Sharon Aureli
Stroke Nurse Coordinator
Baptist Health Medical Center
Little Rock
Sharon Aureli always wanted to be a nurse and her distinguished career, particularly that of neurosurgery, shows what can happen when someone follows their passion to the utmost.
“At a very young age I wanted to become a nurse to care for people,” Aureli said. “I never even considered anything else.”
While that may not sound particularly unique, the rest of the backstory that led her to nursing is definitely one you don’t hear every day.
“I give credit to my great-grandmother who was a full-blooded Mescalero Apache woman,” Aureli said. “She was the medicine woman on the Candelaria Pueblo [New Mexico]. She treated everyone with herbs, for lack of anything else, and delivered all the babies. Her spirit lives on in me.”
Aureli, Stroke Nurse Coordinator at Baptist Health Medical Center in Little Rock, started her career 30 years ago at Little Rock’s Children’s Hospital. From the very start, her specialty — and her passion — was in neuroscience.
“In the area I serve, patients generally aren’t coming to see us for a ‘well’ checkup,” Aureli said. “These people are scared and have fear of the unknown. It is so important to be thorough and I try to share as much information as possible with the patient and family members in hopes to ease their fears.”
Aureli got her nursing degree from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) and she quickly ascended from working the floor to Neurosurgery Specialty Nurse. Along the way she furthered her education, attaining Certified Nurse Operating Room certification and practicing as a Registered Nurse First Assistant.
She would eventually get her Masters degree from the University of Central Arkansas in Conway.
“My hope is to be an example to those I serve,” Aureli said. “Hard work and perseverance are the two characteristics I hope to portray.”
Aureli is a member of the Arkansas Stroke Task Force and manages various committees at the hospital, including Door to Needle committee meetings and monthly stroke committee meetings. She also conducts training for the next generation of nurses and is in charge of reviewing existing protocols and writing new ones that better serve stroke patients. And, she is still active in patient care with a local neurosurgeon, helping in his clinic once a week.
“I love my patients,” Aureli said. “I strive to be a patient advocate and I hope that this quote by Mother Teresa portrays my role: ‘There’s nothing more calming in difficult moments that knowing there’s someone fighting with you.’ “
Background:
» Received her nursing degree from UAMS
» Earned her Masters degree in nursing from UCA
» Great-granddaughter of a full-blooded Apache healer
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