Heidi L.  Benavides, MSN, RN, CMSRN

I joined UT Health San Antonio School of Nursing faculty August, 2014 and then previously from 2009-2011. I have previous Air Force military service from 1993-1999. I received her A.D.N. in 2006 from Trident Technical College and her M.S.N in 2008 from the Medical University of South Carolina. I am originally from New Hampshire, but after a combination of being active duty and a military spouse for 22 years, my family and I have grown roots here in San Antonio, Texas. My nursing background includes medical-surgical, solid organ transplant, long-term care/skilled nursing, ortho/neuro, & rehabilitation. I am passionate about mentoring students into future professional nurse. My previous teaching experience includes Health Assessment, Foundations of Nursing, Professional Socialization, Leadership & Management, Immersion, and Medical-Surgical Nursing. I have formally been a faculty advisor for the Nursing Student Association. I have previously serviced as the membership committee chair for the Texas Nurses Association District 8.

• Professional Background

  Education

  • 2008 - Master of Science in Nursing-Nurse Educator - Nursing Education - Medical University of South Carolina
  • 2006 - Associate Degree of Nursing - Nursing - Trident Technical College
  • 1999 - Associate degree - Allied Health Science, Community College of the Air Force, Maxwell AFB, AL

  Highlights

  Licensures and Certifications

  • Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate
  • Certified Medical-Surgical Registered Nurse
  • Registered Nurse - Texas Board of Nursing

  Honors and Awards

  • 06/2020 PURSUE Award, $1385,00 

  Professional Affiliations (memberships) 

  • 08/2020-Present American Holistic Nursing Association 
  • 08/2019-Present Academy of Medical Surgical Nursing Organization. 

  Appointments

  • 9/2016 - Clinical Assistant Professor - UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing
  • 2014 - Clinical Assistant Professor - University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Department of Health Restoration and Care Systems Management, San Antonio, TX
  • 2011 - Instructor/Clinical - Minot State University, Minot, ND
  • 2009 - Clinical Instructor - University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Department of Health Restoration and Care Systems Management, San Antonio, TX
  • 2006 - Registered Nurse Supervisor/Staff Development Coordinator, - Air Force Village 2, San Antonio, TX
  • 2006 - Registered nurse - Intensive Care Unit, Trident Hospital, Charleston, SC
  • 1993 - Emergency Medical Technician - United States Air Force

• Instruction & Training

  • 2020 - 2020, NURS 3273 Health Assessment & Promotion, 2 credits, 10% Clinical, Clinical Faculty , UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing
  • 2015 - Present, NURS4311 Care of Adult I, 3 credits, 40% Didactic, Course Coord/Lead Teacher , UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing
  • 2015 - Present, Leadership and Management: Clinical Application (ACC), UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing
  • 2014 - Present, NURS4316 Care of Adult II, UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing
  • 2014 - Present, NURS4314 Care of Adult I,, UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing
  • 07/2018-08/2018, NURS4423 Clinical Immersion, 4 credits, 10% Clinical, Clinical Faculty, The University of Texas Health Science Center

• Research & Grants

  Completed Research/Projects: 

  • 01/14-9/14 Funder: Center for Engaged Teaching and Learning.  Dollars: $2,402.54. Title: Community Health Screening. Role: Primary Investigator 
  • 8/12-05/12 Funder: Center for Engaged Teaching and Learning.  Dollars: $5,000. Title: Community Health Screenings. Role: Primary Investigator 
  • 12/12-05/12 Funder: AmeriCorps Training Grant.  Dollars: $3,000. Title: Living Healthy: Impacting Your Community. Role: Primary Investigator

• Service

  Service to the Profession

  • 12/2020 - Present Volunteer UT Health San Antonio COVID-19 Vaccination site. Assisted in vaccination administration to UT Health San Antonio Faculty, staff, students and community members 
  • 08/2019 - Present Volunteer Encompass Hospice Volunteer. 6-12 hours per month volunteering as a companion with a local hospice company growing their veteran to veteran program. 
  • 07/2019-Present Volunteer Hospice Veteran-to-Veteran Volunteer, UTHSCSA. Provide companionship for individuals at Encompass Home Health. The focus will be on veteran-to-veteran partnerships. 

