The Fuld Leadership Program
Fuld Fellowships
Laura Rainer
Biographical Sketch
Reflections on the Fuld Fellowship
Presidential Inspiration
Fuld Fellows, Emory Magazine
Making Bigger Beds, Nursing Magazine
Spring Break Alternatives, Nursing Magazine
Biographical Sketch
Laura Page Rainer is a registered nurse with a Master of Science in Nursing and a Master of Public Health in Global Health from Emory University, 2006. She has a BSN from Emory University and a B.S. in Microbiology and Spanish from Auburn University.
Professional experience
Laura’s professional experience in nursing and public health encompasses clinical practice, research and academia. She currently works as a Public Health Nurse with the Fulton County Department of Health and Wellness serving diverse and international populations. She also stayed connected with Emory University through an adjunct faculty position in the Department of Family and Community Health Nursing assisting with the Community and Public Health Nursing course in the spring for BSN students and in the summer for Farm Worker Family Health Program participants. She has extensive experience with the Farm Worker Family Health Program serving migrant farm worker families in South Georgia. Laura worked with the Georgia Emerging Infections Program of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention for three years and coordinated the Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine Effectiveness Study. Prior to her graduate study, she served as a Global Service Corps volunteer in Rivas, Costa Rica where she worked in a rural clinic serving pregnant women and their children. She also worked in a small clinic serving a large Hispanic immigrant population in rural Alabama.
Her broad career goal is to improve health care through leadership in nursing and public health. Also, to strengthen communities through partnerships promoting disease prevention and finally to strengthen the nursing profession by incorporating a global public health focus into her practice and elevating awareness for the nurse’s role in public health.
Reflection on the Fellowship
The role of a professional nurse incorporates social responsibility and leadership. I try to be a role model and lead by example as well as assume leadership positions and seek community service opportunities. Social responsibility guides my professional practice and motivates me to use my strengths and abilities to promote social good within my community and beyond.
I have been involved in the Farm Worker Family Health Program in various capacities beginning with my participation as a BSN student and in recent years as a faculty member. Developing a deeper sense of social responsibility and exploring how to translate this into action are program outcomes for the students and areas that all partners and participants continue to develop as well. Each year I grow personally and professionally from the people I meet and through my experiences with the program. After being present in the community and witnessing the migrant farm workers’ daily struggle to improve their lives and the lives of their families I gained an appreciation for the tenacity and humility of the migrant workers. I now see them as strong and resilient, positive and hopeful while also recognizing the significant vulnerabilities that exist.
Community service is a very important part of my life. I maintain connections with many community organizations where I volunteer as often as possible. For the past three years, I’ve maintained a weekly commitment to teach English to Hispanic adults. When my baby girl was born, I took some time off but the students didn’t - one of my former students is now the teacher! This gives me great pride to know that the community has a leader who as a former student and immigrant to the U.S shares the culture and lived experiences of the students and is a role model in the community. I also volunteer as a nurse at St. Josephs Mercy Care Clinic and at many local health fairs. I am able to use my Spanish language skills and knowledge of Hispanic culture to best serve the population.
I demonstrate leadership in my position as a Public Health Nurse with FCDHW in many ways. On a daily basis, I lead by example in my health center to provide quality patient care and respect the diverse cultures and practices of our patients. I also promote population health through community assessments, developing and maintaining partnerships and participating in regular public health preparedness trainings. I was selected to represent nurses in Fulton County as a participant in the Leadership Institute in Public health Preparedness hosted by Emory University Center for Public Health Preparedness at the Rollins School of Public Health. I have gained knowledge and skills related to the role of the PHN during a disaster as well as the greater responsibilities of public health agencies. Along with the role of a Public Health Nurse in a disaster situation, I hope to raise awareness for the unique position of Public Health Nurses to influence health by advocating for the communities we serve and building trust and relationships to build capacity in the community. I believe these strong networks will strengthen the community and the nursing profession and also create more opportunities for public health nurses in the future.
In addition, I hope to share my knowledge and experiences, promote public health nursing and expand the research base by writing articles for professional publication. Please see the journal article I was a part of writing for Public Health Nursing entitled Improving Access to Care for Migrant Farm Workers and their Families thorough a Collaborative Model of Care. Also, a case study on the Farm Worker Family Health Program published through the Farmworker Health Services.
▪ Connor, A., Rainer, L.P, Simcox, J.B. and Thomisee, K. (July/Aug, 2007). Improving Access to Care for Migrant Farm Workers and their Families through a Collaborative Model of Care. Public Health Nursing. 24(4): 355-360.
▪ Wold, J.L. and Rainer, L.P. (September, 2006). Partnering with Local Universities to Increase Farmworker Access to Care: Two Case Studies, Case #1: Farm Worker Family Health Program. Outreach to Farmworkers. Farmworker Health Services, Inc. 6(1): 4-5.
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