws on her passion for health equity, her lived experiences as a first-generation child of immigrants, and her clinical expertise as a nurse. She uses this to create strategies and build partnerships with healthcare providers in and around Chester County.
“Hospitals and primary care facilities are still recovering from a global pandemic, and have been operating in emergency response mode for a long time. As a trusted community partner, the YMCA of Greater Brandywine seeks to collaborate across the healthcare spectrum to increase access and support to wellness for all members of the community. Together, we can bridge the gap between healthcare and fitness,” Verónica said.