A Nurse Manager Who Is Growing the Nursing Profession

By Jamie Gold | Campaign for Action | 2/1/2018

Dan Lose (BSN ′12, DNP ′16), RN, CNML, is a nurse manager and leader at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, focusing on teamwork, culture, and building healthy work environments to allow nurses to practice to the full extent of their training and education to achieve high-quality patient outcomes. As one of 20 nurses named as a Breakthrough Leader in Nursing by the Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action, an initiative of AARP Foundation, AARP, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, he has served on the Iowa Action Coalition’s nurse residency taskforce since its inception in 2012. Dan is a member of the American Assembly for Men in Nursing, the American Nurses Association, and American Organization of Nurse Executives. Dan is part of the Campaign Outreach Advocates for a Culture of Health program.

WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO BECOME A NURSE?    
I grew up in Rochester, Minnesota—the home of Mayo Clinic—so health care was a major aspect of our community. My dad is a dentist so I spent a lot of time with him at his office helping patients. Seeing how he treated people who needed help greatly influenced my ability to be compassionate and empathetic.

My plan was to become a dentist when I enrolled at The University of Iowa, but after volunteering in the hospital and seeing the role of nurses in the health care system, I shifted my focus. I met with quite a few nurses—both men and women—and asked them about their experiences in the profession. What I loved is that they all recognized the value of their work and were able to balance their job with their home/family life.

CAN YOU DESCRIBE YOUR PHILOSOPHICAL EVOLUTION FROM MAKING THAT DECISION TO WHERE YOU ARE TODAY?
My focus has shifted from finding a professional career that provides me with value and satisfaction to finding ways to grow the nursing profession to better serve our patients and the health care delivery system. Throughout my undergraduate nursing education, it became clear to me that our health care delivery system was set to undergo major changes. Since nurses cared for people everywhere—hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, schools, health centers, etc.—they were well-positioned to be driving forces of change and improvement. As a nurse, I believe I have the perspective and knowledge of the patient experience that is needed at the decision-making table for changes that influence health care delivery.

Click here to read the full article by the Campaign for Action

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