Vernita Ellison-Brown, MSN, RN
Vernita Ellison-Brown, MSN, RN
Staff Nurse
NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, Cumberland
29 years of service
“As nurses we need to continue to strive for excellence, become certified in our specialties and be abreast of changes through research, conferences and continued education.”
Born and raised in Brooklyn, Vernita Ellison-Brown knew she wanted to positively impact the people in her community.
“I have witnessed how phenomenal and important nurses are and how we can assist patients in optimizing their health through education, advocacy and our mere presence,” she says.
Born in Fort Greene, Ellison-Brown graduated from Clara Barton High School for Health Professions as a licensed practical nurse and became a registered nurse in 2018 – quickly followed by her bachelor’s degree in 2019 and her master’s in 2020.
Even with a growing emphasis on technology, Ellison-Brown says nurses need to remain focused on compassionate care.
“I care for patients as if they are my family, especially since I have chosen to work in the community I grew up in as a child,” she says. “I want patients to know that I am here to support them through both good and bad times – to motivate and encourage them to do what is best for them and their families’ health.”
Ellison-Brown sees the nursing profession as leading innovative change in health care. “There will be a big push for autonomy within the field, especially within telehealth and video visits – encouraging voice-supported outreach to the patients we serve in the various communities and settings,” she says.
“Nurses will need to step up as change agents and implement evidence-based change into practice. They will continue to be a huge part of informatics to verify workflow, nursing language and medication management. This is a growing field with advancements to be made, and more nurses will be needed. Therefore, nurses must work diligently to uplift and support one another.”