MHSC nurse is 'Face of the Future'
- Category: Awards & Recognitions
- Posted On:
- Written By: Kara Beech, WNA Executive Director
WNA honors Julia Samz at September convention
CASPER — The Wyoming Nurses Association held an awards reception on September 26th during their annual convention, Nursing the Wyoming Way – Wyoming Nurses are BOLD. The Face of the Future Award was bestowed upon Julia Samz, MSN, RN. She received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2021, and in 2024, a Master of Science in Nursing Leadership and Management. She graduated at the top of her class when she completed her BSN and was the class Valedictorian. While in the BSN program, she was an active member of the student government program.
She began her nursing career at Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County (MHSC) in the surgery department then transferred to the Medical Surgical Unit. During this time, she completed her required orientation plan and continued to reach out and seek learning opportunities. She challenged herself by taking courses and working with staff in other departments to develop skills and gain knowledge.
She shared her capstone project with her Director, the CNO, and the Education Department at Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County, and information from this project will be presented to staff and implemented as part of the department's ongoing Fall Prevention program. Her willingness to look for areas to improve not only patient safety, but staff safety is evident in her work and actions.
If this was not enough, she participated in a preceptor course through the Colorado School of Nursing, to prepare herself to become a preceptor for future new hires and nursing students. Along with that, she is studying for the Certified Professional of Healthcare Quality exam in June and is planning to start her MBA in Healthcare Management this summer. Just recently, she was excited to share that she joined the American Nursing Association/ Wyoming Nursing Association because she recognized the importance of being involved at a national and local level.
She is very excited to move forward in her nursing role and looks forward to precepting new graduates in the future. Her peers and patients respect Julia for her willingness to always assist them. Along with her confidence to take on any assignment and is willingness to learn Julia truly exhibits the attributes described in the Faces of Our Future Nurses Award and why she is this year’s winner.
She was not able to attend the awards ceremony and the award was accepted on her behalf by Julia Leavitt. MHSC Chief Nursing Officer Ann Clevenger recently presented Samz with the award.