Serving Beyond: Dr. Felecia Williams Is Committed To Caring For The Whole Person

Cary, NC –  Dr. Felecia Williams is one of the most sought out cardiac specialized nurses in the Triangle Area and throughout North Carolina. Serving as a nurse for over 39 years, ranging from serving on a Coronary Cardiac Unit for 25 years to a clinical instructor, to supervisor and administration, to serving as a preceptor and mentor to new nurse graduates, Dr. Williams is passionate about the nursing profession and all it has to offer to patients, families, the community and healthcare profession.

Dr. Williams graduated with her nursing degree from North Carolina A&T State University (NCATSU) in 1981 and went on to get a Masters of Science in Nursing in Education, Leadership, and Management from the University of Phoenix in 2004. In 2013, she obtained her Ph.D. in Nursing from East Carolina University (ECU) in 2013.

Dr. Williams believes in obtaining the necessary education and surrounding herself with the knowledge needed to proficiently, effectively, and safely operate in the healthcare profession. She obtained her Certification in Adult Critical Care and serves as a member of four professional nursing associations. Due to her desire to witness the success of patients beyond hospitalization when they are discharged home and return to their normal life, Dr. Williams anticipated impacting their overall wellness, which led her to obtain her Certification from UNC Greensboro to become a Health & Wellness Coach.

Dr. Williams’ nursing and healthcare knowledge are sought after by many, which has allowed her to be a part of various publications sharing insight for new nurse graduates. This year Dr. Williams is the 2020 recipient of the Pyramid Award, which represents WakeMed’s highest honor nominated by peers and recognizes outstanding performance that goes beyond work duties and contributes to WakeMed’s aspirational goals.

During my first year of nursing at WakeMed Health and Hospitals, I had the privilege of interacting with Dr. Williams as I practiced on an Intermediate Cardiac Step-Down Unit. I often sought her guidance during my time in the nurse fellow program. Dr. Williams has always been a willing vessel of knowledge for many nurses throughout the nation, and she proudly shares her passion for giving back to her profession:

Tell us a little about yourself.

I was born and raised in eastern North Carolina in Princeville (near Tarboro). At age 17, I moved to Greensboro to attend college at NCATSU and began work at what was then Moses H. Cone Hospital. At age 24, I moved to Raleigh where I began employment at WakeMed hospital and have lived in Wake County since (now in Cary). My husband, Quinton, is from Durham and we have been married for 27 years. We are DINKs (dual income, no kids), but have a combined 23 nieces and nephews! Committed to life-long learning, I love biographies, health, and nutrition.

What attracted you to the healthcare profession, particularly the Cardiovascular field?

 I “fell into” nursing initially because of potential job security as stated by my mother who is also a nurse, but later learned that it was my true calling. During my rotational nurse residency program at Cone, I fell in love with the heart patient population. I found cardiovascular care to be fascinatingly complex and multifaceted. I enjoyed learning how to read EKG’s, how to titrate medications in the intensive care unit, and assisting with various tests and procedures. Later I acknowledged that good cardiovascular health is the foundation for overall wellness.

Do you feel you are making the impact you desire with patients in your daytime/ “9-5” position?

As part of an interdisciplinary team of patient educators and navigators, yes I know we are making an impact caring for the “whole person” while they are in the hospital. I supervise a team of Cardiovascular (CV) Patient Educators (and occasionally see patients myself), so I have data to support the fact that we make a difference in the comprehension of care, as well as 30-day hospital readmission rates.  When I educate patients directly, I have received many instances of heartfelt “thanks” for sharing complex information in a clear and compassionate manner. There is much more work to be done, however, in the meantime, my goal is to educate as many colleagues as possible on skills that may help advance the care of patients in the hospital. For example, I have taught in a course entitled “Communication In Healthcare”, which provides insight on how to approach patients and fellow colleagues. My current hospital role is CV Division-Wide Clinical Educator, which encompasses a wide array of initiatives in the Heart Center allowing me to perform a variety of “duties as assigned”; as well as the supervisor role I mentioned earlier. Additionally, I  am serving as a preceptor every semester for BSN and MSN students who are employed by WakeMed. This affords the opportunity to also help develop the nursing workforce within the hospital setting.

