CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW)- Michelle Brazil, RN, EMT, has been named chief flight nurse and base manager for Vanderbilt LifeFlight’s Clarksville, Montgomery County helicopter base.
Brazil, who has been a flight nurse with Vanderbilt for 13 years, will be responsible for overseeing the medical flight crew members at the base, managing day-to-day operations, assuring compliancy with required credentials, and mentoring new staff.
Brazil lives in Gracey, (Trigg County) Kentucky.
She began her nursing career in 1990 and ten years later she transitioned into the air medical field.
“I actually began as a Labor and Delivery Nurse and as our census decreased and our doctors decided not to deliver anymore, I was pulled to the Emergency Department which began my ED experience,” she explained.
“One night, I was assigned a very sick trauma patient and we called Lifeflight to transfer this patient to Vanderbilt. When they arrived, in walked this little blonde spit-fire of a nurse who walked on water in my eyes! When all was said and done, I thought to myself, that is what I want to do! I want to be a patient’s advocate when they can no longer speak for themselves. I want to have the knowledge base and education that it takes to be able to care for the most critical patients, and I want to be able to make a difference. It took several years to achieve all the requirements and a lot of persistence.”
The nurse that Brazil speaks of, is the current LifeFlight Executive Director, Jeanne Yeatman.
“Jeanne has had a huge leadership role in our program for many years and has been my leader, confidant, mentor and my friend,” Brazil explained.
Brazil said she was looking forward to help make a less stressful environment for the medical flight crew members.
“I know the medical flight crew members provide exceptional care and I hope to be one of their resources no matter what the need,” she said. “I also look forward to building on and extending the relationships we have with our customers.