Dr. Eshkevari – 2020 Star Nurse Weekly Spotlight

Posted in Announcements News

Chapter 5

Growing up in India, Ladan’s exposure to the roles she saw of women on TV were limited to Saint Teresa of Calcutta and comedian Lucille Ball. “Although I like a good laugh,” she says, “it was Mother Teresa’s actions that stayed with me. The way she cared for the sick and the poor, and the manner in which she was held in such high regard resonated with me.” Ladan also observed poverty and the plight of the human condition. “I wanted to somehow be a solution.”

Today, Dr. Ladan Eshkevari is an accomplished nurse and professor of nurse anesthesia practice DNAP at Georgetown University with 30 years in the field. “My students are the brightest people I know,” she says. “They come from all over the country (and the world), each with their own unique story and how they found nursing. Seeing them each grow in their own way and contribute in a meaningful way to society gives me the greatest inspiration.

Ladan’s patients are also a source inspiration—and joy, she adds. “They fight and grow despite their obstacles. They make my problems seem small, and inspire me more than they probably know.”

The University of Maryland graduate has no doubt seen many chages in the profession. One that she hopes will continue to evolve is the removal of barriers to practice for all advanced-practice nurses (APRNs), especially in her subspecialty of nurse anesthesia. “This will increase access to care and reduce the cost burden to the health-care system,” she says.

As do all nurses, Ladan applies a personal touch in her work. “Well, I did mention Lucille Ball,” she laughs. “I love to laugh and have a pretty good sense of humor. My students, like my teens, probably roll their eyes at my mom jokes, but I have to tell you that I do make them laugh out loud.”