Michaela D. McCargar, RN, BSN, a Registered Nurse with Samaritan Medical Center

Get to know Registered Nurse, Michaela D. McCargar, who serves patients in Watertown, New York. 

Wanting to help make a difference in the lives of others is why Michaela chose a career in nursing. She is a registered nurse who comes from a family of nurses and attributes her successful career to their support and her strive for lifelong learning.

Currently, she serves on staff in the Orthopedics Unit at Samaritan Medical Center in Watertown, New York. There, she takes care of all types of patients, ranging from individuals suffering from the flu to those in need of orthopedic surgery. She takes an interest in each patient, learning how she can help them start to feel better.

Samaritan Medical Center is a 290-bed not-for-profit community medical center, offering a full spectrum of inpatient and outpatient services. From primary and emergency care to highly specialized medical and surgical services, Samaritan Medical Center and its team of healthcare professionals proudly serves the medical needs of their civilian and military community. Quality, compassion, and safety are basic principles by which exceptional care is delivered at Samaritan.

In March of 2019, Michaela presented her New York State Immunization Information System (NYSIIS) Program to nurse managers at Samaritan Medical Center. It is a program that she has been working to establish at her workplace to inform and educate all medical staff on NYSIIS and its benefits. 

In her professional experience, she is skilled in medication administration, Foley catheter administration, blood administration, tracheostomy care and suctioning, fundus assessment, newborn assessment, and more. She also has experience working in the postpartum unit, the labor and delivery unit, the neonatal intensive care unit, and the newborn nursery. Prior to her current endeavours, she served in the Maternity Unit at Samaritan Medical Center from June 2017 until January 2019. 

While in high school, Michaela was fortunate to have many field experiences which helped to shape her concept of great nursing. The New Vision Health Program – Jefferson-Lewis BOCES, afforded her the opportunity to shadow a variety of units at the Samaritan Medical Center, including emergency and maternity. Additionally, she participated in the Fort Drum Regional Health Planning Organization to shadow doctors and nurses on the Medical/Surgical Unit on 4 Pavilion at Samaritan Medical Center. The combination of these clinical experiences provided her with the opportunity to expand her knowledge and confirmed her desire to become a nursing professional.

In regards to her educational background, she earned her Associate of Applied Science in Nursing Degree from Jefferson Community College in Watertown in 2017. Thereafter, she went on to earn her Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree from the State University of New York College at Plattsburgh in 2019. 

In order to stay up to date in her field, she remains a member of the National Student Nurses Association and the New York State Nurses Association. 

Additionally, Michaela has completed many additional courses  throughout her career, including the Northwest Center for Public Health Practice: What is Epidemiology course, CPHCE: Health Literacy & Public Health: an Introduction, University of Washington and the National HIV Curriculum: Epidemiology of HIV, HIV Screening Recommendations, Diagnostic Testing, Acute and Recent HIV Infection, and Linkage to Care, Learning Nurse Resources Network: Ethics Certification, Nova StatStrip Wireless Glucose Meter Training, American Heart Association: Basic Life Support (CPR and AED) Program, NYCEPCE: Emergency Preparedness Training for Hospital Clinicians Module 1: The Basics, CITI Program, Culturally Competent Nursing Care: A Cornerstone of Caring, and the Institution for Healthcare Improvement, among others.                                                                                                       

Her community involvement includes volunteer work with the North Country Goes Green Irish Festival from March 2008 until 2017.                                                                

A registered nurse (RN) is a nurse who has graduated from a nursing program and met the requirements outlined by a country, state, province or similar licensing body to obtain a nursing license. RNs fulfill a variety of job duties. In addition to their primary role in treating and caring for patients, their responsibilities also include educating patients and the public about a variety of medical conditions, as well as providing emotional support and advice to the families of their patients. Other RN job functions include performing diagnostic tests and analyzing results, operating medical equipment, administering medications, recording patients’ symptoms and medical histories, and assisting with patient rehabilitation and follow-up.

On a more personal note, Michaela’s interests include crafting, walking her dogs, as well as spending time with her dogs and family. She is a movie addict and has a very eclectic taste in music.

Learn More About Michaela D. McCargar:

Through her online profile, https://todaysnurse.org/network/index.php?do=/4145011/info/