Dolores T. Reynolds, R.N., a Research Administrator in the Division of Cardiology, won the Lifetime Achievement Award at Weill Cornell Medicine’s recent second annual nursing awards, held in Belfer Research Building on May 8.
After studying nursing in her native Ireland and training in London, Ms. Reynolds came to the United States in 1993 to pursue a nursing career in the New York City area. She came to Weill Cornell Medicine in 1998, where she worked in the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory as a Research Nurse (informally known as “cath lab”) for 20 years before becoming a Research Administrator about five years ago.
Today, her varied work involves managing a team that coordinates clinical trials and grants in the Division of Cardiology; currently there are about 125 active trials. Many patients have been studied for decades. “The field of cardiology has evolved greatly,” Ms. Reynolds says. “Instead of conducting high-risk procedures like open heart surgery, there are now alternatives to treat an array of conditions, like valvular heart disease, in a way that substantially extends life.”
Ms. Reynolds encourages early-career nurses to pursue a strong clinical base before pursuing a field in clinical research. She credits her outstanding team and partnership with “truly ethical, conscientious doctors” for making a difference in her daily work life. “I genuinely enjoy coming to work every day,” she says. “I feel fortunate to be able to say that.”
From left, Dolores T. Reynolds and Colleen Lee, Director, Nursing & Patient Safety.