ADVISORY BOARD 2021-22

Dr. Pressanna Parackal

Dr. Parackal is a seasoned Nursing Officer and House Supervisor offering over 25 years' experience and success in improving patient care and quality outcomes. Accomplished in streamlining nursing activities, improving resource utilization, and optimizing patient safety.

A proven leader committed to nurse education and helping nurses achieve personal and professional goals. Dr. Parackal is Instrumental to evidence-Based Practice Committee, helping improve best practices by collecting literature, presenting findings during meetings, and adopting new methods to reduce costs and improve delivery and quality of care. Dr. Parackal spearheaded BLS and ACLS certification courses and attended professional development trainings and workshops, communicating knowledge to staff to improve education and maximize training. Dr. Parackal acts as an Incident Command Officer during emergency situations, serving as primary point of contact for evacuations, admissions, and transfers and facilitating communication with contact command center staff through email and leadership meetings.

Dr. Parackal was able to implement mock code annually based on her project work and data findings. Her publications include Facts and Fictions of Leprosy, Leprosy is Curable, Barrier Nursing in India. The article titled Floating of Staff was published in Nursing Advisor.

Dr. Parackal - Master trainer for TeamSTEPPS. She has number of affiliations and has multiple national certifications. She is the imagemaker of SAINA 2019. She is proven influential and a charismatic leader. She has multiple award such as Daisy award and Excellence in Nursing during Nurses Week 2019. Dr. Parackal was selected as employee of the month, Shining Star, Worldwide Leader in Education. Her determination to meet the organization mission is well known and a role model in professional nursing.

Dr. Nelson Tuazon

Dr. Nelson Tuazon DNP, DBA, RN, NEA-BC, CENP, CPHQ, CPPS, FNAP, FACHE, FAAN is Vice President & Associate Chief Nursing Officer at University Health San Antonio, Texas. Dr. Nelson Tuazon significant contributions are in the areas of practice and service that focus on the promotion of healthcare system excellence and exemplary nursing practice. Utilizing the forces of Magnetism, he has promoted staff empowerment and healthy work environments. He was one among the early Magnet Appraisers/Team Leaders with the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Dr. Tuazon is the Editor of the Philippine Nurses Association of America: A Tapestry that synthesized evidence on acculturation, legislation and regulations affecting
immigrants, and the integration of foreign-educated nurses into the US workforce. He served as the inaugural Editor of the Journal of the Philippine Nurses Association of America (JPNAA) in 2009. JPNAA evolved into the Journal of Nursing Practice Applications and Reviews of Research (JNPARR) in 2013. Dr. Tuazon is also a peer-reviewer for the Journal for Healthcare Quality and the Journal of Inter professional Education and Practice. In 2019, Dr. Tuazon founded the San
Antonio Nursing Consortium – an alliance of fourteen nursing associations. He is a board member of the Philippine American Chamber of Commerce, the Alamo Asian American Chamber of Commerce, and the Asian American Alliance of San Antonio. Most recently, he was the past-president of the South Central Texas Organization for Nursing Leadership (SCTONL). He
is currently a member of the Nominating Committee of the American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL). He also chairs the Diversity, Equity, and Committee Task Force of the Texas Organization for Nursing Leadership. Dr. Tuazon holds a number of prestigious Fellowships. He is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, a Distinguished Practitioner Fellow of the National Academies of Practice, and most recently, he was accepted as a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing.

Malathi Edwin

Ms. Malathi Balraj is a dedicated, loyal compassionate, Knowledgeable Registered Nurse with 30 years of experience, 5 of those years in Teaching & 4 years as Patient Care Coordinator and has an ambition to succeed in any given environment. Although have extensive experience in the Nursing field, love to learn and get along well with others, while also working efficiently on my own. Malathi has led many major projects shown major success. Skilled in working with doctors for efficient patient management .and a team player who is able to relate well with coworkers. Have Special practice in Ultrasound guided PIV. Malathi also leads HCHAPS Committee & Medication Committee in 12 MSU. Malathi is a senior RN with 30 years of expertise in the field of Medical & Surgical Nursing. Malathi is highly familiar with providing clinical leadership in Medical & Surgical Nursing services & Nursing Processes. Caring for patients with multiple and complex problems. Malathi was nominated for Daisy award in April 2019 12 MSU Awarded a Magnet Gold award for her leadership role in first Magnet site visit in UHS & prepared the magnet team in 10 sky tower. Malathi is very well appreciated by the Director for Stars Ms. Joyce Ornelas & the Chief Nursing Officer Ms. Tommy Austin for high amount raised for Employee giving in the year 2018.Malathi was asked to help in HCAHPS and she received special & tremendous appreciation of staffs from 10 sky & other staffs from different floors. She reflected the patient’s best outcomes portrayed positive interpersonal culture. Model designed in term of a dashboard was really appreciated across the board. Malathi is an exceptional & a talented teacher and had enormous impact with her in-depth knowledge sharing in lecture series in 10 sky. Malathi is a great preceptor by giving positive experience to my orientee & make their experience enriching and take pride in my accomplishment & maximize every moment of their experience Malathi was a chair person for a Spirit committee in 9th General Medicine & made dashboards with employee’s pictures with experiences. Malathi has done several fund raisings for the employee recognition to award quarterly & monthly outstanding coworkers in 9th General Medicine and actively participated in Retention Recognition & Recruitment committees. Awarded as Employee of the quarter of 9th general medicine. Malathi was recognized as an exceptional Student Nurses Advisor in Ramachandra Medical College in India. Malathi was a Patient care Coordinator in renowned Hospital Christian Medical College, India with 60 Bedded orthopedics floor.

