Empowering GI Professional Diversity Scholarship: Spotlight on Muriel Moyo, MS BSN RN CCRN-K NE-BC

The Pulse | Tuesday, September 28, 2021

By SGNA Staff

Earlier this year, SGNA announced its first recipients of the Empowering GI Professional Diversity Scholarship. The scholarship program, supported by Boston Scientific Corporation, focuses on increasing diversity and inclusion within the GI profession, and awards six recipients $50,000 in scholarship funds to pursue coursework toward bachelor’s, master’s or doctorate degrees in nursing, or nursing RN program classes.

We caught up with one of the SGNA member recipients — Muriel Moyo, MS BSN RN CCRN-K NE-BC — to discover how they entered the profession, plans for their career and lessons they’ve learned along the way.

When and how did you first become interested in the GI nursing profession?

It happened by chance! I was a radiology nurse manager, and I was asked by my leader to become the interim GI nurse manager. I took on the challenge knowing I was not a GI nurse, but there was a lot of overlap between radiology nursing and GI. I fell in love with the specialty and ended up taking on a clinical director role.

Can you share your plans for your career? How will this scholarship help you achieve your goals?

I would like to get into executive operations leadership in health care. I have found that many of the senior leaders who oversee GI and other perioperative nursing areas are non-nurses/non-clinical. I believe having nursing/clinical representation at such a high level of decision making in the hospital in important for GI nurses.

This scholarship would help as I develop the knowledge and skills in leadership necessary to make this impact that I yearn for. The doctor of nursing practice education I am currently pursuing will give me an all-inclusive insight on how to navigate the complexities found in health care systems. It will also provide hands-on experience in performance improvement, strategic planning, operational and facilities planning.

What is one of the proudest moments you’ve had thus far in your career and why?

I have managed to makes some positive changes in GI nursing, including ensuring we have adequate staffing in our areas. I have also been able to encourage my staff to disseminate knowledge that we have gained through publications on national forums — helping my voice and GI nurses’ voices be heard by many across the nation.

What is one thing you’ve learned about GI nursing that may help others with their own professional journeys?

GI nursing is a highly specialized area, and not everyone knows or understands what we do. As such, the biggest lesson I have learned is that we need to advocate for ourselves and ensure our voices are heard.

Congratulations to the six SGNA members who are the 2021 Empowering GI Professional Diversity Scholarship recipients:

Jay Lardizabal, MAN, RN, CGRN
Yoamis Lopez, ST
Muriel Moyo, MS, BSN, RN, CCRN-K, NE-BC
Victoria Purpura, BBA, RN, CGRN
Emily Salisbury, RN
Jinghong Yu, RN-BC, CGRN