The Texas Nurses Association, Districts 3 and 4, and the Dallas-Fort Worth Nurse Executives have selected Huguley nurse Anita Zelaya-Youngberg, RN, BSN, as a 2009 Great 100 nurse. One hundred registered nurses from the greater Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex are honored for making a significant difference to the profession of nursing and in the lives of patients, peers, and the community-at-large.
A resident of Keene, Ms. Youngberg is currently a nurse at Huguley Memorial Medical Center. She has spent almost ten of her seventeen years as a nurse living in rural Honduras, working in poverty medicine and especially serving malnourished and abandoned children.
Ten years ago, a hurricane devastated Honduras and Ms. Youngberg went to provide hurricane relief. Once there, she found she couldn't leave. The need was so great that she became a volunteer for Pan-American Health Service, Inc. (PAHS), an organization that provides food, education, and medical care to the hungry, sick and homeless. It also operates a home for approximately 70 abandoned children.
After more than a year as a volunteer with PAHS, Ms Youngberg joined the staff as its general administrator in 2000. Last year, Huguley hired her as a charge nurse on the progressive care unit. She continues to conduct fundraising and mission recruitment for Pan-American Health Service.
“Improving the lives of the poor, hungry and sick of Honduras has been Anita’s purpose in life. Now, she demonstrates the same selfless compassion to our patients at Huguley,” said Tammy Collier, RN, FACHE, senior vice president of patient care services at Huguley Memorial Medical Center.
Ms. Youngberg earned bachelor’s degrees in biology and nursing from Southwestern Adventist University in Keene, where she served as the first female student association president of the university. During her time as a student, she also served as president of the Seventh-day Adventist’s Intercollegiate Association and was a delegate to an international general council meeting of the denomination. Ms. Youngberg says, “The leadership opportunities I had at Southwestern helped me develop management and leadership skills which I continue to use to this day.”
The 2009 Great 100 nurses will be recognized at the nineteenth annual Great 100 Nurses Celebration, a gala held at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas on April 19.