Page 16 - Healthcare Heroes 2025

HealthcareHEROES
A P R O G R A M O F B U S I N E S S W E S T & H E A L T H C A R E N E W S
or policemen, and we have no protection, and we are not taught
how to assess the situation. Now I never run in a room, no matter
what’s happening. I’m looking around. I’m seeing where everybody’s
at. I’m reading the room. And those are skills I learned as a psych
nurse.”
Population health, on the other hand, is more of a global view of
nursing. “Instead of just looking at your community, it’s stepping
back a little bit and looking at the difference between the European
healthcare system versus the United States healthcare system
versus healthcare in Africa or Asia, and what works for them and
what doesn’t, and what are their health outcomes,” she explained.
“One example is maternity health — we have really low numbers in
maternity health compared to a lot of developed countries in the
world. Why is that? Those are the questions we look at in population
health.”
In the decade Bertheaud has been at Elms College, not only
teaching students but helping them gain valuable experience in
community health settings locally, she has become “the face of Elms
College nursing to many community members,” said Julie Beck, dean
of the School of Nursing, who nominated Bertheaud as a Healthcare
Hero.
“In her courses, Andrea synthesizes the physical and mental needs
of the clients that she cares for. She utilizes humor, patience, skill,
preparing them — and, many times, inspiring them — to work in
education, and wisdom when teaching her classes and leads by
challenging settings.
example when working with clients out in the field. Andrea serves
“A lot of it is communication skills,” she explained. “If you want to
as a Healthcare Hero not only to community members, but also as a
be safe, it’s not about controlling the situation; it’s communicating
nurse educator here at Elms College.”
and getting the situation opened up so that everybody is safe. Even a
psychotic person, they’re not intent on hurting themselves or others.
They’re intent on controlling the situation through their perception. I
have to understand that before I can approach them safely. And a lot
of nurses don’t quite understand that.
“I hear all the time about nurses getting hurt because we want to
save the situation,” she went on. “We want to run in like the firemen
Behind the Locked Doors
She does so with raw honesty and a belief in hands-on experience,
especially when it comes to
the challenging settings young
nurses may face in the mental-
health world.
Andrea Bertheaud (right) participates in a service trip to
Jamaica with Mustard Seed Communities.
“In her
courses,
Andrea
synthesizes
the physical
and mental
needs of the
clients that she
cares for. She
utilizes humor,
patience, skill,
education,
and wisdom
when teaching
her classes
and leads by
example when
working with
clients out in
the field.”
Bertheaud
Continued on page H18>>
Integrity.
Integrity.
Experience.
Experience.
Commitment.
Commitment.
H16
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