About the Episode

Ever wondered what it's like to serve as a combat nurse on the front lines? Join us for this special Veterans Day episode with Colonel Susan Luz as she shares inspiring and heartbreaking stories of service, resilience, and leadership that translate from the battlefield to the bedside.

Special Guest

Susan Luz, BSN, MPH, RN, graduated from the University of Rhode Island with a degree in nursing. After a clinical rotation at Rhode Island's Institute of Mental Health and public health experiences, she joined the Peace Corps, with her first assignment in Brazil. After leaving the Peace Corps, Luz earned her master's degree in public health nursing from Boston University. She returned to Brazil with Project Hope and then took a job as a nurse-teacher at Central High School in Providence and ran its school-based clinic from 1978 to 2006. While working at Central, she also worked nights at the state Institute of Mental Health and then Gateway Healthcare's Acute Residential Treatment Center. Luz joined the Army Reserves in 1983. She was 56 years old when her unit was later deployed to Iraq in 2006, at the height of the U.S. surge and the bloodiest point of the war. Colonel Luz was the highest-ranking woman in the 399th Combat Support Hospital, a Massachusetts-based Army Reserve unit. As a public health nurse with certification as a psychiatric nurse, Luz's mission in Iraq included helping soldiers with emotional trauma and providing comfort to dying soldiers. Luz formed her own "Band of Sisters," a group of nurses who were not only dedicated to treating wounded soldiers but also maintaining morale among the troops, especially during the unit's time in the middle of the desert in Al Asad. Luz was awarded the Bronze Star in 2007. She is the author of "The Nightingale of Mosul: A Nurse's Journey of Service, Struggle, and War."

Meet the Co-Hosts

Samantha Bayne, MSN, RN, CMSRN, NPD-BC, is a nursing professional development practitioner in the inland northwest specializing in medical-surgical nursing. The first four years of her practice were spent bedside on a busy ortho/neuro unit, where she found her passion for newly graduated RNs, interdisciplinary collaboration, and professional governance. Sam is an unwavering advocate for medical-surgical nursing as a specialty and enjoys helping nurses prepare for specialty certification. 

Kellye' McRae, MSN-Ed, RN, is a dedicated med-surg staff nurse and unit based educator based in South Georgia, with 12 years of invaluable nursing experience. She is passionate about mentoring new nurses, sharing her clinical wisdom to empower the next generation of nurses. Kellye' excels in bedside teaching, blending hands-on training with compassionate patient care to ensure both nurses and patients thrive. Her commitment to education and excellence makes her a cornerstone of her healthcare team.

Marcela Salcedo, RN, BSN, is a floatpool nightshift nurse in the Chicagoland area, specializing in step-down and medical-surgical care. A member of AMSN and the Hektoen Nurses, she combines her passion for nursing with the healing power of the arts and humanities. As a mother of four, Marcela is reigniting her passion for nursing by embracing the chaos of caregiving, fostering personal growth, and building meaningful connections that inspire her work.

Eric Torres, ADN, RN, CMSRN, is a California native who has always dreamed of seeing the World, and when that didn’t work out, he set his sights on nursing. Eric is beyond excited to be joining the AMSN podcast and having a chance to share his stories and experiences of being a bedside medical-surgical nurse.

Maritess M. Quinto, DNP, RN, NPD-BC, CMSRN, is a clinical educator currently leading a team of educators who is passionately helping healthcare colleagues, especially newly graduate nurses. She was born and raised in the Philippines and immigrated to the United States with her family in Florida. Her family of seven (three girls and two boys with her husband who is also a Registered Nurse) loves to travel, especially to Disney World. She loves to share her experiences about parenting, travelling, and, of course, nursing!

Sydney Wall, RN, BSN, CMSRN, has been a med-surg nurse for 5 years. After graduating from the University of Rhode Island in 2019, Sydney commissioned into the Navy and began her nursing career working on a cardiac/telemetry unit in Bethesda, Maryland.  Currently she is stationed overseas, providing care for service members and their families.  During her free time, she enjoys martial arts and traveling.