Recent graduate receives Future Nurse Leader award from Virginia Nursing Association

In recognition of her hard work in the classroom and during her clinical hours at Lynchburg General Hospital, the Virginia Nursing Association (VNA) presented Liberty University School of Nursing (LUSON) alumna Anna Marie Hagerty (’20) with its Future Nurse Leader award.

Hagerty earned the honors due to her “leadership impact, engagement in nursing organizations and her community, and contributions to her school’s overall excellence,” according to an announcement from the VNA.

The people who nominated her for the award have remained anonymous, but they called Hagerty “a standout among her peers.”

“Her desire, drive, and discipline to make a difference in the nursing progression is contagious, and she is always going above expectations,” the nomination reads. “Hagerty’s character is genuine and her approach to healthcare is intentional and whole-hearted. Her spirit and value of service to those in need never waivers.”

Hagerty graduated in December. On an advanced track for her B.S. in Nursing, she earned her required clinical hours for a Critical Care Certificate program at Lynchburg General last summer. Last fall, as part of a leadership course, she completed 144 hours serving in Lynchburg General’s Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit.

“Liberty’s nursing program did a phenomenal job of equipping us to make sure we were set up for success,” said Hagerty, who was a member of the Liberty University Nursing Student Association. “They worked tirelessly for all of their students to make sure we were able to do what we needed, and it made me work harder knowing that they were working hard for me. I can’t speak highly enough of them for what they did for me and all of the other students in the nursing program.”

Hagerty is currently an RN in the same cardiothoracic ICU at Lynchburg General.

“We are excited to have Anna Marie named as the Future Nurse Leader,” said LUSON Dean Shanna Akers. “Her faculty and classmates spoke very highly of her knowledge, skill, and professionalism. She is a great representative of LUSON and of the profession of nursing.”

Hagerty said her desire to be a nurse came from seeing how her family was affected by the care shown by compassionate nurses and doctors who helped take care of her grandparents, who were both diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and were in need of care at the same time.

“Watching my mom be able to go and see (my grandparents) and see how much of an impact the nurses and doctors had on her only fueled my fire to want to be a good nurse and help people who are struggling,” Hagerty said. “I wanted to become that person who, at the end of the day when family members had to leave their loved ones in the hospital for a period of time, could take care of the patient as if I was their family. I want to be there for people in their time of need.”