Jamla Rizek
Emergency/Disaster Response Nurse and Educator
Jamla Rizek, a first-generation Palestinian American, knew early on that she wanted to live a life of purpose and service. She began her nursing education in 2010 with her Associate Degree in Nursing from St. Joseph College of Nursing in Syracuse, New York followed by her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Phoenix in 2012. She worked as a paramedic and in various specialties as a registered nurse including emergency nursing, corrections, school nursing, and as a sexual assault nurse examiner. In 2015, she completed her Master’s in Nursing Education from the University of Phoenix as she continued her role as a Lab Instructor at SUNY Upstate Emergency Medicine Department and Clinical Educator at Crouse Hospital in Syracuse, NY. She also received her Master’s in Business Administration from Capella University. She also completed a Disaster Medicine Fellowship at BIDMC at Harvard Medical School Teaching Hospital and is pursuing her Doctorate in Nursing Practice.
Jamla’s quest for adventure and can-do attitude has led to an exciting career as a disaster response nurse. Blending her passion for emergency medicine and desire for flexibility and new experiences, she joined one of the 42 Disaster Medical Assistance Teams (DMAT). The DMAT is a team of nurses, physicians, pharmacists, paramedics, safety officers, respiratory therapists, and other necessary roles that provide high-quality rapid-response medical care when public health and medical emergencies overwhelm state, local, tribal, or territorial resources. In this role, Jamla has provided the care and support needed after hurricanes, natural disasters, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
In this role, Jamla has enjoyed maintaining her practice as an emergency room nurse and the flexibility to support patients and her team members during deployments. In an interview with the Journal of Emergency Medicine, Jamla recalls always asking a patient whether a child or an adult, “What can I do for you?” to ensure they knew someone was paying attention.
Jamla is a member of various organizations including Sigma Theta Tau National Honor Society and has volunteered in multiple capacities such as the Gillie Girl Triathlon Medical Coordinator and Summer Olympics Rio De Janeiro, Brazil Volunteer. Over the last 15 years, Jamla has also been committed to advancing the field of emergency nursing and has served as a peer reviewer for the Journal of Emergency Medicine and given presentations on topics like Disaster Preparedness, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity (DEI) in the Emergency Department, and Violence in The Workplace.
More About Jamla
View Jamla's Nurses You Should Know Video here.
Sources
The information for the above profile was provided by Jamla Rizek
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