Jai Thomas

Jai aspires to promote the well-being and health of diverse populations, promote healing, and foster patient and staff education through evidenced based practice in an effort to make an impact in the lives of others. Jai is a professionally trained Registered Nurse with over 28 years of experience in a variety of clinical settings both in United States and Overseas and strive to ensure high standards of culturally competent care for a wide variety of patients with diverse needs. In the past 28 years, Jai have obtained clinical experience in the Adult Internal Medicine, Intermediate progressive Care unit, Observation Unit, Acute Stroke Unit, Medical Intensive Care Unit, Emergency Care Unit and Medical –Surgical Intensive Care Unit. Also Jai is proficient in ACLS/BLS Protocol, Telemetry, Continuous Medication Infusions/Drips (Insulin, Heparin, Nicardipine, etc., Care of the Acute Stroke Patient with Certification via AHA, CIWA Protocol, Sunrise Expert, Staff Education, Group and 1:1 Staff Education, New RN Preceptor, Charge Nurse, Service Recovery, and Delegation of Nursing Tasks to Unlicensed Staff and LVNs. Jai has been working in University Health System since 2006 as Staff Nurse III/Charge Nurse IPCU/5ACU- University Health System. Jai started at UHS as Staff Nurse II /Primary bedside Nurse in the IPCU and have been an RN for the past Twelve years. In 2007 Jai transitioned to the position as Staff Nurse III/Charge Nurse on IPCU/5ACU. Before coming to USA in 2005 Jai has worked for more than 12 years in UAE as Charge Nurse in Intensive Care Unit. Jai is educated from Mumbai in India from the renowned Leelabhai Thackeray college of Nursing and is pursing Master of Science in Nursing from Capella University. Jai has been honored as the BEST 25 Nurses of South-Central Texas 2018 for Outstanding achievement in fostering the image of Nursing through exemplary practice and excellence in the art and Science of Nursing. Jai received the Shining Star for three consecutive years for Excellence in Customer Service-2011, 2012, 2013. Jai has been voted as the Best Nurse Of the year [2007] IPCU. Numerous Letters of recommendation from Supervisors, Peers, Colleagues and Patient and family complementing on my expertise, Teamwork and excellent patient care. Jai also Implemented the concept of Mock Code drill in the unit, which enabled staff to practice the Mock code and familiarize with steps needed to attend the Code effectively.

Beena Chorath

Mrs.. Beena Chorath posses thirty years of experience as a registered nurse. Beena graduated in Nursing from the Post Graduate Institute in Chandigarh, India. Beena migrated to the USA in 1990. Beena is blessed with three kids and her loving husband.

Beena lived in Chicago for fifteen years and worked in the ICU in various hospital as an agency nurse. She also served as a charge nurse for many years in Chicago. In 2007, Beena moved to San Antonio and started working at University Hospital’s Transplant ICU. Later Beena was transferred to the Outpatient Surgery Department and again became a charge nurse. Beena also held the position as an Educator for the Recovery Room & Outpatient Surgery for two years. In 2015, Beena was promoted as the Patient Care Coordinator of Perianesthesia Department (Pre-OP, PACU & Anesthesia Clinic). Beena is also a CCRN certified and a CPR Instructor.

Beena believes on a great quote by Christina Feist-Heilmeier, RN “Every nurse was drawn to nursing because of a desire to care, to serve, or to help."

Beena was also nominated for Nurse Excellence Award and Nurse Luminary Award in the year 2016 and 2018, She also received Gold and Silver awards for her outstanding performance as the Patient Care Coordinator.

Beena served as President for a Catholic Organization in San Antonio (KCSSA) for two years (2017-2019). She is also one of the founding members and chairperson for SAINA election board. Beena hopes to obtain a master's degree in nursing and plans to be involved in SAINA sponsored activities and other community activities.

Mariamma Shaju

Mariamma Shaju is a patient care coordinator. Mariamma started her nursing career at All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS), New Delhi in the Neurosurgery ICU and worked there for two years. Mariamma moved to Abu Dhabi and worked in a multispecialty ICU for 15 years. Following the birth of her two sons, she immigrated to the U.S. in 2003. Despite being placed in a new environment, she continued to thrive, build upon her experiences and promoted the development of every unit she joined. She initially worked at the Methodist Medical ICU for two years and transferred to University Health System in the Surgical and Trauma ICU. During her time in the Surgical and Trauma ICU, Mariamma became a CPR instructor and obtained a national certification with CCRN. After an additional two years, she found her second home, the Medical/Surgical floor at University Health System where she currently working. Mariamma was recruited to be a member of the hospital-wide pain committee and she presented a project on how to relieve pain with non- pharmacological methods. Furthermore, she was the chair for the pain committee on her floor and was responsible to train staff on pain management and documentation. In 2017 she was part of a team that completed the Clinical Safety and Effectiveness Course and presented her research project about early mobility and fall prevention. The findings of the research were implemented in 5ACU (Mariamma's unit) with great success and were adopted by the education department to train new staff members. Throughout her journey, Mariamma has collected many awards and was recognized by her peers and superiors. Mariamma is a recipient of the Shining Star, Nursing Excellence, and most recently the Luminary Award.

Her latest project is Power Through, in which she is part of a team that prepared and developed tools for a program that focused on discharging the patient before noon. It was piloted in 5ACU and proved to be beneficial for both the hospital and the patient since resources for discharge was prepared early and allowed patients to be discharged faster and more efficiently. Looking back Mariamma has been a registered nurse for 32 years, a charge nurse for the past 20 years, and a PCC from 2013 to the present date. She began her path to success as a young girl inspired by Mother Theresa and continues to put forth the same passion in nursing. Looking forward, Mariamma plans on being part of the SAINA election board as she is one of the founding members and co-chair for SAINA election board.