Welcome to the WOCN® Society Member Spotlight blog, featuring inspiring stories behind our members. In this edition, we’re spotlighting Maki Suzuki Jerden, DNP, MSN, RN, GNP-BC, CWON, RNFA, a passionate healthcare professional who has dedicated her career to wound, ostomy, and continence (WOC) care, transforming patient experiences, and mentoring future nurses.
Journey into WOC Care
Maki’s nursing career began as a medical-surgical registered nurse at a large Japanese university hospital near Tokyo. Initially, she found ostomy care daunting due to the complexities of selecting ostomy pouching systems. However, her perspective changed when a new, experienced nurse joined her unit and introduced her to the organized and comprehensive aspects of ostomy care. This mentor invited Maki to seminars and workshops on wound and ostomy care, sparking her passion for the specialty. “Once I learned more about this specialty field, I loved it because obtaining its skills and knowledge was unlimited,” Maki shares.
Passion for Healthcare
Maki’s passion for healthcare stems from the fulfillment she gets from helping those in need at their most vulnerable moments. She finds great joy in making a difference in others’ lives and values the expansive career paths and educational opportunities the healthcare field offers. Her journey from Japan to the US for further education, becoming a nurse practitioner, and earning a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree exemplifies the boundless opportunities in healthcare. “The healthcare profession, especially nursing, gave me great educational opportunities, and I am grateful forever,” Maki notes.
Joining the WOCN Society
Maki joined the WOCN Society because it is a large and established professional organization in her specialty field. The Society offers educational opportunities, effective advocacy, and networking opportunities crucial for Maki’s professional growth. Her favorite part of being a member is access to the WOC Learning Center, including the JWOCN, document library, and image library, which provide excellent educational materials for staff and patient education. Additionally, receiving a scholarship from the WOCN Society for her DNP education and being featured as a member spotlight are proud moments for Maki.
Proud Moments as a WOC Nurse
Maki has had many moments where she felt proud to be a WOC nurse. She recalls a time when she was consulted by MDs to evaluate and treat complicated wound patients, performing procedures typically done only by surgeons. One particularly memorable experience involved a patient with an ileostomy who had just delivered a baby, and her ostomy pouch exploded in the labor and delivery room. Maki quickly resolved the situation by cleaning and changing the ostomy pouch. “The patient, husband, nurses, and physicians were all happy and grateful. I was pleased, too, because I could change the focus from an unpleasant situation to a happy moment again,” Maki recalls.
Impactful Stories and Mentors
One patient with multiple open abdominal surgeries had a significant impact on Maki. Assisting with negative pressure wound therapy to the open abdomen led Maki to seek formal education as a registered nurse first assistant, enriching her career. This experience also highlighted the importance of understanding different beliefs, particularly regarding palliative care and hospice.
Maki credits two individuals as influential mentors: Dorothy Doughty and Dr. Takashi Noto. Dorothy encouraged Maki to pursue WOC nursing and become a nurse practitioner, serving as a role model and mentor. Dr. Noto, a Japanese colorectal surgeon, supported Maki in attending the Emory University WOCNEP and left her a rich legacy regarding patient care and WOC nursing. Maki expresses her gratitude for encountering these mentors.
Scholarship Impact and Future Aspirations
Receiving a WOC nursing scholarship provided Maki with both financial support and confidence. Looking ahead, she is working on a quality improvement project carried over from her DNP scholarly project, which she plans to publish within the next five years. She also aims to continuously disseminate findings through publications and presentations.
Sharing Knowledge
Maki has been teaching Japanese nursing students and nurses about US healthcare, WOC nursing, and nurse practitioners to inspire them. She has been invited to Japan as a symposium panelist or guest speaker and now lectures on similar topics for Japanese nursing university students via online communication platforms, making use of technology to bridge distances.
Life Outside of Nursing
When not working as a nurse, Maki enjoys playing tennis, spending time with her family, and traveling abroad, including returning to Japan. She has traveled to over 30 countries and loves watching her son’s baseball games. “He is a pitcher on the high school varsity team, and witnessing him growing and getting strong is great!” Maki shares.
Thank You, Maki
On behalf of the WOCN Society, thank you, Maki, for being a valuable member of the WOCN Society. Your nursing journey and contributions inspire others and showcase your dedication to making a difference in healthcare.