Title: Assistant Chief of Nursing Education
Company: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Location: North Salt Lake, Utah, United States
Taresa Higbee, Assistant Chief of Nursing Education at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Healthcare Professionals for dedication, achievements, and leadership in Nursing.
Ms. Higbee, a foremost health care professional, has been serving as the assistant chief of nursing education at VA Salt Lake City Health Care System, Veterans Health Administration, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, since 2019. As such, she is tasked with managing her group of nurse educators in the inpatient areas, developing a curriculum that correlates with their work areas, classes, and simulation or mock scenarios, and supplementing the orientation process of additional education. Ms. Higbee’s expertise in system optimization, including refining workflows, communication, and implementation strategies to enhance efficiency and outcomes, has been pivotal to her success.
In her leading role, Ms. Higbee has found tremendous satisfaction in resolving system issues that impact frontline nurses. These issues often arise when new education or systems are introduced to nurses. If these changes are not communicated clearly or designed to fit into their workflow, they will not be implemented effectively, thus causing various challenges. Advocating and supporting her team while rectifying such problems has been very gratifying.
Ms. Higbee began her career as an intensive care nurse at Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare from 2008 to 2018. She simultaneously held various other roles, including progressive care nurse at HCA Healthcare Inc. from 2009 to 2013, surgical intensive care nurse at the University of Utah Health between 2011 and 2022, and oncology intensive care nurse at the Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah Health, from 2012 to 2013. Additionally, Ms. Higbee was a nurse educator at the University of Utah Health in 2017.
In preparation for her career, Ms. Higbee received an Associate of Science in nursing from Arkansas Northeastern College in 2008 and a Bachelor of Science from Western Governors University in 2013. To further her career, she is pursuing a Master of Science in nursing leadership and management at Weber State University. Ms. Higbee holds credentials as a certified critical care registered nurse and certified nursing assistant.
In addition to her professional credentials, Ms. Higbee remains at the forefront of her industry as a member of the Utah chapter of intermountain nursing professional development at the Association for Nursing Professional Development. She is also active in the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses. Civically, Ms. Higbee engages in various local initiatives that support veterans.
Ms. Higbee has been recognized several times for her work ethic. She was named the Fellow of the Year by the University of Utah Health in 2016. She also garnered recognition with a Compassionate Care and Leadership from the VA Salt Lake City Health Care System, Veterans Health Administration, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, in 2024. Moreover, she was nominated for the Spirit of George E. Wahlen Award. Ms. Higbee attributes her success to working with great leaders who have imparted valuable leadership lessons that she strives to incorporate into her work.
Eager for the future of her career, Ms. Higbee intends to continue identifying necessary tools to ensure future efficacy. She is also considering consulting and launching a podcast focusing on education and ways to improve the nursing field.
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