The Knowledge Seeker

Sally Jewart, RN, Neurosciences
Inova Fairfax Medical Campus

Whenever Sally Jewart, RN, is walking through the Neurosciences Department at Inova Fairfax Medical Campus, she’s often thinking of what she’s learned that day. Although she’s been a nurse for 26 years, what Jewart values most is the ability to connect with others — patients, families, fellow nurses, physicians and others. She believes that being open and compassionate offers an environment in which she’s always learning.

That’s important, she says, because she was in the education field before turning to healthcare, and she’s always looking for opportunities to expand her range of knowledge.

For example, recently Jewart completed a program called Healing Touch that brings a higher level of intentionality and focus to her work. “It allows you to set the tone in a room, to increase the amount of kindness,” she says. “I believe that brings increased well-being for patients and their families, but also for other nurses.”

Jewart came to Inova in 2001 for these types of opportunities. She says that Inova has a reputation for excellence among nurses, in part because there’s an emphasis on ongoing education. But there are other aspects that drew her to Inova as well. “Inova is known as a place where nurses are recognized for their particular skill sets, and those are nurtured,” she says. “You feel very supported here as a nurse, and that translates into better patient care.”

As a staff RN for the neurosciences unit, Jewart sees difficult situations every day, from patients struggling with seizure disorders, to degenerative issues and strokes. Her ability to keep learning new ways to connect with patients and their families is part of what keeps her upbeat, even when handling emotionally charged moments.

She also has the chance to draw on her educational experience as a teacher, she adds. Over the past 15 years, Jewart has been able to combine nursing with teaching by being a preceptor to dozens of new nurses. “I’m always trying to grow in my practice,” she says. “Inova encourages that, and it’s one of the reasons I love being a nurse here.”

Learn more about Northern Virginia nursing job opportunities at Inova