Happy Nurse’s week to our Philia Nurses Chinwe and Debbie!

Chinwe Uzodinma, Director of Nursing for Philia has over a decade of healthcare experience. Her various experiences in healthcare include both clinical and non-clinical case management, intermediate and medical-surgical patient care, geriatric nursing, HIV/AIDS healthcare education, clinical/didactic instruction, N95 respiratory fit testing and nurse supervisory roles. Her career in nursing began in 2017 as an intermediate care nurse at Washington Hospital Center in Washington, DC. This is where she discovered her passion for providing quality patient-centered care, working with underserved populations, as well as counseling and education. When given the opportunity to transition into education, she did so and became a Student Learning Specialist at Chamberlain University. During this time, Chinwe also pursued her Masters in Nursing Education (MSN) and served as a Nurse Supervisor/Auditor for APH Dependable Healthcare, LLC a home care organization located in Beltsville, Maryland. 

Following the attainment of her MSN, she was promoted to a full-time Faculty position during which she facilitated clinical, laboratory and didactic instruction. Chinwe possesses over three years of clinical experience in the following specialties: medical-surgical nursing, intermediate care, clinical case management, community-based nursing and home care. In addition to her clinical experience, she possesses over four years of educational experience which includes simulation laboratory preparation, clinical facilitation, supplemental and classroom instruction. 

Chinwe's academic experience has awarded her the privilege of teaching Fundamentals, Health Assessment, Psychiatric Nursing, and Community Health Nursing didactic lectures. She has also provided clinical instruction for Medical Surgical Nursing, Community Health Nursing, and Critical Care Nursing courses at the following clinical sites: Anne Arundel Medical Center, University of Virginia Prince William Medical Center (formerly called Novant Prince William Medical Center), and Shepherds Clinic in Baltimore, Maryland. In addition to this, Chinwe have also provided supplemental instruction for pharmacology, pediatrics, and obstetrics nursing courses. 

Chinwe's academic background includes a Bachelor’s degree in Public Policy Analysis from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a Masters of Public Health from the University of Virginia and Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing along with a Masters of Nursing from Chamberlain University. Her organizational affiliations include the Phi Pi chapter of Sigma Theta Tau Honor Society of Nursing and the American Public Health Association. For the latter organization, she serve as an active Women’s Caucus member, facilitator of monthly book club readings, and an abstract reviewer. 

Debbie Thomas, RN our Director of Care Coordination in Annapolis and the surrounding area. Debbie has been a nurse for 34 years. She started out at the bedside and since then has worked in almost every role in the nursing profession including as a Case Manager, Nurse Manager, Clinical Practice Manager, and Director of ASC Services. Debbie brings tons of nursing and management experience to Philia but she also brings the knowledge of what it is like to care for a loved one.

Debbie cared for her mother who suffered from Alzheimer's and understands what is needed to assist both the person and their family to successfully navigate home care. Though Debbie has spent her life as a nurse caring for others she is now working on her Doctorate degree in Prevention Science with the goal of helping people prevent illness. In her downtime, Debbie spends time with her husband, children, and grandchildren including her four-legged baby Buttons.