Cathy McJannet has served as a Canadian Army nurse, jumped out of helicopters, prepped to rescue injured soldiers under fire and works as an ER nurse. Her toughest job ever, though, is running the SWC nursing program.
As her military nursing background suggests, McJannet is a caring healer as well as one tough lady who expects a lot of herself and others.
Her straightforward attitude gives the nursing program crisp direction.
"Her strongest point is how direct she is with the students and with us," said clerical assistant,"Annette Aguilar."It was refreshing when she took over as director. I noticed a positive change."
Nursing has always been McJannet's career choice she said. She has been an emergency room nurse for 30 years and started teaching when she was in the Canadian military.
"I then began combining my love for nursing with teaching nursing," she said.
As a teenager she volunteered as a candy-striper.
"I loved being in the hospital, helping people and watching patients benefit from the care the nurse provided them," she said.
In 1990 McJannet and her family moved to San Diego to work as an emergency room nurse at UCSD and at Sharp Coronado.
"I was director of staff development at Sharp Coronado Hospital before I joined the SWC nursing program in 1995," she said. "I still work ER every Saturday night."
Being an emergency department nurse is difficult physically, professionally and emotionally. Though keeping partients alive is the main goal of emergency room nursing, McJannet said her most memorable patient was an elderly man who was told he had 24 hours to live. As he lay on the bed, his wife alongside him, he asked McJannet and the nursing staff to to pray with him. Nurses, family and his minister surrounded this elderly man. They all held hands and prayed as he peacefully died.
"That is one patient that I believe that I helped to meet his physical and spiritual needs as he was doing what all of us will do one day die," said McJannet."It is a rare gift to be allowed to participate at such a personal level with a patient."
McJannet became full-time SWC faculty in 1998 and now skillfully carries the role of director of nursing and health occupations programs.
Campus nurse, Grace Cruz said McJannet is a special person who makes a difference wherever she goes.
"She serves the community in many different facets besides her role as director of the nursing program," said Cruz.
McJannet said her biggest challenge is finding clinical placements for all of SWC's nursing students, but she manages to find places for every qualified student every semester. McJannet said she is excited that 25 percent of the nursing students are Latino.
"Nursing is not a valid profession in Mexico," she said."The role of nursing in Mexico is different here."
McJannet has earned considerate recognition for her accomplishments. She was named the Emergency Room Nurse of the Year by Sharp Coronado Hospital, community service awards from Coronado schools and the American Heart Association, Teaching Excellence Awards at UCSD and National Certified Emergency Nurse of the Year for the USA.
McJannet said she admires people who are positive about life.
"I look up to people who look for solutions, not road blocks," she said. "People who are hard working, have integrity and show every day how happy they are to be where they are whether that be home or at work."
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