The Advanced Practice Initiatives & Certification Outreach Team
Celebrating Irish American Heritage Month
Featuring the Story of Jeanne Lahaie, MS, APRN, GCNS-BC, PGMT-BC
Jeanne Lahaie felt called to pursue a career in healthcare following the loss of her sister-in-law to breast cancer, which left her wishing she could have helped clinically as well as emotionally. At the time, she was working as a writer and consultant in San Francisco while volunteering with older adults, where she discovered a passion for geriatric care and embraced cultural learning.
Though initially uncertain about her scientific abilities, she excelled in her prerequisite courses, sparking a strong aptitude for anatomy, pathophysiology, microbiology, and statistics.
Jeanne went on to earn an accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from Columbia University, focusing on geriatrics, and later pursued graduate studies at the University of California San Francisco as a Geriatric Clinical Nurse Specialist. During her graduate studies, she worked at the San Francisco VA in the hospice and long-term care units of the Community Living Center. This experience was transformative, giving her a deep sense of purpose in caring for veterans and honoring both their service and her family’s legacy of military sacrifice.
One family member, in particular, that profoundly influenced Jeanne’s decision to pursue a career in nursing was her great-aunt, Eileen Flaherty. She often reflects on the irony that her great-aunt once encouraged her to consider nursing—a path Jeanne initially resisted, believing it to be too traditional. Little did she know that the profession would ultimately open doors to innovation, excellence, and deep compassion, particularly through her experiences at the VA. Aunt Eileen herself was a Lieutenant Colonel and nurse during WWII who served in New Guinea, Germany, and beyond.
Her great-aunt was the youngest sister of Jeanne’s grandmother and part of a proud, hardworking Irish immigrant family in the Boston area that endured significant hardship, including the loss of their mother during childbirth.
As the youngest of 5 born to an older mother, Jeanne’s early life in Massachusetts was shaped by frequent visits to elderly and ill family members, including relatives living with dementia and cancer. Holding her grandmother’s hand while she lay dying in pain from multiple myeloma and just being present for her instilled in Jeanne a deep sense of compassion and the importance of offering comfort, even in the face of loss. Guided by her mother’s humor and resilience, Jeanne learned to bring lightness to difficult moments through laughter and music. Although her mother’s family lacked the means to pursue education beyond high school, Jeanne pursued college, initially studying anthropology before earning her first undergraduate degree, a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Mass Communication. While working with children with disabilities, she discovered a passion for caregiving and found fulfillment in supporting their well-being. Over the years, Jeanne discovered her love for caring for others and her keen interest for studying health science. This lifelong curiosity, along with the loss of a loved one, led her to study nursing.
During the time of her graduate studies while also working at the San Francisco VA, deepened her understanding of aging, serious illness, and end-of-life care. Serving veterans resonated with her family’s military history—her father in WWII, her grandfather Gus Mulqueeney, one of the first Purple Heart recipients from WWI, and her uncle Gerry in Burma—all of whom faced lasting effects of PTSD.
Jeanne often reflects on her grandfather Gus’s life with admiration. As an Irish immigrant facing discrimination and poverty, he endured unimaginable hardships—fighting in the trenches of WWI, surviving mustard gas attacks, and later suffering from PTSD and haunting memories. He lived through the Spanish flu pandemic and raised a family during the Great Depression without the benefits later afforded by the GI Bill.
Despite these challenges, he maintained a gentle spirit and a warm sense of humor. Jeanne keeps his metal doughboy helmet in her office as a staunch reminder of the ordeal he endured and sacrifice—values that continue to inspire her work and her commitment to compassionate care.
Jeanne believes that being dual ANCC board certified as a Geriatric Clinical Nurse Specialist (GCNS-BC) and in Pain Management Nursing (PMGT-BC) has been invaluable in helping her identify and relieve pain in older adults. She credits mentors at the San Francisco VA for guiding her in palliative care and geriatric pain management for veterans, as well as the World Health Organization (WHO) Analgesic Ladder—a stepwise framework that guides clinicians to use progressively stronger medications and adjuvants based on pain severity. Jeanne views ANCC certification as a personal pathway to support the VA, veterans, and their families, as it allows her to apply the exceptional training she has received and support the VA Palo Alto’s ANCC Pathway to Excellence® designation.
