Spotlighting Baxter Nurses Who Provide Patient, Clinician Support and Product Insight in Honor of National Nurses Week

Nurses play an integral role in helping Baxter achieve its mission to save and sustain lives, not only by providing the knowledge and expertise gained from years of providing direct care to patients, but also through contributing insight into how Baxter’s products are used in real-world settings and the challenges that healthcare providers face in delivering care safely and efficiently. It is this first-hand experience that allows Baxter to better develop and improve its products and services. In honor of National Nurses Week, Baxter spotlights two of many Baxter employees with nursing backgrounds who show an unwavering dedication to advancing patient care.

Beth Trapani, a certified nephrology nurse and senior manager of medical information at Baxter, notes that whether it’s working on a product support team or being on the phone receiving customer inquiries, it’s her responsibility to ensure cross-functional teams understand Baxter products from the perspective of the provider and patient. Beth has practiced in several areas, including in-center hemodialysis, home hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis and has worked as a clinical specialist and in medical affairs at Baxter.

“As I’ve worked at Baxter over the years focused on our renal business, I feel so fortunate to work for a company that has always put the patients first,” Beth said. “We bring the voice of the customer to the business, and I am also impacting the quality of care out there with our clinicians and patients.”

Baxter fosters a collaborative environment, and between the nurses on Beth’s team, she notes there’s approximately 90 years of combined, diverse experience. She emphasizes the primary goal is to help the individual on the other end of the phone, as no matter the type of customer on the line, there’s always a patient at the other end. Her experience as a nurse has instilled critical thinking that allows her to be quick on her feet, and a deep knowledge of how the products fit in with the treatment of each patient, thinking of them as individuals and not just as a collective customer.

Shannon Kayler, an operating room nurse and senior manager of medical affairs at Baxter, notes the same is true of her role as both a nurse and an employee at the company but on a broader scale.

“When you’re a nurse at the bedside, you make a difference for one patient, one family,” Shannon said, “When I’m at Baxter, I’m consulting on technology that can save and sustain the lives of thousands of people every day around the world.”

Shannon has been an operating room nurse for many years, but saw an opportunity at Baxter to pursue her love of technology while also making a difference in the lives of others. Working with project engineers on new product developments, Shannon is able to represent the current hospital environment to ensure products best fit the atmosphere in which they will be implemented in and how they will be used.

“Whether I’m working as a nurse in a hospital or as an employee at Baxter, I’m here to make life better for our patients,” Shannon said. “I’m here to make a difference.”