In August 2024, Dr. Kandis McLean partnered with Avion Drayton-Bailey and the Trinidad and Tobago National Nursing Association to led a team of U.S. nurses to Trinidad and Tobago to teach AWHONN’s Obstetric Patient Safety Program. Learn about their motivation, preparation, cultural adaptations, and team dynamics, especially if you’d like to take your nursing skills abroad. This episode highlights the importance of global collaboration in maternal health with the shared goal of reducing maternal mortality rates.

Meet our guests:

Avion Drayton-Bailey, B.Sc.N. Admin; RN; RPN 

Avion Drayton-Bailey has been a Registered Nurse for more than 20 years with five years of experience as Registered Psychiatric Nurse. She’s currently the First Vice President of the Trinidad and Tobago National Nursing Association and Region IV Director of the Caribbean Nurses Organization. Previously, she was a cardiology nurse manager at Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex and worked offshore for three years as a Vessel Registered Nurse/Medic on various Dive Sea Vessels.

Avion’s mantra is “Be the change you want to see.” She’s a servant leader that has coordinated and planned various events for the North Central Regional Health Authority; Lions Club of Trinidad and Tobago; Joint Trade Union Movement (Leadership Council), and the Trinidad and Tobago National Nursing Association.

Ms. Drayton-Bailey is a part-time lecturer at the University of Trinidad and Tobago, she’s taught courses at the University of the West Indies and owns and manages Avion’s Events and Catering Services. She can be found every Thursday on I95.5 FM where she co-hosts the weekly nursing programme “TTNNA Talks!”

Katrina J. Johnson, MSN/Ed, RN 

Katrina Johnson has served in the roles of nurse manager, assistant nurse manager/educator and simulation coordinator in women’s and perinatal health.

Katrina is a passionate, committed patient advocate of women and newborns by supporting them through equitable, culturally sensitive care. She actively promotes healthcare equity and best practices to improve the outcomes of underrepresented mothers and their newborns through education and advocacy.

Katrina has been an AWHONN member for over 15+ years. She’s currently a perinatal safety nurse, AWHONN intermediate and advanced fetal monitoring instructor/mentor, Neonatal Resuscitation, BLS instructor and TeamSTEPPS master trainer.

Ashley Rainey, MSN, RNC-OB, IAP 

Ashley Rainey has a deep-seated passion for perinatal care and is currently the Clinical Director for the Women, Children, and Families Commission for the State of Indiana. She performs various functions to promote clinical practice throughout the commission and for the 75 delivery facilities in the state.

Ashley is an esteemed member of Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing Honor Society, alumna of the 2019 Maternal-Child Nursing Leadership Academy cohort, and involved with AWHONN nationally and locally. She’s currently seeking her PhD in Nursing Research student at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Dr. K. McLean, DNP, FNP-C, RNC-OB, RNC-MNN, C-EFM, CHSE, NEA-BC

Dr. Kandis McLean is a maternal health nurse executive with over a decade of high-risk maternal child health inpatient experience. She’s a content consultant for the National League of Nursing and National Certification Corporation. As the Director of Nursing for Planned Parenthood of Greater New York, she covers over eight sites across three regions.

Dr. McLean has been a clinical adjunct for maternal health simulation at Nassau Community College since 2021 and provides obstetrical care as a Family Nurse Practitioner for Columbia University. She’s a certified healthcare simulation educator and certified in inpatient obstetrics and maternal newborn nursing. Dr. McLean’s commitment is to ensure delivery of equitable, quality care with affordable access, and foster the growth of the nursing pipeline through nursing and community education.

Dr. McLean is on the New York Department of Health Maternal Morbidity Task Force (2023-2026) to actively reduce maternal morbidity by conducting research focused on vulnerable birthing patients with mental health and substance use disorders in the community.

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