Hera Tashjian, RN, MSN, CCNS is the chief nursing officer at Lebanese American University (LAU) Medical Center and clinical instructor at LAU School of Nursing. She was a clinical instructor at American University of Beirut (AUB) School of Nursing. Hera is a BSN graduate from AUB and a master’s graduate as an acute and critical care clinical nurse specialist from Duke University. She has practiced as a registered nurse in Lebanon and in the US in cardiac intensive care and step-down units. She was the first nurse practicing as an APN at AUB Medical Center (AUBMC) and in Lebanon; since then, the nursing profession and education in Lebanon have been evolving in order to include APNs in the workforce.
Hera has been involved in establishing shared governance systems at AUBMC since 2004. On a journey to excellence, she has led the development of a shared governance structure that has grown over time to the current 21 councils. She has provided education, coaching, and guidance to nurses in the councils throughout their development and activities.
Hera practices as a clinician, consultant, educator, researcher, and leader. She practices in a multidisciplinary fashion and has a passion for quality, evidence-based practice (EBP), and compassionate care for critically ill patients and their families. She has led a committee to promote EBP and developed the AUBMC Nursing EBP Model. She currently chairs the research council in the department. She has also led the establishment of the International Training Center (ITO) for life support training through American Heart Association.
Hera has been an active leader in preparing AUBMC Nursing Services for Magnet designation, which was received in June 2009.
Her clinical and research interests are infection control, cardiac arrest management, end-of-life and palliative care, and nurses’ autonomy and shared governance. Click on the lower left corner of the photo below to hear about shared governance in the Middle East.