What, or who has served as your inspiration?

 I have been inspired by so many people in the nursing profession, but the first person who comes to mind is Betsy Gaskins-McClaine, RN who was my manager then director for many years in the Heart Center. She demonstrates a commitment to excellence in patient care with an emphasis on education. Her belief (and mine too) is that once you learn something, how dare you not share that with someone else? Other teacher inspirations are Dale O’Neal, MSN, RN who helped cultivate my skills in guiding student learning, and  Elaine Scott, Ph.D., RN who served as my advisor and mentor in graduate school. She would “go to bat” for a student in front of anybody, even her peers. This is my philosophy as well.  I recall a meeting that I had with members of my dissertation committee whereby one of the faculty made an “untoward” remark about someone. Dr. Scott immediately stated, “Don’t you ever talk that way in front of a student!”. It left a lasting impression on me both as a student and a human being. And last but certainly not least, my mother has always been my inspiration for how people are to be treated.  Just like Jesus, she associated with everybody, making no difference in how different they might have been from us. She felt that nursing is who you are, not just what you do, and she was regarded as such in our home community.

Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years as a healthcare professional?

In the next 5 years, I see myself as retired from the hospital setting and having launched a full-time independent consultant business for health and wellness with a focus on food and nutrition, as well as cardiovascular care.

Let’s talk about your role as a Wellness Coach and Nursing Instructor. How did these roles come about? Why do you feel it’s important to operate in this capacity?

After hearing about the health and wellness coaching industry, one day I had an epiphany that this is a natural connection and progression toward what I was already doing with groups of people as well as with students and mentees. So, I received formal training and certification a year ago. As for nursing instruction, while serving as a staff nurse in the coronary care unit it wasn’t long before I realized that I loved orienting the new employees and precepting the new hires. I became chair of the preceptor/ resource group and also signed up to teach various cardiac classes with our hospital’s Department of Nursing Education. My hospital (WakeMed) formed an alliance with Wake Tech to provide adjunct faculty for clinical rotations, therefore I completed my MSN and went to work there while simultaneously serving as a staff nurse. I eventually completed my Ph.D. and immediately went to work part-time contract faculty at the ECU College of Nursing. Operating in the capacity of an educator in a formal manner has “enlarged my territory” of people I can reach.

When did you know it was time to serve beyond nursing in the traditional healthcare setting and step into the business arena and become an instructor and coach?

During my health coach training program, I knew it was time to develop an arm of service outside of the traditional healthcare setting; however, once COVID hit, I altered my plans for launching my business. Instead, I decided to “bloom where I was planted” by incorporating learned skills into my hospital-based workflow. It is critical to be able to adapt to circumstances beyond your control while still holding on to (and staying true to) your overall mission of serving. To “bloom where you are planted” means exactly that. Serve where you are right now until God decides to enlarge your territory!

What tips do you have for nurses or others in the healthcare field who desire to branch out into another aspect of serving as a healthcare professional, whether in the community or through business ownership?

My overall tip for nurses wishing to branch out is to do your homework and tap into established resources to help you get started.

What advice or tips would you give to nurses during this COVID healthcare crisis? What is your suggestion for burnout prevention?

My advice for nurses during this COVID crisis is to do those things that bring you joy and fulfillment; surround yourselves with people and activities that feed your soul and well-being; and remember to eat well, exercise, and get some sleep.

How can our readers connect with you?

I can be reached in the following order of frequency: via email: fwilliams@wakemed.org; via phone/ text at 919.749.7601; via LinkedIn under Felecia S. Williams; via Facebook by Felecia S. Williams; via Twitter @ FeleciaStanle10; or via Instagram at feleciastanleywilli.