   

  Community Service

  • 01/2011 - Present, Reviewer, Nurse Planner: Diabetes Care at School: Bridging the Gap 
  • 01/2011 - Present, Reviewer, Nurse Planner: Recognizing and Preventing DKA in the School Setting 

• Publications

  Presentations
  Invited Podium Presentations (i. e. keynotes presentations)

  • 11/14/2020 Whole Food Plant-Based Diet: Preventing & Reversing Obesity & Related Diseases, UT Health San Antonio Mays Cancer Center: Cancer Prevention and Screening Committee, San Antonio, TX 
  • 10/2019 Benefits of Texas Nurses Association Membership, Texas Nurses Association District 8, San Antonio, TX (Invited Speaker)  
  • 06/2018 Keep Your Future Nurses Communicating! Encouraging Positive Clinical Outcomes with Post-Conference Bedside Hand-Off, The Quality and Safety Education for Nurses International Forum: Oceans of Opportunity: Evidence-Based Practice to Improve Quality and Safety in Education and Practice, NURSING, QSEN, Bonita Springs, FL (Sole Presenter). Details: In September 2017, The Joint Commission released Sentinel Event Alert 58: Inadequate Hand-Off Communication. Nursing programs may have challenges assessing student competencies of clear, effective communication. Nursing students should have the opportunity to provide bedside hand-off to evaluate the QSEN competency Teamwork & Collaboration, and AACN Essential VI competency, Incorporating Effective Communication Techniques to Optimize Patient Outcomes. Students need preparation on the critical information needed for an effective hand-off transfer and acceptance of patient care responsibility. In a medical-surgical clinical course, do nursing students who practice bedside hand-off, meet the objectives of incorporating effective communication techniques? All students participated in bedside hand-off post-clinical conference. Ninety-six percent of the students met the QSEN competencies “follow communication practices that minimize risks associated with hand-off report” as well as the AACN Essential VI “incorporating effective communication techniques to optimize patient outcomes”. Students stated they appreciated the opportunity to practice the skills needed to improve patient care outcomes and their own communication techniques. In addition, students stated practicing among their peers felt safe if they make mistakes. Integration of the assignment into nursing education would require faculty development, stressing the significance of how the assignment assists students with optimizing patient care outcomes. 
  • 04/2018 Texas Nurses Association District 8 Membership, Transition to Practice, Texas Nurses Association District 8, San Antonio, TX (Panel)  
  • 04/2017 Post Clinical Conference Hand-Off Report: Incorporating Effective Communication Techniques and Utilizing Priority Frameworks with Patient Care Assignments, National Nurse Educator Summit, ATI, Orlando, FL (Sole Presenter)  
  • 08/2016 Using Nursing Students as trained Observers to Establish a Hand-Hygiene Monitoring Program in an Outpatient Setting, Healthcare Safety Conference, Take a Stand Against Resistance, San Antonio, TX (Co-Presenter)  
  • 05/2016 Submitted: Creative Writing in Undergraduate Nursing Programs: Valuing the Health Care Situation Through Patients’ Eyes, QSEN National Forum- The New Frontier: Forging Partnerships for Lifelong Learning in Quality and Safety, QSEN, San Antonio, TX (Co-Author). Details: Disseminate innovations in curricular design and teaching strategies that accomplish QSEN competency development in academic and/or practice settings. Describe research findings related to quality and safety education and competency integration in academic and/or practice settings. Share innovations that translate or evaluate QSEN competencies (patient-centered care, evidence-based practice, quality improvement, safety, teamwork, and informatics) in academic and/or practice settings.  
  • 05/2016 Creative Writing in Undergraduate Nursing Programs: Valuing the Health Care Situation Through Patients' Eyes, Annual Conference, Quality and Safety, QSEN, San Antonio, TX (Co-Author)