She believes that the certification process is comprehensive and rigorous—comparable to the training of soldiers. Jeanne emphasizes the importance of a well-prepared nursing workforce to care for those who have served, like her own family members, and others who risk their lives to ensure our safety. She feels that ANCC certification helped equip her to meet the complex care needs of elderly veterans.
As a member of two ANCC collaborative organizations, the Gerontological Advanced Practice Nurses Association (GAPNA) and the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists (NACNS), Jeanne values her membership for advancing the knowledge, skills, and connections she needs to deliver excellent care to veterans and their families. She recently attended the NACNS Collaborate 2026 Conference in San Diego with colleagues and gained insights into AI, new equipment, and innovative techniques to share with her team. Jeanne appreciated the many practical and forward-thinking ideas presented through sessions and posters.
Jeanne is an accomplished nurse who attributes her success to a strong foundation, quality education, and personal ambition. She takes great pride in being an Irish American, a VA nurse, and being dual ANCC board certified!
Spotlight from the Assistant Director of Operations PTAP & APPFA
Kristen Evans, DNP, RN, NPD-BC Assistant Director of Operations PTAP & APPFA
My earliest memory of meeting nurses was during visits with my grandmother in the Virginia countryside, when we would go to the local nursing home to see her brother. The nurses there showed such compassion and kindness that I was inspired to emulate them. My grandmother often spoke of her mother, my great-grandmother, who had worked as a nurse’s assistant in Ireland before immigrating to Virginia. She would remind me that Irish women were known for their toughness and strong work ethic—and that I should embody the same qualities.
As a teenager, I devoured every book I could find, including novels about the lives of nurses in Ireland before modern medicine. The stories of women from my heritage finding ways to care for others, despite challenges, left a lasting impression on me. It became clear that strong, compassionate women make a difference in the lives of others—a lesson that inspired me to pursue nursing, with the hope of making my elders proud.
I earned ANCC board certification in Nursing Professional Development (NPD-BC) to demonstrate my commitment to lifelong learning. Of all the roles and skills we perform as nurses, I have found the greatest fulfillment in the educational process—whether teaching patients, guiding their families, or mentoring fellow nurses. Engaging deeply in professional education has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my career.
The NPD-BC brings me pride in my work, for me it demonstrates that I have met the highest standards for knowledge in my field by the leading organization in nursing accreditation.
Serving as the Assistant Director of Operations for the PTAP & APPFA Department has been a true pleasure. I am passionate about supporting nurses and healthcare providers as they transition into new specialties or begin their first clinical practice experience.
Residency and fellowship programs provide the guidance and growth opportunities essential for professional development, investing not only in who participants are today but also in helping them reach their full potential. Programs that pursue voluntary accreditation demonstrate a strong commitment to evidence-based practices and continuous improvement, reflecting the highest standards of quality in education and patient care. Learn more about PTAP & APPFA:
Practice Transition Accreditation Program®
Sets the global standard for residency and fellowship programs that transition registered nurses (RNs).
Uses ANCC evidence-based criteria to demonstrate excellence in transitioning nurses to new practice settings.
Helps organizations strengthen structures and processes to create robust, comprehensive programs supporting nurses’ transitions both into and within the profession.
If you have any questions about PTAP or APPFA, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me or my team at practicetransition@ana.org—we’re always happy to assist. I sincerely thank the contributor above for sharing her story, her inspiration rooted in her Irish heritage, and her perspective on the value of ANCC certification. It has been a true honor to celebrate Irish American Heritage Month with all of you!
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Meet Katelyn Bern who manages customer engagement through social media and at ANCC tradeshows. She is committed to delivering engaging and meaningful content to keep you informed about important updates, including celebrations of certified nurses, stories of inspiration, newsletters, upcoming webinars, and more!
Stories of Inspiration from ANCC Certified Nurses began in May of 2024. You can view all previous stories by visiting our Meet the Team page, under the Stories of Inspiration tab. Please let us know if you are interested in sharing your story with us by completing the below survey:
