Shanita Scotland is a Registered Nurse, Certified Legal Nurse Consultant, Special Victims Nurse, and a graduate student at New York University (NYU). She currently works as an ER nurse at NYU Langone Hospital – Brooklyn, providing care for both adults and pediatrics. Nurse Scotland’s motivation for her contributions to the field of medicine stems from her humble upbringing. From her early nursing days, she vowed to do something with her career that was fascinating, challenging and makes a difference in people’s lives daily. She views humanitarian work as an opportunity to invest in the wellbeing of others while reducing disparities in healthcare.
In response to the recent Covid-19 pandemic, Nurse Scotland has sacrificed time to assist health officials from Dominica and other members of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) to implement safety measures for the frontline staff. She has also been involved in medical missions in Sierra Leone, Haiti, St. Vincent, Dominica, and the US. Her most recent mission was in October 2019 where she served as the medical mission coordinator for a trip to the Bahamas following Hurricane Dorian which left the country in ruins. Her team, in partnership with other nonprofit organizations, helped to bring medical professionals, medications, and other supplies to Nassau.
Her love for nursing and passion for global health extends beyond the walls of the hospital into the international arena as she serves as the Chair and Co-Founder of a registered New York State medical nonprofit organization called Medical Professionals on a Mission Inc. (*MPOM).
Those who know Nurse Scotland personally can attest that she stands true to her cultural heritage and boasts of the country of her birth, Dominica. She uses her platform to advance the level of healthcare in her home country as well as the rest of the Caribbean region. In July 2019, MPOM donated a fully equipped simulation lab to the Dominica School of Nursing with the help of a humanitarian organization. This lab project was subsequently made a Clinton Global Initiative Action Network commitment project. MPOM also donated disaster relief equipment to Dominica Police Headquarters. Additionally, in August 2018 MPOM assisted the St. Vincent Kalinago diaspora with collecting 2 containers of medical supplies. Currently, Nurse Scotland is assisting with mobilizing a team of medical professionals to provide Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS), Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), and stroke and wound care training in Dominica.
Nurse Scotland’s global health and humanitarian efforts have been recognized on several occasions. She was a recipient of the Caribbean American Health Care Awards 2017 and NACLI 2017 Beacon Award with a US House of Representatives recognition for her outstanding contribution to the improvement of Healthcare in New York. In April 2019, she was chosen to be a delegate with the Clinton Global Initiative team to Dominica where she met with local health and community officials to discuss community-based projects.
We congratulate Nurse Scotland and wish her the best as she continues to make a positive impact in the field of medicine.
About MPOM:
MPOM was established in December 2017 to provide Healthcare Services to Caribbean islands after the passage of Hurricanes Irma and Maria – both category 5 disasters. The organization caters to the healthcare needs of Caribbean islands through the provision of medical supplies, equipment, and medical assistance to victims of natural and manmade disasters. MPOM consists of qualified health care professionals who work selflessly to provide clinical services to patients in collaboration with public and private health care organizations. Their goal is to assist patients having critical medical conditions to overcome barriers to treatment which usually include lack of access to appropriate health care and high costs.
