91涩漫

Johanna (Tarlita) Bruner 鈥�84 ADN says her life came into sharp focus the morning of 9/11, when she was head of the emergency department at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City. 鈥淭hat day, I recognized what it really means to be human, and what it means to be compassionate, empathetic and understanding even if you are afraid,鈥� she said. It鈥檚 a lesson that prepared Bruner for her role as a nursing school department chair and nurse educator during the time of the coronavirus pandemic.

Bruner felt the call to nursing after witnessing the extraordinary care her husband received before he died in 1976. Already possessing a bachelor鈥檚 in home economics, she applied to 91涩漫 Saint Mary鈥檚 and earned her associate degree in nursing, which she says was life-changing. 鈥淚 owe it all to 91涩漫,鈥� she says. 鈥淭heir philosophy and theories, their belief in accountability and compassion 鈥� everything I am today, my roots are at the 91涩漫.鈥�

After many years in Los Angeles, Bruner met a New York City architect on a chance trip to Italy, relocated, and began working at 91涩漫 Sinai Beth Israel hospital. During the next 19 years, she obtained a master鈥檚 to become a family nurse practitioner and served in multiple clinical, management and educational roles. Although she enjoyed direct patient care, Bruner was able to ensure from her leadership positions that quality care was given to all patients. In 2006, she returned to Los Angeles as director of cardiovascular services at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center to be closer to family.

Bruner sees a lot of parallels to her experience on 9/11 and what nurses are currently facing in this pandemic. 鈥淭he pain, the grief, the fear, it鈥檚 all the same,鈥� says Bruner, now a professor and chair of the nursing department at Cal Southern University in Irvine. Her message is one of resilience. 鈥淚 tell my students, 鈥楨mbrace how difficult this year has been, but you didn鈥檛 turn your back and walk away. You walked right into that fire,鈥欌�� she says. 鈥淵ou might have been terrified, but that kind of courage, that kind of confidence 鈥� take all of that and meld it together to be the human you want to be, not just the nurse, the human.鈥�

It鈥檚 a message she hopes everyone takes to heart. 鈥淭imes like this allow us to recognize our shared humanity,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 hope everyone will take just a fraction of those lessons and live that as they go forward.鈥�

Note: Bruner has been  on Spectrum News 1.